History of the Celebration ghadir
Eid al-Ghadir in the Holy Shrine of Imam Ali (a) in Najaf, Iraq. The photo is taken on November 3, 2012 by Shia Waves.
Muslims, especially Shi’a consider the day of Ghadir as one of the greatest eids since the early Islam and this day was famous among them as Eid al-Ghadir.In his book, Mas’udi (d. 346/957-958) wrote that children and followers of Imam Ali (a) venerated this day. In a hadith, al-Kulayni (d. 329/940-1) has narrated Shi’a’s celebration of this day. Therefore, it is clear that celebration of Eid al-Ghadir has been common in the 3rd/9th and 4th/10th centuries.
Earlier, Fayyad b. Muhammad b. ‘Umar al-Tusi narrated a tradition which suggested that Imam al-Rida (a) celebrated the day of Ghadir. Since Imam al-Rida (a) was living at the end of the second/ early 9th century , it becomes clear that the celebrating of the day of Ghadir goes back early centuries of Islam.
Such a celebration has been common among Muslims in the following years and centuries, so that the ceremony of allegiance with al-Musta’la b. Mustansir (one of the rulers of Egypt) was held on the day of Eid al-Ghadir 487/1094. Fatimid caliphs made the Eid al-Ghadir an official eid in Egypt; and in Iran, it has been among official holidays since 907/1502, when Isma’il I, the Safavid king came to throne.
In recent centuries, celebrating this day has been considered among the symbols of Shi’a.and In Najaf, a great celebration is held every year in the courtyard of Imam Ali’s (a) holy shrine and noblemen and scholars of Shi’a and ambassadors of Islamic countries attend there and great speeches and odes are recited. In Yemen, Zaydi Shi’a celebrate the day of Ghadir and illuminate and decorate their streets.
The eve of Eid al-Ghadir is also among important nights among Muslims
