Quran & The Ahlul Bayt   Extract from -Inquiries About Shi'a Islam  Sayed Moustafa al-Qazwini

Allah only desires to keep away uncleanliness from you, O People of the House (Ahlul Bayt), and to make you as pure as possible.[70] The prominent scholars of Islam and the narrators of the Prophetic tradition unanimously agree that Ahlul Bayt (the household of the Prophet ) which Almighty Allah uses in the above verse of the Noble Quran refers to the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad, Lady Fatima al-Zahra, his cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and their children Hassan and Husayn.[71]

Tabarani narrates from one of the respected wives of the Prophet, Um Salamah that the Messenger of Allah once told his daughter, Lady Fatima to call her husband Ali and their two sons, Hassan and Husayn.

When they came, the Messenger of Allah covered them with a cloak, put his hand on them and said, “O Allah, these are Al-e-Muhammad (the family of Muhammad), so shower Your blessings and favors upon Al-e- Muhammad just as You showered them on Al-e-Ibrahim. You are the Praiseworthy, the Glorious.” Um Salamah says that she raised the cloak to join them, but the Prophet took it from her hand saying, “You are also on the right.”[72]

Although the beginning of verse 33:33 addresses the wives of the Prophet and continues to address them up until the middle part of the verse, but upon reaching “Ahlul Bayt” it excludes them.[73] The previous and subsequent statements which are directed towards the wives of the Prophet are in the feminine pronouns and gender, but this verse referring to the Ahlul Bayt is in the masculine or mixed gender; thus it makes it clear that it is not addressed to the wives of the Prophet.

However, even without the grammatical evidence, the relationship between some of the wives of the Prophet does not fit the spirit of this verse which asserts the physical, mental, and spiritual purity of the family

of the Prophet Muhammad.

To emphasize that the phrase “Ahlul Bayt” in this verse refers only to five people—Prophet Muhammad, Ali, Lady Fatima, Hassan, and Husayn—narrators say that whenever the Prophet used to pass by his daughter, Lady Fatima's house on the way to the masjid for the dawn prayers he would stop there and proclaim, “Come to prayer, O Ahlul

Bayt, to prayer. Allah desires to keep away un-cleanliness from you, O Ahlul Bayt, and to make you as pure as possible.”[74] Imam Anas ibn Malik adds that the Prophet did this for six months every day on his way for his morning prayers at the masjid.[75]

Say, I do not ask from you any reward for it (preaching the message) but

love for my relatives (qurba which here refers to the Ahlul Bayt[76]).[77]

When explaining this verse, Fakhr al-Din al-Razi says, “Without

doubt, no one was as near to the Prophet as Lady Fatima, Ali, Hassan,

and Husayn. This is a well-known fact for all the chains of narration, that

of the Prophet—namely: Lady Fatima, Ali, Hassan, and Husayn.

Some argue that Hassan and Husayn were not the sons of the Prophet

because they were the sons of Imam Ali. According to old Arab custom,

the mother was considered as only a means to deliver a child, but nonetheless,

their direct lineage to the Prophet is through their mother, Lady

Fatima al-Zahra. It has been narrated that the 'Abbasid caliph Harun al-

Rashid asked the seventh Imam of the school of Ahlul Bayt, Imam Musa

ibn Ja'far how he could attribute himself to the Prophet while he was the

child of Ali and Lady Fatima - thus, how could he be related to the

Prophet? The Imam then cited to him a verse that refers to the descendants

of Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim), “And from his progeny were David

(Dawud), Solomon (Sulayman), Job (Ayyub), Joseph (Yusuf), Moses

(Musa), and Aaron (Harun)—thus do We reward the good-doers—and

Zachariah (Zakariyya), and John (Yahya), and Jesus (Isaa), and Elias

(Ilyas)—each one of them was of the righteous.”[78] The Imam then

asked the caliph who the father of Isaa (Jesus) was. Harun answered that

he was fatherless. The Imam replied, “Then you can see that Allah linked

him to Ibrahim through his mother, Mary and Allah did the same for us,

linking us to Prophet Muhammad through our mother Lady Fatima al-

Zahra.”[79]

In many instances, the Prophet refers to Lady Fatima with intense love

and affection, such as when he says, “Fatima is a part of me. Her happiness

is my happiness, and her pain is my pain.” The Prophet would also

point towards the children of Fatima - Hassan and Husayn - and say on

many occasions, “These are my sons,” or “This is my son.” That is why

the community of the companions in Madina referred to both Hassan

and Husayn as the 'sons of Prophet Muhammad.'

