Grand Ayatollah Shirazi: The Prophet Repeatedly Introduced Amir al-Mo’mineen as His Successor

The daily scholarly session of Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sadiq Hosseini Shirazi was held on Tuesday, the 11th of Rabi’ al-Thani. As in previous sessions, the Supreme Marja responded to attendees’ questions regarding various jurisprudential issues.

Grand Ayatollah Shirazi emphasized that the issue of the succession of Amir al-Mo’mineen, peace be upon him, has been reiterated multiple times by the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him and his family. He stated that narrations from both Shia and Sunni sources indicate that the Prophet repeatedly affirmed the Wilayah of Amir al-Mo’mineen, peace be upon him, with the first instance occurring at the beginning of his prophethood. At the age of forty, when the Prophet commenced his Divine Mission, he invited his relatives, some of whom were disbelievers, to his home and after serving them food, announced that he had been chosen as a prophet by Almighty God.

In that gathering, the Prophet asked who among them would support him so as to become his successor, to which Amir al-Mo’mineen, who was only ten years old at the time, expressed his readiness to assist the Prophet. There, the Prophet introduced Amir al-Mo’mineen as his successor. In response, the polytheists mocked Abu Talib, peace be upon him, saying he would now have to obey his son, who was just ten years old.

His Eminence further emphasized that after this initial event, the Prophet introduced Amir al-Mo’mineen as his successor on numerous other occasions. The day of Ghadir was the last instance in which this declaration was made by the Prophet.