Grand Ayatollah Shirazi: Bearing witness to Wilayah of Imam Ali is not only recommended, but part of Call for Prayer
The daily scholarly meeting of Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Sadegh al-Hosseini al-Shirazi was held on Monday, 30th of Rabi al-Awwal 1445. In this session, like the previous meetings, the Supreme Marja answered the questions of the attendees about various jurisprudence issues.
Grand Ayatollah Shirazi discussed the Istihbab of Ash-hadu anna aliyyan wali-yullah, and said: most of the jurists believe that it is recommended to say this phrase, bearing witness to Wilayah of Imam Ali, in the call to prayer. The only difference lies in whether or not it is an essential part of Adhan. A group of fuqaha, including the Late Ayatullah Naraqi and Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Mohammad al-Shirazi, believe it is an essential part of the call to prayer, and apparently it is a correct opinion, just like the Qunoot, which is a part of the prayer, but it is an optional and highly recommended part. This issue is mentioned in the annotations of Urwa al-Wuthqa, and many jurists have emphasized the Istihbab.
His Eminence then pointed out the statement of the late Shaykh Sadouq or Shaykh Tusi in this regard, and said: Apart from Ghadir’s narration, there are a number of hadiths in which Ash-hadu anna aliyyan wali-yullah is mentioned as a part of the adhan and iqamah. Their own impression, ijtihad and conjecture was that this group of hadiths was narrated by Ghulat (exaggerators). But, of course, their conjecture is proof and Hujjat for their own followers during their lifetime, and not for the followers of other jurists, whether at that time, or after that.
He then mentioned a tradition narrating that on the day of Ghadir and after the announcement of the succession of Amir al-Mu’minin, Ash-hadu anna aliyyan wali-yullah was uttered in the call to prayer. The Marja said: It is not clear and it has not been mentioned in the hadiths whether or not after Ghadir, until the Prophet was alive, the phrase of bearing witness to Wilayah of Imam Ali was expressed in the call to prayer. But, because the Holy Prophet himself said: The Book of God and my Etrah, Ahlul-Bayt, which means everything Ahlul-Bayt say is the ruling of the Prophet, hence the words, deeds, and silent approval of the Imams are Hujjat, even if it did not happen during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet, according to the narration of Sheikh Tusi or Sheikh Sadouq, based on some traditions, Ash-hadu anna aliyyan wali-yullah is a part of adhan and iqamah.
