On 18th Zilhijjah of the year 10 A.H. (10 March 632 CE) ,after completing the last pilgrimage ,the Holy Prophet(pbuh) along with around 100,000 Muslims reached a place called 'Ghadir-e-khumm' near Mecca. The following verse was revealed :Quran 5:67] O Messenger! deliver what bas been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His message, and Allah will protect you from the people; surely Allah will not guide the unbelieving people.
On receiving the above verse, the Holy Prophet stopped at that very place & delivered a speech an extract of which is :-[....It seems the time has approached when I shall be called away (by Allah) and I shall answer that call. I am leaving for you two precious things and if you adhere to them both, you will never go astray after me. They are the Book of Allah and my Progeny, that is my Ahlul Bayt. The two shall never separate from each other until they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise)." Then the Holy Prophet (pbuh) in an attempt to remind Muslims of his own authority over them said: " Do I not have more right over the believers than what they have over themselves? " Muslims answered unanimously " Yes, O' Messenger of God ". This served as a stepping stone for the announcement of his hier and vicegerent. The Holy Prophet(pbuh) held out the hand of Ali(as) and said: " For whoever I am his Leader (mawla), 'Ali is his Leader (mawla)." The H
source : http://www.amaana.org