But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you

of knowledge, then say, 'Come, let us call our sons and your sons, and

our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, and let us

beseech Allah and invoke His curse upon the liars.'[80]

This milestone event in the Islamic history has been narrated by all the

historians, narrators, and commentators of the Quran. It is an event

which reveals the exalted status of the Family of the Prophet. The narrations

say that a delegation of Christians from Najran came to the city of

Madina in order to meet with the Prophet to discuss his prophethood

and the religion he was preaching. The Prophet proved to them that Jesus

(Isa) was the son of Mary; he was a human being, a Prophet, and a

servant of Allah as the Quran states and that regarding him as the son of

God is blasphemy, since Allah, the Exalted is much higher than such human

characteristics. After discussing these points extensively, the Prophet

found them still deliberately persisting in their false beliefs and traditions—

namely on the deification of Prophet Jesus—thus, Allah revealed

the verse, which was a major challenge to the Christians, to pray and invoke

upon Allah that a curse may overtake the party that insists on falsehood.

Hijjah, in accordance with Allah's command, the Prophet arrived at the

meeting carrying Husayn in his arms, while holding Hassan by the

hand, followed by his beloved daughter, Lady Fatima and behind them

was his son-in-law and cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib carrying the banner of

Islam. Seeing that the Prophet was accompanied only by his immediate

family, the Christians were convinced that he was truthful otherwise he

would have never dared to bring his dearest kin along with him. The

Christian delegation backed away from the malediction argument and

returned back to Najran.

When this verse was revealed, the Prophet invited the Christians to

the malediction, to invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars. The Christians

held a discourse among themselves tmhat night in which their leader,

'Abd al-Masih stated his views. He said, “O Christians, know that

Muhammad is a God-sent Prophet who has brought you the final message

from your Lord. By God, no nation ever dared to challenge a Prophet

with malediction but that woe befell them. Not only will they perish,

but their children will also be afflicted by the curse.” Saying this—that it

is better to reach a compromise with the Prophet rather than challenge

his truth and perish—'Abd al-Masih advised his party to stop hostilities

and retain their religion by submitting to the Prophet's terms. “So if you

persist (for a confrontation) we will all perish. But if you, to keep your

faith, refuse (to have a showdown) and remain as you are, then make

peace with the man (the Prophet) and return to your land.” The next

day, the Prophet, carrying Husayn in his arms, leading Hassan by the

hand, followed by his daughter Lady Fatima, behind whom came Ali,

entered the appointed place and the Prophet was heard saying to his

family, “When I invoke Allah, second the invocation.” The pontiff of

Najran, upon seeing the Prophet and his family, addressed the Christians,

“O Christians! I am witnessing such faces that if God wishes, for

their sake, He would move mountains for them. Do not accept their challenge

for malediction, for if you do, you would all perish and there will

not remain any Christians on the face of the earth till the Day of Resurrection.”[

81] Heeding his advice, the Christians said to the Prophet, “O

Abul-Qasim, we have decided not to hold malediction with you. You

keep your religion, and we will keep ours.” The Prophet told them, “If

you refuse to hold malediction, then submit to Allah, and you will receive

what the Muslims receive and contribute what the Muslims contribute.”

The Christians delegates, saying that they had no desire to fight

the Muslims, proposed a treaty asking for peace which the Prophet of

Islam accepted.

Although other women were present in the family of the Prophet at

that time, all the commentators, narrators, and historians agree that in

reference to the Quranic verse, “our women” referred only to Lady

Fatima al-Zahra, “our children” referred only to Hassan and Husayn,

and “ourselves” referred only to the Prophet and Imam Ali.

Surely Allah and His angels bless the Prophet. O you who believe, call

for divine blessings upon him, and salute him with a becoming salutation.[

82]

offering their prayers must salute the Prophet and his progeny—a term

exclusively reserved for Ali, Lady Fatima, Hassan, Husayn, and their

righteous descendants. The emphasis on the Prophet's family in salutation

is another indication of their pivotal position after the Prophet. By

asking the believers to exalt these noble personalities, Allah, the

Almighty reminds the Muslim nation that He has chosen the Ahlul Bayt

for the role of leading the Muslim nation.

One of the most prominent commentators of the Quran, Fakhr al-Din

al-Razi narrates the response of the Prophet when he was asked by some

of his companions how to send blessings upon him. He said, “Say, 'O Allah,

send blessings on Muhammad and on the progeny of Muhammad as

you sent blessings on Ibrahim and on the progeny of Ibrahim. And send

grace on Muhammad and on the progeny of Muhammad just as you sent

grace on Ibrahim and on the progeny of Ibrahim. You are the Praiseworthy,

the Glorious.'”[83] Al-Razi comments that if Allah and His angels

send their blessings upon the Prophet, then what need is there for

our blessings? He answers his own question by saying that when we

send blessings on the Prophet Muhammad it is not because he is in need

of them, because he already has the blessings of Allah and thus, he does

not even require the blessings of the angels. When we send blessings on

him, we send them to glorify Allah and also to reveal our gratitude towards

Allah such that He may have compassion on us and reward us.

