[The Explicit Text on the Imamate of ʿAlī (Peace be upon him)]

Answer—and Allah is the One who grants success and assistance:
The meaning of hiddenness in the explicit text affirming the Imamate of the Commander of the Faithful is that the texts indicating his Imamate are clothed in a subtle covering, such that what lies beneath it is not perceived except after some reflection and careful consideration. This is like the saying of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace): “ʿAlī is to me as Hārūn was to Mūsā, except that there is no prophet after me.” And the saying of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace): “Whoever I am his master, then ʿAlī is his master. O Allah, befriend whoever befriends him, oppose whoever opposes him, support whoever supports him, and forsake whoever forsakes him.”
These two traditions explicitly affirm the Imamate of the Commander of the Faithful (Peace be upon him) and his succession. However, recognizing the explicit text within these two traditions requires a degree of reflection and inference. In the first tradition, the observer must pay attention to the ranks of Hārūn in relation to Mūsā that are known from the Qur’an, namely: prophethood, brotherhood, ministry, and succession: “And We granted him from Our mercy his brother Hārūn as a prophet.” [Maryam:53] “And appoint for me a minister from my family—Hārūn, my brother. Strengthen through him my back, and let him share my task.” [Ṭā-Hā:29–32] “Take my place among my people, do right, and do not follow the way of the corrupters.” [Al Aʿrāf:142]
After knowing the ranks of Hārūn in relation to Mūsā, it becomes clear to the observer that these ranks are affirmed for ʿAlī (Peace be upon him) by the explicit text of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace), with nothing excluded from them passed Ali (Peace be upon him) except prophethood.
When the observer reaches this level of understanding, he will undoubtedly comprehend from the text the Imamate of the Commander of the Faithful.
Likewise, the second tradition—the tradition of Ghadīr—requires reflection and inference. This is because the word mawlā in the Prophet’s statement, “Whoever I am his master, then ʿAlī is his master,” is used in the Arabic language in several literal meanings. It is linguistically assigned to the emancipator, the emancipated, the cousin, the supporter, the one most entitled to authority, and other meanings.
Thus, the listener to the Prophet’s (May Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace) address in this tradition needs some interpretation and reflection in order to clarify the intended meaning. With contemplation, the observer will undoubtedly understand the explicit designation of the Imamate of the Commander of the Faithful (Peace be upon him).
This is because it is not correct for mawlā in this tradition to mean the emancipator or the emancipated, since not everyone whom the Prophet (May Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace) emancipated from among the slaves was emancipated by ʿAlī (Peace be upon him). Moreover, there is no benefit in conveying such a meaning to a great multitude in such a momentous gathering on the Day of Ghadīr.
Likewise, it is meaningless for the Prophet (May Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace) to say: “Whoever I am his cousin, then ʿAlī is his cousin,” and similarly with the meaning of supporter. Thus, nothing remains except that the intended meaning of mawlā in the tradition is the one vested with authority over affairs. The rest of the texts reported concerning the Commander of the Faithful (Peace be upon him) follow this same pattern.
The Difference Between Explicit and Hidden Text With Respect to Obligation in the Issue of the Imamate
As for the difference between explicit and hidden text with respect to obligation, the scholars of the Household of the Prophet (Peace be upon them) and their followers—may Allah be pleased with them—have pointed to it in their works on the principles of religion when mentioning those who preceded ʿAlī (Peace be upon him). They stated that those who preceded him—if they knew of his entitlement (Peace be upon him) to the Caliphate, and that he was more deserving of it after the Prophet (May Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace) than themselves—then they are oppressors and sinners. But if they reflected and erred, failing to recognize his exclusive entitlement, then they are excused, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: “And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred, but only for what your hearts intended.” [Al-Aḥzāb:5]
From this statement, the distinction between explicit and hidden text becomes known. The hidden text is that whose (contradiction) due to error after reflection excuses the legally responsible person.
As for the explicit text, understanding its meaning does not require reflection; rather, knowledge of the wording yields immediate knowledge of the meaning without any intermediary of reasoning or inference. Therefore, error in understanding explicit texts cannot be claimed, and one who abandons acting upon them is not excused.
If it is said: al-Hādī (Peace be upon him) said in the introduction to al-Aḥkām, when mentioning the Imamate of the Commander of the Faithful (Peace be upon him), that the name of faith is not complete for one who does not know his Imamate after the Prophet (Peace be upon them)—or words to that effect.
We say: indeed, the name of faith is not complete except by affirmation and belief in everything that the Messenger (May Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace) brought. Whoever rejects anything that he knows the Messenger (May Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace) brought has disbelieved. Among what the Prophet (May Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace) brought is the Imamate of the Commander of the Faithful ʿAlī (Peace be upon him). However, Allah the Exalted pardons those who were unable to know this, such as many Bedouins far removed from cities, non-Arabs, and some women. For such people, general belief suffices. Likewise, whoever’s reasoning and intellect did not lead him to knowledge of the Imamate of the Commander of the Faithful after he reflected with his intellect and sincerely sought the truth, without personal desire, is excused, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: “Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity.” [Al-Baqarah:286] And His saying: “And there is no blame upon you for that in which you have erred, but only for what your hearts intended.” [Al-Aḥzāb:5] Accordingly, the statement of Imam al-Hādī (Peace be upon him) applies to those who were certain of his Imamate yet refused to submit to affirming it, and to those who were able and invited to examine the evidences but turned away.
Furthermore, what appears to me is that the Companions are not excused in the matter of the Caliphate under the assumption of error or ignorance in understanding the texts that came in the Book and the Sunnah. This is because the actual reality contradicts that assumption, for the following reasons:
1. Because it would necessitate the Ummah’s consensus upon misguidance, whereas it has been narrated: “My Ummah will not agree upon misguidance,” along with the implication of disobedience by the scholars among the companions who concealed the truth.
2. Along with what is apparent and well-known from the Commander of the Faithful (Peace be upon him) of lamentation and complaint against those who preceded him, as found in Nahj al-Balāghah and other sources.
3. Also what is authentically reported and well-known regarding preventing the Prophet (May Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace) from writing the document during his final illness, and the Companions’ delay in dispatching the army of Usāmah—clear indications that they were planning to seize the Caliphate.
4. And what actually occurred of harm inflicted upon the Household of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and his family and grant them peace) after his death.
Indeed, to further clarify the difference between explicit and hidden text, we say: the indication of both the explicit and the hidden is definitive; however, they differ in that the indication of the explicit is necessary and immediate for one knowledgeable of the language, while the indication of the hidden is theoretical and inferential.

Source: Min Thimār al-ʿIlm wa al-Ḥikmah vol.3