VerseofPurificationintheLightofQuran&Hadith

Author(s):

SayyidMurtadhaal-'Askari

Publisher(s):

WorldIslamicNetwork(WIN)

Atatimewhenourreligionisbeingattackedfromallsides,sectariandivisionappearingsooften,herecomesabookletthatunderlinesthefactthatinmanyinstancesbothSunniandShi'asourcesagreeregardingthehistoryandeventsthattookplaceatthetimeofourProphet(S).

OneofsuchexamplesistherevelationoftheVerseofPurificationofwhichthisbookletoffersextensiveinformation.

Translator(s):

Al-QalamTranslatorsandWritersBureau

Category:

Sunni&Shi’a

General

Miscellaneousinformation:

VerseofPurificationintheLightofQuran&HadithBySayyidMurtadhaal-AskariTranslation:Al-Qalam

Translators&WritersBureauPublisher:WorldIslamicNetwork(WIN)

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ResponsestoMisconceptions

Preface

‘AllahonlydesirestokeepawayuncleannessfromyouOpeopleoftheHouseandtopurifyyoua

(thorough)purifying’

(Suraal-Ahzaab,33:33)

***************

IntheNameofAllahtheCompassionate,theMerciful.

MayAllahshowerHisblessingsuponMuhammad(S)andhisPurifiedProgeny(a.s).ImamJafaras-Sadiq(a.s)says:

‘Write(downthetraditions)andpropagatetheknowledgeamongyourbrothers.Whenyoudie,bequeaththesebooksasyourlegacytoyoursons.Verily,therewillcomeonthepeopleatimeofdisturbance,whennothingwillgivethemanysatisfactionandtonothingwilltheypayanyheedexcepttotheirbooks.’(Al-Kafi)

Inthelightoftheabovetradition,WorldIslamicNetwork(WIN)hastakenupthetaskofdiffusingIslamicteachingsaccordingtotheSchoolofAhlulBayt(a.s).Thisbookletisthefirstoftheseriestitled:IntheLightofQuranandHadith.

CompiledbythegreatscholarAllamaSayyidMurtadhaAskarithesebookletsdealwithsomeoftheimportantissuesoffaith.WepraythatAllahgiveusthetawfeeqtocontinuethisnobleendeavour.

WorldIslamicNetwork

Introduction

InTheNameofAllahtheCompassionate,theMerciful.

PraisebetoAllahtheLordoftheworlds.BenedictionsbeuponMuhammad(S)andhisPurifiedProgeny(a.s).Peacebeupontherighteouscompanions.

SomeofthecontroversialissueshavedividedtheMuslims.TheseissueshavebeenmisusedbytheenemiesofIslamtodividetheMuslimsandtoweakenthem.ThereforeinordertounitetheMuslimsandtodefendtheboundariesofIslamitisnecessarytoclearthemisunderstandingsregardingthesedifferences.Insortingouttheseissueswehavebeenorderedtoconfineourselveswithinsomelimits.AstheAlmightyAllahsays:

‘AndobeyAllahandHisApostleanddonotquarrelforthenyouwillbeweakinheartsandyourpowerwilldepart...’(Suraal-Anfal,8:46)

Itisamustforustoday,andforalltimestorefertoQuranandHadithincaseofanydifferenceofopinion.AstheAlmightyAllahsays:

‘...thenifyouquarrelaboutanything,referittoAllahandtheApostle...’(Suraan-Nisa,4:59).

IntheseseriesweshallrefertotheQuranandHadithtoguideusonthecorrectpathinvariouscontroversialtopics.WeseekthehelpoftheAlmightyinthis.

AlAskari

TheVerseofPurificationinSunniSources

RevelationoftheVerse

InTheNameofAllah,theCompassionate,theMerciful

Inhisbookentitled‘MustadrakSahihayn’HakimquotesfromsonofJa’farsonofAbuTalib1assaying:

‘WhentheHolyProphet(S)observedthattheDivineblessingwasforthcominghesaid,‘Callforme!Callforme!’Safiaasked‘OProphetofAllah!WhomshouldIcallforyou?’Hesaid,‘Callformethemembersofmyfamily,namely,Ali,Fatima,Hasan,andHusain’(Maypeaceandbenedictionbeuponthem).TheywerethuscalledtocomeclosetotheHolyProphet(S)andwhenallofthemweregathered,theHolyProphet(S)placedhiscloakonthemandthereafterraisedhishandsinsupplicationandsaid,‘OAllah!Thesearethemembersofmyfamily.Sendyourkindblessingsonmeandmyprogeny’.InthemeantimeAlmightyAllahrevealedtheverse:

‘OpeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortsofuncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification.’(Suraal-Ahzaab,33:33)

AfterquotingthishadithHakimsays,‘Thishadithisauthenticandcorrectasregardsitssources.’