Thus, the Prophet says, “Whoever sends blessings on me once, Allah will

send blessings on him ten times.”

Another verse in the Noble Quran asserts the same teaching when Allah

the Almighty sends His blessings on the family of the Prophet by

saying, “Peace be upon the Al-e-Yasin!”[84] According to some commentators,

“Yasin” is one of the names of the Prophet, as stated in Surah

(chapter) Ya Sin when it addresses the Prophet as, ”Yasin, by the Quran

full of wisdom, truly you are one of the messengers….”[85]

Truly, the righteous drink of a cup tempered with camphor, a fountain

from which the servants of Allah drink, flowing in abundance. They (the

Family of the Prophet) fulfill vows and fear a Day, the evil of which is

widespread. And they give food out of love for Him to the poor and the

orphan and the captive. 'We feed you for Allah's sake and pleasure only.

We desire from you neither reward nor thanks. Surely, we fear from our

Lord a stern, distressful Day,' so Allah will ward off from them the evil

of that Day and cause them to meet with splendor and happiness and reward

them for their steadfastness with a garden and with silk.[86]

Surah 76 in the Noble Quran descended to honor a sacred gesture performed

draw attention of the people to the beauty of mankind's deeds on earth,

and to tell them that they should not be selfish or greedy; rather, they

should be caring and thoughtful people who spend their time thinking

of other human beings around them. The chapter begins, “Has there not

been over man a period of time when he was nothing to be mentioned?

Verily, We and created man from drops of mixed semen in order to try

him, so We made him hearing, seeing. Verily, We showed him the way,

whether he be grateful or ungrateful.”

This introduction prepares our minds for the big sacrifice of the Family

of the Prophet—Ali, Lady Fatima, Hassan, Husayn, and their maidservant

Fiddah. The incident provoking these verses began when Hassan

and Husayn fell ill, and Lady Fatima al-Zahra asked her father what to

do. The Prophet advised her to make a vow with Allah that if He cured

them then the entire family would fast for three days. Hassan and

Husayn were cured, and the process of fasting began. At that time there

was nothing in their house to eat, so Imam Ali went to a Khaybarian Jew

named Shimon and borrowed three measures of barley. His wife, Lady

Fatima milled one measure into flour and baked it into five loaves of

bread, one for each of them. Ali, Lady Fatima, and their two sons, Hassan

and Husayn along with their maidservant Fiddah fasted for three

consecutive days. On the first day, at the time of breaking the fast, a destitute

(miskin) person came to the door asking for some food. They took

the food they intended to eat—a loaf of bread each—and gave it to him.

They then broke their fast only with water. On the second day, at the

time of breaking their fast, an orphan came to their door, and they again

gave him all their food. On the third day, at the time of breaking the fast,

a prisoner of war (a non-Muslim who had been captured in the defensive

wars of Islam and was living in the city of Madina) came to their door

and asked for some food, and again, they took all five loaves of bread

and gave it to the man, breaking their fast for the third consecutive day

with only water. Afterwards, the Messenger of Allah made a visit and

saw his daughter, Lady Fatima al-Zahra and her two children, Hassan

and Husayn were pale and too weak to speak, and he saw that they were

trembling from hunger. Lady Fatima herself was sitting hollow-eyed on

her prayer mat, her stomach sunk into her back. As he was asking them

the reason for their state, angel Jibril (Gabriel) immediately came to the

Prophet with Surah 76, “O Muhammad, Allah congratulates you for the

sacrifice of your household.”[87]

These verses not only translate the generosity and steadfastness of the

Ahlul Bayt but also reveal the total submission of the Family of the

Prophet and their immaculate and pure personalities. Commentators of

the Quran have a consensus that these verses speak of the Ahlul Bayt

and place them at the highest level of piety and show them as models for

the generosity of mankind. Humanity would be rightly guided if they

followerd their parable.

