Did Shia Hadith Contradict Itself About Wilayah Being the Final Obligation?
A Refutation of TwelverShia.net
https://www.twelvershia.net/2013/05/03/wilayah-is-the-last-order-from-allah/
TwelverShia.net presents the following supposed contradiction:
1. Shia sources use verses and narrations revealed before Ghadir to prove Imam Ali’s authority.
2. Other Shia narrations say that wilayah was the final obligation revealed after Hajj.
3. Therefore, Shias must either abandon the earlier evidence or reject the narrations calling wilayah the final obligation.
This argument may sound clever until one reads the complete narration quoted by the article.
The narration itself explicitly distinguishes between:
The earlier revelation of the principle of wilayah.
The people not yet knowing its full meaning and application.
The Prophet’s final public explanation and establishment of Imam Ali’s wilayah at Ghadir.
TwelverShia.net separates these stages and then falsely presents them as contradictions. Its conclusion is therefore based upon a false dilemma. The article’s argument and conclusion can be read in its own published text.
1. The Main Narration Answers the Objection Itself
Al-Kulayni narrates from Imam al-Baqir a.s:
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ، وَالْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، وَبُكَيْرِ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ، وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، وَبُرَيْدِ بْنِ مُعَاوِيَةَ، وَأَبِي الْجَارُودِ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ:
أَمَرَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ رَسُولَهُ بِوَلَايَةِ عَلِيٍّ، وَأَنْزَلَ عَلَيْهِ:
﴿إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ﴾
وَفَرَضَ وَلَايَةَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ، فَلَمْ يَدْرُوا مَا هِيَ، فَأَمَرَ اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ أَنْ يُفَسِّرَ لَهُمُ الْوَلَايَةَ، كَمَا فَسَّرَ لَهُمُ الصَّلَاةَ وَالزَّكَاةَ وَالصَّوْمَ وَالْحَجَّ.
فَلَمَّا أَتَاهُ ذَلِكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ، ضَاقَ بِذَلِكَ صَدْرُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ، وَتَخَوَّفَ أَنْ يَرْتَدُّوا عَنْ دِينِهِمْ وَأَنْ يُكَذِّبُوهُ، فَضَاقَ صَدْرُهُ وَرَاجَعَ رَبَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، فَأَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلَيْهِ:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ وَاللَّهُ يَعْصِمُكَ مِنَ النَّاسِ﴾
فَصَدَعَ بِأَمْرِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى ذِكْرُهُ، فَقَامَ بِوَلَايَةِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ يَوْمَ غَدِيرِ خُمٍّ، فَنَادَى: الصَّلَاةُ جَامِعَةٌ، وَأَمَرَ النَّاسَ أَنْ يُبَلِّغَ الشَّاهِدُ الْغَائِبَ.
قَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ أُذَيْنَةَ:
قَالُوا جَمِيعًا غَيْرَ أَبِي الْجَارُودِ:
وَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ:
وَكَانَتِ الْفَرِيضَةُ تَنْزِلُ بَعْدَ الْفَرِيضَةِ الْأُخْرَى، وَكَانَتِ الْوَلَايَةُ آخِرَ الْفَرَائِضِ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ:
﴿الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي﴾
قَالَ أَبُ جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ:
يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: لَا أُنْزِلُ عَلَيْكُمْ بَعْدَ هَذِهِ فَرِيضَةً، قَدْ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمُ الْفَرَائِضَ.
English translation:
“Allah commanded His Messenger regarding the wilayah of Ali and revealed:
‘Your wali is only Allah, His Messenger and those who believe, who establish prayer and give zakat.’
He imposed the wilayah of those vested with authority, but they did not know what it was. Therefore, Allah commanded Muhammad to explain wilayah to them, just as he had explained prayer, zakat, fasting and Hajj.
When this command came to him from Allah, the Messenger of Allah became concerned and feared that they might turn back from their religion and accuse him of falsehood. He therefore appealed to his Lord, and Allah revealed:
‘O Messenger! Proclaim what has been sent down to you from your Lord. If you do not, then you have not conveyed His message; and Allah will protect you from the people.’
The Prophet then openly carried out Allah’s command and established the wilayah of Ali on the Day of Ghadir Khumm. He called the people together and ordered those present to inform those absent.
Umar ibn Udhaynah said: All of the narrators, except Abu al-Jarud, also narrated that Imam al-Baqir said:
‘One obligation would be revealed after another, and wilayah was the last of the obligations. Allah then revealed: “Today I have completed your religion and perfected My favour upon you.”
Imam al-Baqir said that Allah was saying: “I will not reveal another obligation upon you after this one. I have completed the obligations for you.”’”