TypeandKindofKisa

(a)AccordingtothehadithquotedbyUmmal-MomineenAyesha

Muslim(in‘Sahih’),Hakim2(in‘Mustadrak’),Baihaqui(in‘Sunanal-Kubra’)andTabari,IbnKathirandSuyuti(intheir‘Tafsirs’)quotefromAyesha3withregardtothisverseashavingsaid:

‘OnedaytheHolyProphet(S)cameoutofthehouse4carryingaprintedcloakonhisshoulder.AtthattimeHasan(a.s)cameuptohimandtheHolyProphet(S)accommodatedhimunderthecloak.ThencameHusain(a.s)andtheHolyProphet(S)accommodatedhim,too,underthecloak.Thereafter,Fatima(s.a)approachedandwasaccommodatedunderthecloak.Ali(a.s)wasthelasttocomeandtheHolyProphet(S)accommodatedhimalsounderthecloak.Thereafter,he(theHolyProphet)recitedthissacredverse:

‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortsofuncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification.’(Suraal-Ahzaab,33:33)

(b)AccordingtothehadithquotedbyUmmal-MomineenUmmSalma

(b)AccordingtothehadithquotedbyUmmal-MomineenUmmSalma5

Inhis‘Tafsir’,TabarihasquotedUmmSalmaashavingsaidinconnectionwiththesacredverseinquestionasunder:

‘Whentheverse,‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!’wasrevealedtheHolyProphet(S)calledAli,Fatima,Hasan,andHusain(Maypeaceandbenedictionbeuponthem)tohimselfandcoveredthemunderhiscloak.’

InanotherhadithUmmSalmaisreportedtohavesaid:‘Heplacedhiscloakonthem.’ThishadithhasalsobeenquotedbySuyutiinhis‘Tafsir’andhassimilarlybeennarratedbyIbnKathirinhis‘Tafsir’.

PositionofthePeopleoftheProphet’sFamilyUndertheCloak

(a)AsnarratedbyUmarsonofAbuSalma

TabariandIbnKathir(intheir‘Tafsirs’),Tirmizi(inhis‘Sahih’)andTahavi(in‘Mushkilal-Athar’)havequoted‘Umar6sonofAbuSalmaashavingsaid:

‘Theverse,‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!...’wasrevealedtotheHolyProphet(S)inthehouseofUmmSalma.AftertherevelationofthisversetheHolyProphet(S)calledHasan,Husain,andFatima(s.a)andmadethemsitinfrontofhimself.ThenhecalledAli(a.s)aswellandmadehimsitbehindhisback.Thenhecoveredhimselfandallofthemwithhiscloakandsaid:‘ThesearethePeopleofmyHouse.OAllah!Keepuncleannessawayfromthemandmakethemcleanandpure!’

(b)AsnarratedbyWasilatsonofAsqaaandUmmSalma

(b)AsnarratedbyWasilatsonofAsqaa7andUmmSalma

Hakim(in‘Mustadrak’)andHaithami(in‘Majmaal-Zawaid’)havequotedfromWasilatsonofAsqaathattheHolyProphet(S)madeAli(a.s)andFatima(s.a)sitinfrontofhimselfandplacedHasan(a.s)andHusain(a.s)onhiskneesortooktheminhisarms.AndthishadithhadalsobeenquotedbyIbnKathirandSuyuti(intheir‘Tafsirs’)andBahiqui(in‘Sunan’)andAhmadbinHanbal(in‘Musnad’).

PlaceWhereMembersoftheHolyProphet’sHouseAssembledTogether

(a)AsnarratedinthehadithquotedbyAbuSaeedKhudri

(a)AsnarratedinthehadithquotedbyAbuSaeedKhudri8

SuyutihasquotedAbuSaeedin‘Durral-Manthur’ashavingsaid,‘TheHolyProphet(S)wasinthehouseofUmmSalmawhenJibraeeldescendedandbroughttheverse,‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse...’

