Verse 67 of Surah al-Maidah is one of three verses that were revealed directly to the Seal of the Prophets in connection with the event of Ghadir. According to Shia sources and many Sunni sources, the message that the Seal of the Prophets was commanded by this verse to convey was the guardianship of Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him).
Verse 67 of Surah al-Maidah:
يا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ ما أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَ إِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَما بَلَّغْتَ رِسالَتَهُ وَ اللهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ إِنَّ اللهَ لا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْكافِرينَ
“O Messenger! Convey everything revealed to you from your Lord. If you do not, then you have not delivered His message. Allah will certainly protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the people who disbelieve.”
In the passage of al-Ghadir supplication, it is stated:
“God, the Exalted, answered the supplication of His Prophet in your regard, then He commanded him to proclaim that which had made you worthy of authority over his community, in order to elevate your rank, make your proof manifest, repel falsehoods and cut off excuses. When he became fearful of the turmoil of the corrupt and exercised caution regarding you in the face of the hypocrites, the Lord of the worlds revealed to him: ‘O Messenger! Convey everything revealed to you from your Lord. If you do not, then you have not delivered His message. Allah will certainly protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the people who disbelieve.’ (al-Maidah, 67)”
Verse 67 of Surah al-Maidah is among the Alawi verses revealed at Ghadir Khumm which warns the Seal of the Prophets that failure to proclaim the guardianship of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) is tantamount to failure to deliver the message.
Imam al-Hadi (peace be upon him), during his pilgrimage addressed Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) on the day of Ghadir, referred to the revelation of the Verse of Proclamation:
“Peace be upon you, O my master and guardian, O Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him)! … I bear witness that you were singled out for the praise of God, that you were sincere in obedience to God, that you did not seek any substitute for guidance, and that you did not associate anyone with your Lord in worship. And I bear witness that God, the Exalted, answered the supplication of His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) concerning you.
Then He commanded him to make your superiority and guardianship manifest to his community, so as to raise your station, make your clear proof evident, eradicate falsehoods and cut off excuses. When the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) became concerned about the tribulation of the wicked and was wary of the hypocrites with regard to you, the Lord of the worlds revealed to him: “O Messenger! Convey everything revealed to you from your Lord. If you do not, then you have not delivered His message. Allah will certainly protect you from the people. Indeed, Allah does not guide the people who disbelieve.”
So, he bore the heavy burdens of this path upon his soul, and in the intense heat at midday he rose, delivered a sermon, made them hear, cried out and proclaimed. Then he questioned them all, saying: ‘Have I conveyed?’ They replied: ‘By God, yes.’ He said: ‘O God, bear witness.’
Then he said: ‘Am I not more entitled to the believers than their own selves?’ They replied: ‘Indeed, you are more entitled.’
Then he took your hand and said: ‘Whoever I am his master and guardian, this Ali (peace be upon him) is his master and guardian. O God, befriend whoever befriends him, be the enemy of whoever is his enemy, support whoever supports him, and forsake whoever fails to support him.’
Then, apart from a few, they did not believe in what God had revealed to His Prophet concerning you, and most of them increased in nothing but loss.” (1)
Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him), referring to verse 67 of Surah al-Maidah, stated:
“God, Mighty and Majestic, commanded His Prophet with the guardianship of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) and revealed this verse to him: ‘Your only guardian is God, His Messenger, and those who believe, those who establish the prayer and give alms while bowing.’ Thus He made obligatory the guardianship of those vested with authority (ulu al-amr), but the people did not know what that was.
God commanded Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) to explain guardianship to them just as he had explained to them prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and pilgrimage. When this command came to him from God, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) was distressed by it and feared that they would turn away from their religion and belie him. He became grieved and turned to the Mighty and Majestic Lord (that is, he refrained from taking action in this matter). Then God, Mighty and Exalted, revealed this verse to him: ‘O Messenger! Convey that which has been sent down to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message; and God will protect you from the people.’ So he submitted to the command of God. On the day of Ghadir Khumm, he vested Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) with guardianship, then he called out: ‘The prayer in congregation is about to be held,’ and he commanded the people that those who were present convey this matter to those who were absent.” (2)
Ibn Abbas, regarding the occasion of the revelation of verse 67 of Surah al-Maidah, narrated: “The verse ‘O Messenger! Convey that which has been sent down to you from your Lord’ was revealed on the day of Ghadir Khumm concerning Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him).” (3)
