03/06/2026
Ghadir is not merely a historical event; it is the day on which Allah Almighty announced the System of Wilayah and Imamah for humanity.
It was the day when the Messenger of Allah ď·ş, by the command of Allah, informed the Ummah that Islam is not limited to acts of worship alone. Rather, it is a complete divine system encompassing politics, justice, economics, social affairs, and leadership.
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Qur’an:
"O Messenger! Convey what has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not delivered His message. And Allah will protect you from the people."
(Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:67)
According to Shia commentators, this verse was revealed on the occasion of Ghadir, where the Prophet Muhammad ď·ş proclaimed the Wilayah and Imamah of Imam Ali (AS).
On that same day, Allah declared:
"Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and chosen Islam as your religion."
(Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:3)
This indicates that the perfection of religion was completed through the announcement of Wilayah. Prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage alone were not sufficient; divine leadership was also necessary.
Imam Ruhollah Khomeini stated:
"Ghadir was not merely the declaration of Imam Ali’s (AS) Wilayah; it was the announcement of divine governance and the establishment of an Islamic system."
According to Imam Khomeini, Wilayah is not merely love and devotion; it is a system through which Allah’s law is implemented, oppression is challenged, and society is built upon divine justice.
The Qur’an also states:
"And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed—then it is they who are the wrongdoers."
(Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:45)
Unfortunately, today many have reduced Ghadir to celebrations and processions. We claim to love Imam Ali (AS), yet hesitate to adopt his system of justice, governance, and Wilayah.
The greatest challenge facing the Ummah is that the System of Imamah has been reduced from a living divine framework to merely a historical belief. While Allah granted us Islamic political, economic, and social systems, many have turned toward man-made systems instead.