AbuSaeedsays,‘AtthattimetheHolyProphet(S)calledHasan,Husain,Fatima,andAli(Peacebeuponthem)andmadethemcomenearhimandspreadhiscloakonthemwhenUmmSalmatoo,wassittingbehindthecurtain.TheHolyProphet(S)said:‘OAllah!Thesearethemembersofmyfamily.Keepuncleannessawayfromthemandmakethempure’.

(b)AsnarratedinthehadithquotedbyUmmal-MomineenUmmSalma

IbnKathir,Suyuti,Bahiqui,TahaviandKhateebin‘Tareekhal-Baghdad’havequotedUmmSalmaashavingsaid,‘Theverse,‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse...’,wasrevealedinmyhouseandFatima,Ali,Hasan,andHusain(a.s)wereintheroom.TheHolyProphet(S)spreadhiscloakonthemandsaid:‘Thesearethemembersofmyfamily.(OAllah!)Removeuncleannessfromthemandmakethempure’.AndHakimtoohasquotedUmmSalmain‘Mustadrak’ashavingsaid,‘Thisversewasrevealedinmyhouse’.

UmmSalmahasbeenquotedinthefollowingbooks:

Tirmizinarratedinhis‘Sahih’inthechapterrelatingtotheattainmentsofFatima(s.a)andsimilarlyin‘Riazal-Nuzrah’and‘Tehzibal-Tehzib’thattheHolyProphet(S)said,‘OAllah!Thesearethemembersofmyfamily.Wardoffuncleannessfromthemandmakethempure.’

Ahmadalsonarratesinhis‘Musnad’thatUmmSalmasaid,‘Iputmyheadintotheroomandasked,‘AmIalsoamongyou?’TheHolyProphet(S)said,‘Youhaveagoodfuture’.

Hakim,too,narratesthatUmmSalmasaid,‘OProphetofAllah!AmInotoneofthemembersofyourfamily?’TheHolyProphet(S)replied:‘Youhaveagoodfuturebutonlythesearethemembersofmyfamily.OLord!Themembersofmyfamilyaremoredeserving.’

HowManyPersonsWerePresentintheHouseWhentheVerseWasRevealed?

Inthe‘Tafsir’ofSuyutiandin‘Mushkilal-Athar’UmmSalmahasbeenquotedtohavesaid:‘Theverse,‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!...’wasrevealedinmyhouseandatthattimethereweresevenpersonspresentintheroomnamely(besidestheHolyProphet)Jibraeel,Mikaeel,Ali,Fatima,HasanandHusain(Maypeaceandbenedictionbeuponthem)andIwasstandingatthedoorofthehouseandsaid:‘OProphetofAllah!AmInotoneofthemembersofyourfamily?’Hereplied,‘Youhaveagoodfutureandyouareoneofthewivesofthe

Prophet(S).’

InWhatPositionandPostureWeretheMembersoftheHolyProphet’sFamilyWhentheVerseWasRevealed?

In‘Tafsir’ofTabari,AbuSaeedKhudriisreportedtohavenarratedthatUmmSalmahadsaid,‘ThisversewasrevealedinmyhouseandIwassittingatthedoorofthehouse.’Ithasalsobeennarratedinthesame‘Tafsir’thatUmmSalmasaid,‘ThemembersoftheHolyProphet’sfamilygatheredaroundhimandhecoveredthemwithacloakwhichhewascarryingonhisshoulderandsaid,‘Thesearethemembersofmyfamily.Wardoffuncleannessfromthemandmakethempure’.Andthisversewasrevealedwhentheyweresittingontheground.Isaid,‘OProphetofAllah!AmInotalsooneofthemembersofyourfamily?’IswearbytheAlmightythattheHolyProphet(S)didnotgrantmeanydistinctionandsaid:‘Youhaveagoodfuture’.

ExplanationandInterpretationoftheWordsoftheVerse

Inhisbookentitled‘Mufradatal-Qur’an’Raghibsaysundertheroot‘Rawada’.Whenitissaid,‘AradAllah’itmeansthattheAlmightyAllahorderedthatsuchandsuchthingshouldtakeplaceorshouldnottakeplace.Andundertheroot‘Rijs’hesays:‘Rijs’meanssomethingwhichmanhates.Headdsthat‘Rijs’isoffourkinds,namely:natural,intellectual,legalorcombinationofallthesethreeinone.Forexample,adeadbody,anactofgamblingandaprofessionofpolytheismarerepulsivefromtheviewpointofnature,intellectandlaw.ThestatementofRaghibendshere.