O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those vested

about something, refer it to Allah and the Messenger.10

This verse, as explained in the previous section, refers to the guardianship

of Imam Ali, and subsequently, the rest of the Ahlul Bayt. The

Prophet has said about “those vested with authority over you,” that

“They are my successors and the leaders of the Muslims after me. The

first of them is Ali ibn Abi Talib, then al-Hassan and al-Husayn, then Ali

ibn al-Husayn, then Muhammad ibn Ali, who is known as al-Baqir, then

al-Sadiq Ja'far ibn Muhammad, then Musa ibn Ja'far, then Ali ibn Musa,

then Muhammad ibn Ali, then Ali ibn Muhammad, then al-Hassan ibn

Ali, then the one who bears my name—Muhammad. And he will be the

proof (hujjah) of Allah on the earth.”[88]

It is probable that I will be called soon, and I will respond. So I leave behind

me two weighty (very worthy and important) things, the Book of

Allah (the Quran), which is a string stretched from the heaven to the

earth; and my progeny, my Ahlul Bayt. Verily Allah, the Merciful, the

Aware, has informed me that these two will never be separated from

each other until they meet me at the Fountain of Abundance (the Hawdh

of Kawthar, a spring in heaven). Therefore, be careful of how you treat

these two in my absence, said the Messenger of Allah.[89]

This hadith was declared on, at least five occasions—the first being the

farewell speech during the last hajj, the second at Ghadir Khum, the

the pulpit in Madina, and the fifth—just before he died—in his room

which was full of his companions.

Given the high importance of the Noble Quran, why would the Prophet

associate the Ahlul Bayt with the Noble Quran and place them second

in importance to it? The answer is that Ahlul Bayt are the best to explain

the true meaning and interpretation of this Noble Book. The Noble Quran,

verses must be passed on from the Prophet himself, as he did to his

Ahlul Bayt. In addition, the Ahlul Bayt, due to their closeness to the

Prophet, had an unparalleled knowledge of his traditions.

The parable of my Ahlul Bayt is similar to that of Noah's ark. Whoever

embarks it will certainly be rescued, but the one who opposes boarding

it will certainly be drowned.[90]

Just like the stars protect mankind from losing its way in travel, so are

my Ahlul Bayt; they are the safeguard against discord in matters of religion.[

91]

Acknowledgement of the Al-e-Muhammad means salvation from the

Hellfire; the love of Al-e-Muhammad is a passport for crossing the

bridge of Sirat; and obedience to Al-e-Muhammad is protection from divine

wrath.[92]

[70] Noble Quran, 33:33

[71] al-Suyuti, al-Durr al-Manthur

[72] Tirmidhi, Manaqib Ahlul-Bayt, Vol. 2, 308

[73] It is not uncommon to find a group of verses discussing one

theme and having one verse in the middle that discusses another theme.

For example see Quran, Surah 5, verse 3 and Surah 5, v. 66-68.

[74] Ibn Mardawayh. Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Tirmidhi. Ibn Mundir.

Sahih Muslim; Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal; Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthur

[77] Noble Quran, 42:23

[78] Noble Quran, 6:84-85

[79] Tabarsi, al-Ihtijaj, Vol. 2, Argument 271 and 335

[80] Noble Quran, 3:61

[81] Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Vol. 1, 185; Tabari, Tafsir, Vol. 3, 192;

Nubuwwah, 297; al-Naysaburi, Asbab al-Nuzul, 74; Abu Bakr ibn

al-‘Arabi, Ahkam al-Quran, Vol. 1, 115; al-Fakhr al-Razi, Tafsir al-Kabir,

Vol. 8, 85; al-Juzri, Usd al-Ghabah, Vol. 4, 25; Ibn al-Jawzi, Tadhkira Sibt,

Vol. 1, 370; Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wal-Nihayah, Vol. 5, 52; Ibn Hajar al-

Asqalani, al-Isabah, Vol. 2, 503; Ibn al-Sabbagh al-Maliki, al-Fusul al-

Muhimmah, 108; Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, al-Durr al-Manthur, Vol. 4, 38;

Muhriqa, 199; Altogether 47 narrators and commentators of the Noble

Quran from the four schools of thought narrate that the immediate family

of the Prophet were only Lady Fatima, Ali, Hassan, and Husayn.

[82] Noble Quran, 33:56

[83] Tafsir al-Kabir, Vol. 3, 56

[84] Noble Quran, 37:130

[86] Noble Quran, 76:5-13

[87] Zamakhshari, Tafsir al-Kashhaf, Ch. 76; Fakhr al-Razi, Tafsir al-

[88] Tafsir al-Burhan

[89] This hadith has been narrated by more than twenty companions

of the Prophet and has also been narrated by over 185 narrators mentioned

in Sahih Muslim, Vol. 2, 238; Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Vol. 5,

181-182; Sahih Tirmidhi, Vol. 2, 220.

[90] This hadith has been narrated by eight companions of the Prophet

and eight disciples of the companions, by sixty well-known scholars and

more than ninety authors from the brothers of the Sunni school, such as

[91] al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak (quoting Ibn ‘Abbas), Vol. 3, 149

[92] al-Shafa, Vol 2, 40