The eighteenth of Dhul-Hijjah, year 10 A.H (i.e. Day of Ghadir Khumm) was the day when Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him and his household) was commanded by Allah to appoint Imam Ali son of Abu-Talib to be his vicegerent and successor immediately after him. The great lesson of Ghadir is to fight against discord. All followers of Islam should avoid insulting each other’s sanctities and stop bringing up provocative and sensitive issues.
The continuity of the divine teachings of Islam after the demise of the Prophet (PBUH) is only guaranteed with the concept of leadership (i.e. imamate) which was established or better said reconfirmed at ‘Ghadir Khumm’. In view of this, the event of ‘Ghadir Khumm’ is the basis for the continuity of Islam preached by the noble Prophet of Islam (PBUH).
It can be observed that deviation from the messages of Ghadir Khumm brought about disunity among Muslims right after the demise of the Prophet (PBUH), a problem which unfortunately continues to the present time. Divergence from the messages of Ghadir Khumm has led to the weakness of the Muslim community. Reviving the messages of Ghadir Khumm among the Muslims would not only bring about the desired harmony among the adherents of various schools of thought, but it will also assist the Muslim community to regain its lost glory.
In an address emphasizing the significant role of Ghadir Khumm in maintaining unity and harmony among the Muslims, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei (r.a) said: “…the great lesson of Ghadir is to fight against difference and discord and for implementing this; the Islamic sects should avoid insulting each other's beliefs and foil the Imperialism's plot for sowing discord among Shia and Sunni…[i]”
Without any doubt, the most important issue of the Muslim world today is the issue of unity. Islamic unity is not about uniformity and oneness of the schools of thought; rather, it is about the unity of purpose and goal. It is about respecting what is holy for others and tolerating others' viewpoints.
Footnote:
[i] https://www.leader.ir/en/content/3658/Fight-against-disunity-great-lesson-of-Ghadir