Reference: al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, vol. 1, p. 289, Kitab al-Hujjah.
Al-Majlisi’s grading:
الْحَدِيثُ الرَّابِعُ: حَسَنٌ
“The fourth hadith is hasan.”
Reference: al-Majlisi, Mir’at al-‘Uqul, vol. 3, p. 250. The Arabic digital edition records the chain and al-Majlisi’s grading directly.
2. The Decisive Words TwelverShia.net Ignored
The narration says:
وَفَرَضَ وَلَايَةَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ، فَلَمْ يَدْرُوا مَا هِيَ
“He imposed the wilayah of those vested with authority, but they did not know what it was.”
It then says:
فَأَمَرَ اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدًا أَنْ يُفَسِّرَ لَهُمُ الْوَلَايَةَ
“Allah commanded Muhammad to explain wilayah to them.”
The narration does not say that the word wilayah had never previously been revealed.
It does not say that Imam Ali a.s had never previously been mentioned.
It does not say that the Muslims had never heard any evidence concerning Imam Ali’s authority.
It says that the obligation already existed, but the people had not received its complete and unmistakable explanation. Allah therefore ordered the Prophet to explain and publicly establish it.
The distinction is present inside the very narration quoted by the article:
Earlier imposition:
وَفَرَضَ وَلَايَةَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ
“He imposed the wilayah of those vested with authority.”
Later explanation:
أَنْ يُفَسِّرَ لَهُمُ الْوَلَايَةَ
“To explain wilayah to them.”
Final public establishment:
فَقَامَ بِوَلَايَةِ عَلِيٍّ يَوْمَ غَدِيرِ خُمٍّ
“He established the wilayah of Ali on the Day of Ghadir Khumm.”
There is no contradiction. There are different stages of revelation, explanation and public implementation.
3. “The Last Obligation” Does Not Mean “The First Time It Was Ever Mentioned”
This is the central logical error in the article.
A command can be introduced generally, explained gradually and then given its final public and binding formulation.
The narration itself compares wilayah with prayer, zakat, fasting and Hajj:
كَمَا فَسَّرَ لَهُمُ الصَّلَاةَ وَالزَّكَاةَ وَالصَّوْمَ وَالْحَجَّ
“Just as he explained prayer, zakat, fasting and Hajj to them.”
The obligation of prayer existed before every detail concerning its times, number of units and rules had been explained.
The obligation of zakat existed before every nisab and practical detail had been clarified.
The obligation of Hajj existed before the Prophet demonstrated its complete rites during the Farewell Pilgrimage.
In the same way:
Earlier verses established divine authority and obedience.
Earlier Prophetic declarations identified Imam Ali’s unique rank.
Ghadir was the final universal proclamation, explanation and public covenant concerning his wilayah.
The final proclamation confirms the earlier evidence; it does not erase it.
4. A General Command Can Come Before the Identification of Its Subject
Allah says:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ﴾
“O you who believe! Obey Allah, obey the Messenger and those vested with authority among you.”
Qur’an 4:59.
This verse establishes the obligation of obeying the legitimate ulul-amr.
But the verse, standing alone, does not list each individual who holds that position.
According to the narration, the final public identification occurred at Ghadir:
فَقَامَ بِوَلَايَةِ عَلِيٍّ يَوْمَ غَدِيرِ خُمٍّ
“He established the wilayah of Ali on the Day of Ghadir Khumm.”
There is no contradiction between:
“Obey those vested with authority.”
And later:
“Ali is the person whose wilayah is being publicly established.”
A general law can be revealed before its complete practical explanation and before the final identification of its subject.
5. Earlier Evidence Does Not Become “Useless”
TwelverShia.net concludes:
“Based on the narrations stating that the duty of wilayah came after Hajj at Ghadir Khumm, it is not allowed for the Shia to use any other narrations or verses that came before Allah revealed Hajj.”
This is a complete non sequitur.
A later clarification does not invalidate an earlier indication.
The Qur’an itself contains gradual legislation.
Concerning intoxicants, Allah first said:
﴿قُلْ فِيهِمَا إِثْمٌ كَبِيرٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَإِثْمُهُمَا أَكْبَرُ مِنْ نَفْعِهِمَا﴾
“Say: In them is great sin and some benefits for people, but their sin is greater than their benefit.”
Qur’an 2:219.
Then:
﴿لَا تَقْرَبُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنْتُمْ سُكَارَىٰ﴾
“Do not approach prayer while you are intoxicated.”
Qur’an 4:43.
