So, listen to him and obey him.

So, listen to him and obey him.”[^2] During the Tabuk Expedition The Prophet (S) said to ‘Ali ( ‘a ): أما ترضى أن تكون منّي بمنزلة هارون من موسى إلا أنه لا نبيّ بعدي؟ “Are you not satisfied that you are to me as Harun (Aaron) is to Musa (Moses) except that there will be no prophet after me?”[^3] That is to say, “Just as Harun ( ‘a ) is the executor of will and the immediate successor of Musa ( ‘a ), you are my successor.” In the 10th Year after Hijrah On his return from the Farewell Pilgrimage { Hajjah al-Wida‘ }, at a place called Ghadir Khumm the Messenger of Allah (S) introduced ‘Ali ( ‘a ) before a mammoth assembly (of pilgrims) as the wali {guardian} of the believers, male or female, saying: "من كُنت مولاه فهذا عليّ مولاه." “Of whosoever I am master { mawla }, then ‘Ali is also his master { mawla }.” The important and noteworthy point is that at the beginning of his speech, the Prophet (S) asked: ألست أولى بكم من أنفسكم؟ “Have I more authority over you than you have over yourselves?” And the Muslims unanimously replied in the affirmative.

Therefore, it must be noted here that in this hadith the Prophet (S) meant by the word, “ mawla ” the absolute guardianship over the believers, and we can conclude that the Prophet (S) had established ‘Ali ( ‘a ) in the same position which he had.

And on that very day Hassan ibn Thabit versified the historic event of Ghadir as follows: يناديهم يوم الغدير نبيّهم بخمّ واسمع بالرّسول مناديا فقال: فمن مولاكم ونبيّكم؟ فقالوا: ولم يدلوا أهناك التعاميا إلهك ومولانا أنت نبيّن ولم تلق منا في الولاية عاصيا فقال له: قم يا عليّ فإنني رضيتك من بعدي إماماً وهادياً فمن كنت مولاه فهذا ولّيه فكونوا له اتباع صدق مواليا هناك دعا: اللهم وال وليّه وكن للذي عادى عليّا معاديا.

Their Prophet calls on them on the day of Ghadir Khumm; now, listen to the call of the Prophet: Then he said to the people: “Who is your Master {mawla} and your guardian {wali}? Then, without showing inattention, they said: “Your Lord is our Master {mawla} and you are our guardian {wali}, and no one among us today disobeys you.” Then he said: “Stand up O ‘Ali!

For, I am indeed well pleased that you are the Imam and guide after me.” {Then he said:} “Therefore, of whomsoever I am master, ‘Ali is his master also. May you be their true supporters!” He then prayed, saying: “O Allah!