Inthe30thverseofSuraal-Hajj,theAlmightyAllahsays,

‘Shuntheabominationofidols.’

Andinthe125thverseofSuraal-An’amAllahsays,

‘ThusdoesAllahheapignominiouschastisementonthosewhobelievenot.’

Andinthe145thverseofSuraal-An’amHesays,

‘Unlessitbedeadmeat,orbloodpouredforth,orthefleshofswine,foritisanabomination’.

AndinSuraal-Tauba,Hesaysaboutthehypocrites,

‘Keepalooffromthemfortheyarehypocrites.’

Andinthe71stverseofSuraal-A’rafAllahsays,aboutthepeopleofNoah,

‘Noahsaid,“PunishmentandwrathhavealreadycomeuponyoufromyourLord”.

Themeaningoftheword‘Tathir’inthisverseisthesameasintheremarksaboutMary(s.a)inthe42ndverseofSuraAalImranwhentheangelssaid,

‘OMary!Allahhaschosenyouandpurifiedyouaboveallthewomen’.

And‘Kisa’mentionedinthehadithwasanuppergarmentlike‘Aba’(acloak).

TheVerseAsInterpretedintheNarrations

Inhis‘Tafsir’SuyutiquotesIbnAbbas9assaying:

‘TheHolyProphet(S)said:‘AlmightyAllahdividedHiscreationintotwopartsandplacedusinthebestofthem!Laterhesaid:‘ThenHesub-dividedtribesintofamiliesandplacedusamongthebestofthosefamilies.AndAlmightyAllahmeansthiswhenhesays:‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortsofuncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification’.Hencemyselfandthemembersofmyfamilyarefreefromallsortsofsinandcontamination.’

SuyutinarratesfromZahhaksonofMuzahim10thattheHolyProphet(S)said:‘WearethefamilywhomAllahhasdeclaredtobepure,andHehascreatedusfromthetrunkandthecentreofProphethood.Oursisthehousewhichisfrequentedbytheangelsandistheseatofblessingsandthespringofknowledgeandwisdom.’

Tabari(in‘Tafsir’)andMuhibTabari(in‘Zakhairal-Uqba’)quotefromAbuSaeedKhudrithattheHolyProphet(S)said,‘Theversehasbeenrevealedaboutfivepersonsnamely,myself,Ali,Fatima,HasanandHusain.In‘Mushkilal-Aathar’UmmSalmahasbeenquotedassaying:‘ThisversewasrevealedwithregardtotheHolyProphet,Ali,Fatima,HasanandHusain’(Maypeaceandbenedictionbeuponthemall).

InthepreviousnarrationsithasbeenstatedastohowtheHolyProphet(S)explainedandinterpretedthisverseandthrewlightuponthesubjectbywordsandconduct.

AccordingtoSahihMuslim,ZaidbinArqam,adistinguishedcompanionoftheHolyProphet(S)wasaskedastowhoweremeantbymembersoftheHolyProphet’sfamilyandwhetherhiswiveswerealsoincludedamongthem.Hereplied:‘Wivesdonotbelongtothefamily.ByAllah!Awomanliveswithherhusbandforsometimeandisthendivorcedandreturnstoherfatherandotherrelatives.ThemembersoftheHolyProphet’sfamilyarethosewhohavefamilytieswithhimandwhoareforbiddentotakealms.’

In‘Majmaal-Zawaid’HaithamireportsAbuSaeedKhudriassaying:‘MembersoftheHolyProphet’sfamilyarethosewhomAlmightyAllahhaspurifiedofallfilthandimpurityanddeclaredthemtobecleanandpure.’Thereafter,AbuSaeedKhudricountedthemonhisfingersandsaid:‘Theyarefivepersons,theHolyProphet,Ali,Fatima,HasanandHusain’(Maypeacebeuponthemall).

Inhis‘Tafsir’TabariquotesQatada11whointerpretedthesacredverseofTathirthatPeopleoftheHolyProphet’sfamilyarethosewhomAlmightyAllahhaspurifiedfromeverysinandshoweredspecialblessingsonthem.Healsosaidinexplanationoftheverse,‘ItisthisandnothingelsethatAllahwilledtowardoffeveryevilandindecencyfromthepeopleofthefamilyofMuhammad(S)andtopurifythemfromeverycontaminationandsin!’

