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Day of Al-Ghadir
The following essay was written on the 1400th anniversary
(1990) of Eid Al-Ghadeer by a 14-year old.
The flaming orange sun is now directly overhead, casting
intense heat on all that belongs in its domain. My camel shuffles along
slowly in the coarse sand, dragging its tired feet on this blanket of fire we
call the desert.
Our journey has been a long and tedious one, but also a
rewarding one. We have been fortunate enough to be traveling with our Holy
Prophet Muhammad, (S.A.W.), and his cousin and son-in-law; the Commander of
the Faithful, Ali (A.S.). Also, we have just com pleted the required
pilgrimage, (Hajj and Umrah) and a feeling of peace and satisfaction has come
over us since we left the Holy Place. God is with us now, and the fact that
we know this makes the heat more bearable, the thirst almost unimportant, and
the fatigue nearly forgotten.
Finally, we have come. Now that we are arriving at Ghadir
Khumm, our caravan will break up, and everyone will go their different ways.
From here, Praise be to God, my town is not far away, and my long journey
will soon come to an end.
The Messenger of God has just commanded us to stop now, and
gather around him. This causes considerable commotion and questioning among
the members of the party, since this is surely not an adequate place to stop,
for it lacks water and pasture. Neverthel ess, we all halt and obey our
Leader.
I watch in silence, slightly puzzled, as the Holy Prophet
(S.A.W.) orders the Commander of the Faithful (Ali A.S.) to stand under a
large tree. He asks for us to be put into rows one after another. He also
tells the caller to say the Adhaan (call for pray er). Most of us wrap our
cloaks around our feet to protect them from the deadly heat of the ground
below us. Our Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) mounts above us all on a camel so we can
see him. We watch in awe as he summons Ali (A.S.) to come on his right and
addr esses us all:
It seems as if I have
been summoned and I am going away. However, I am leaving among you Two
Weighty Things. They are the book of Allah, the Almighty, and my Ahlul-Bayt
(People of my House, A.S.). So take care how you treat them after me. The two
shall ne ver part company until they lead you to me at the Hauz-e-Kauthar
(The Sacred Waters of Heaven). The Lord, Allah the Almighty, is my Master and
I am the master of every true believer.
He takes the hand of Ali (A.S.) in his hand,
He is the master of all those whose master I have been. O
Allah, love those who love Ali (A.S.) and hate those who hate him . . .
The Prophet (S.A.W.) asks all of us Muslims to go to
congratulate Ali (A.S.) on his position and acknowledge his command over the
faithful. I do so joyously, and I feel proud and privileged to be here on
such an important occasion.
Later in the evening, it is cooler, and I am sitting with a
group of men who are heading into the same town as I am. We discuss what has
happened that day. Someone asks us all, "How long do you think people
will remember this day and what happened in it?"
One man replied confidently, "Not long at all, for people
will remember events only as long as they want to remember them."
I cry out loud, "How can you say that? Can anyone forget
such a day? When the sun was scorching us and we were thirsty for water, and
when our Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) made such a declaration! Certainly it won't be
disregarded!"
Somebody agrees with me and adds, "Yes indeed, this day
at Ghadir Khumm will be celebrated by many generations after us."
Another challenges him, "For how many years will people
commemorate this day?"
He says calmly, "Forever, probably, I don't know, maybe
13, 14 hundred years . . ."
"1400 years," I tell myself trying to comprehend the
amount of time. "Probably more, even." I ponder on this thought
until I walk back to my tent in tent in the cool night air, the soft powdery
sand soothing my burnt and calloused feet, and consoling my h eart.
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