Then the final prohibition:
﴿إِنَّمَا الْخَمْرُ وَالْمَيْسِرُ... رِجْسٌ مِنْ عَمَلِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَاجْتَنِبُوهُ﴾
“Indeed, intoxicants and gambling are filth from the work of Satan, so avoid them.”
Qur’an 5:90.
Did the final prohibition make the earlier verses “incorrect and useless”?
Of course not.
The earlier verses show the stages through which the final ruling was established.
Similarly, the final public establishment of Imam Ali’s wilayah at Ghadir does not invalidate earlier verses and declarations. It completes and confirms them.
6. Sunni Sources Also Use “Last” in a Contextual Sense
Sahih al-Bukhari records from al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib:
آخِرُ آيَةٍ نَزَلَتْ خَاتِمَةُ سُورَةِ النِّسَاءِ:
﴿يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِي الْكَلَالَةِ﴾
“The last verse revealed was the final verse of Surah al-Nisa: ‘They ask you for a ruling. Say: Allah gives you a ruling concerning kalalah.’”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 6744; Sahih Muslim, no. 1618.
But Sahih al-Bukhari also records from Ibn Abbas:
آخِرُ آيَةٍ نَزَلَتْ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ آيَةُ الرِّبَا
“The last verse revealed to the Prophet was the verse concerning usury.”
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari, no. 4544.
These reports are not necessarily rejected as contradictions. Sunni scholars explain “last” according to subject and context: the last verse concerning inheritance, the last verse concerning usury, the last complete surah or the last verse heard by a particular narrator.
Therefore, the expression:
وَكَانَتِ الْوَلَايَةُ آخِرَ الْفَرَائِضِ
“Wilayah was the last of the obligations”
does not mean:
“This was the first occasion on which anything concerning Ali’s authority was ever mentioned.”
It means that the final binding and foundational obligation completing the system of duties was the publicly established wilayah of Imam Ali a.s.
7. Sunni Tafsir Also Rejects an Excessively Literal Meaning of “Completion”
Allah says:
﴿الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ﴾
“Today I have completed your religion for you.”
Qur’an 5:3.
Does this necessarily mean that no verse, explanation or legal material of any kind was revealed afterward?
Sunni scholars themselves disagreed.
Islamweb quotes al-Qurtubi:
وَقَالَ الْجُمْهُورُ: الْمُرَادُ مُعْظَمُ الْفَرَائِضِ وَالتَّحْلِيلِ وَالتَّحْرِيمِ، قَالُوا: وَقَدْ نَزَلَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ قُرْآنٌ كَثِيرٌ، وَنَزَلَتْ آيَةُ الرِّبَا، وَنَزَلَتْ آيَةُ الْكَلَالَةِ إِلَى غَيْرِ ذَلِكَ.
“The majority said that what was intended was the completion of the main body of obligations and rulings concerning what is lawful and unlawful. They said that much Qur’an was revealed afterward, including the verse of usury and the verse of kalalah, among other material.”
Sunni explanations also interpret the verse as completion of the principal foundations, universal principles and major obligations rather than necessarily the absolute final words of revelation.
Therefore, TwelverShia.net cannot insist that “the last obligation” must mean:
No related verse existed earlier.
No earlier declaration had been made.
No explanation or revelation could follow afterward.
Its own Sunni scholarly framework allows words such as “last” and “completion” to refer to a category, a principal body of laws or a particular subject.
8. The “Last Obligation” Clause Is Not Dependent Upon Abu al-Jarud
This is another important sanad point.
The report initially comes through several narrators:
Zurarah.
Al-Fudayl ibn Yasar.
Bukayr ibn A‘yan.
Muhammad ibn Muslim.
Burayd ibn Mu‘awiyah.
Abu al-Jarud.
But before the sentence stating that wilayah was the final obligation, Umar ibn Udhaynah explicitly says:
قَالُوا جَمِيعًا غَيْرَ أَبِي الْجَارُودِ
“All of them narrated it except Abu al-Jarud.”
Then follows:
وَكَانَتِ الْوَلَايَةُ آخِرَ الْفَرَائِضِ
“Wilayah was the last of the obligations.”
Therefore, the specific continuation concerning wilayah being the final obligation is transmitted by the other major narrators, not by Abu al-Jarud.
Even if someone disputes Abu al-Jarud, that does not remove the crucial sentence.
Al-Majlisi consequently graded the report:
الْحَدِيثُ الرَّابِعُ: حَسَنٌ
“The fourth hadith is hasan.”
The article quotes the words “all of them except Abu al-Jarud” but fails to explain their sanad significance.
9. Tafsir al-Qummi Makes the Stages Even More Explicit
Tafsir al-Qummi narrates from Imam al-Baqir a.s:
آخِرُ فَرِيضَةٍ أَنْزَلَهَا اللَّهُ الْوَلَايَةُ، ثُمَّ لَمْ يُنْزِلْ بَعْدَهَا فَرِيضَةً، ثُمَّ أَنْزَلَ:
﴿الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ﴾
بِكُرَاعِ الْغَمِيمِ، فَأَقَامَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ بِالْجُحْفَةِ، فَلَمْ يَنْزِلْ بَعْدَهَا فَرِيضَةٌ.
“The last obligation Allah revealed was wilayah. No obligation was revealed after it. Then He revealed: ‘Today I have completed your religion’ at Kura‘ al-Ghamim, and the Messenger of Allah established it at al-Juhfah. No obligation was revealed after it.”
Reference: Tafsir al-Qummi, vol. 1, p. 162 in one edition; the page numbering varies between editions.
Notice the expression:
فَأَقَامَهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ بِالْجُحْفَةِ
“The Messenger established it at al-Juhfah.”
Again, the narration distinguishes between the revelation of the obligation and its subsequent public establishment.
This is exactly the staged explanation that TwelverShia.net claims is impossible.
10. The Date on Which Hajj Became Obligatory Is Itself Disputed in Sunni Sources
The article treats the chronology of Hajj as though there were one undisputed position.
But Sunni scholars reported several opinions: the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth or tenth year after Hijrah.
Islamweb states:
فَقَدِ اخْتُلِفَ فِي أَيِّ سَنَةٍ فُرِضَ الْحَجُّ عَلَى أَقْوَالٍ
“There are several different opinions concerning the year in which Hajj became obligatory.”
It then mentions the sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth years.
However, this disagreement is not even necessary to answer the article.
The principal al-Kafi narration does not say that nothing concerning wilayah existed before the obligation of Hajj.
It says that the Prophet had explained Hajj before he was ordered to give the final comprehensive public explanation of wilayah.
That is perfectly coherent.
11. Why Was Ghadir Necessary If Ali Had Been Mentioned Earlier?
Because an earlier indication and a final universal proclamation are not the same thing.
Earlier evidence could establish:
Imam Ali’s special relationship with the Prophet.
His authority among the believers.
His position like Aaron to Moses.
His status as the wali of the believers.
His unique place within the Prophet’s family.
Ghadir then served as:
The final public proclamation.
Before the returning pilgrims.
Near the end of the Prophet’s life.
With an explicit command that those present inform those absent.
The narration says:
وَأَمَرَ النَّاسَ أَنْ يُبَلِّغَ الشَّاهِدُ الْغَائِبَ
“He ordered the people that those present should inform those absent.”
This explains what made Ghadir distinctive.
It was not merely another statement concerning Imam Ali’s virtue. It was the final, universal and public establishment of his wilayah before the Muslim community.
Repeating and publicly confirming a doctrine does not prove that it had never been mentioned earlier. It proves that the matter was important enough to be conclusively established before the Prophet’s departure.
Final Verdict
TwelverShia.net creates a false dilemma:
False option one:
“Wilayah existed before Ghadir, so it could not be the final obligation.”
False option two:
“Wilayah was the final obligation, so all earlier evidence about Ali must be discarded.”
The correct explanation is explicitly stated inside the narration:
The principle of divine authority had already been revealed.
The people had not received its complete and unmistakable explanation.
Earlier verses and Prophetic declarations prepared and established Imam Ali’s unique position.
Allah finally commanded the Prophet to explain and publicly establish Imam Ali’s wilayah.
At Ghadir, the Prophet proclaimed it before the gathered community and ordered those present to inform those absent.
This final public establishment completed the major foundational obligations of Islam.
The strongest answer to the entire article is contained in two sentences from the very narration it quotes:
وَفَرَضَ وَلَايَةَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ، فَلَمْ يَدْرُوا مَا هِيَ
“He had already imposed the wilayah of those vested with authority, but they did not know what it was.”
فَأَمَرَ اللَّهُ مُحَمَّدًا أَنْ يُفَسِّرَ لَهُمُ الْوَلَايَةَ
“Therefore, Allah commanded Muhammad to explain wilayah to them.”
Earlier revelation and final explanation are not contradictions.
Earlier evidence and final public proclamation are not contradictions.
A general command and the later identification of its subject are not contradictions.
The contradiction exists only after TwelverShia.net removes the distinction that Imam al-Baqir a.s explicitly placed inside the narration.
The Truth About Wilayah as the Last Obligation
Primary Category :
Secondary Category :
Loading comments...