WhatDidtheHolyProphetDoAftertheRevelationoftheVerse?

In‘Majmaal-Zawaid’AbuBarza12hasbeenreportedtohavesaid:‘IperformedmyprayersalongwiththeHolyProphet(S)forsevenmonths.

Asandwhenhelefthishouse,hewenttothehouseofFatima(s.a)andusedtosay:‘Peacebeuponyou!OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortsofuncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification.’

Inthe‘Tafsir’ofSuyuti,IbnAbbasisreportedtohavesaid:‘InoticedforninemonthsthattheHolyProphet(S)wenttothedoorofAli’shouseeverydaywhenitwastimeforprayersandusedtosay:‘Peaceandblessingsbeuponyou!OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortsofuncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification.Andherepeatedthisactfivetimesaday.’

In‘Sahih’ofTirmizi,‘Musnad’ofAhmad,‘Musnad’ofTialsi,‘MustadrakSahihain’,‘Usudal-Ghaba’andinthe‘Tafsirs’ofTabari,IbnKathirandSuyuti,AnasbinMalik13isreportedtohavesaidthatforaperiodofsixmonthstheHolyProphet(S)usedtopassbythedoorofFatima(s.a)andsay:‘OPeopleoftheHouse,itistimetoperformprayers’.Andthenadded:‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortsofuncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification.’

In‘Isti’ab’,‘Usudal-Ghaba’,‘Majmaal-Zawaid’,‘Mushkilal-Athar’and

‘Tafsirs’ofTabari,IbnKathirandSuyuti,Abual-Humrahasbeenreportedtohavesaid:‘InoticedinMedinathatforaperiodofeightmonthswhenevertheHolyProphet(S)cameoutofhishousetoperformmorningprayershewenttothehouseofAli(a.s)andplacedhishandsonthetwosidesofthedoorandusedtosay,‘Prayers!Prayers!OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortsofuncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification.”

Inoneofthenarrationstheperiodisstatedtobesixmonths,inanothersevenmonths,inthethirdeightmonthsandinfourth,ninemonths.

In‘Majmaal-Zawaid’and‘Tafsir’ofSuyutiithasbeenquotedfromAbuSaeedKhudriwithavariationinwordsthatforfortydaystheHolyProphet(S)approachedthehouseofFatima(s.a)everymorningandusedtosay:‘PeacebeuponyouOPeopleoftheHouse!Thetimefortheprayerhasarrived’.Andthereafterheusedtorecitethisverse:‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortsofuncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification.’Andthensaid:‘Iaminastateofwarwithhimwhofightswithyouandaminastateofpeacewithhimwhoisatpeacewithyou.’

ThoseWhoReliedonthisSacredVersetoProvetheVirtuesofthePeopleoftheHolyProphet’sHouse

(a)ImamHasan(a.s)

Hakim(in‘Mustadrak’)inconnectionwiththeattainmentsofImamHasan(a.s)andHaithami(inconnectionwiththeexcellenceofthePeopleoftheHolyProphet’sHouse)havenarratedthatImamHasan(a.s)addressedthepeopleafterthemartyrdomofhisfatherImamAli(a.s),andsaidduringhisspeech:

‘OPeople!Whoeverknowsme,knowsmeandwhoeverdoesnotknowmeshouldknowthatIamHasanbinAli.IamthesonoftheHolyProphet(S)andofhissuccessor(wasi).IamhissonwhoinvitedpeopletoAllahandwarnedthemofthetortureofHishell-fire.IamthesonoftheLuminousLamp.IbelongtothefamilyuponwhomJibraeelusedtodescendandfromthereascendtoheavens.IbelongtothefamilyfromwhomAllahhasremovedallimpuritiesandmadethempure.’

Ithasbeennarratedin‘Majmaal-Zawaid’and‘Tafsir’ofIbnKathirthatafterhisfather’smartyrdomImamHasan(a.s)attainedtheCaliphateandoneday,whilehewasperforminghisprayers,amanattackedhimandthrustaswordinhisthigh.Heremainedconfinedtobedforsomemonths.Thereafter,herecoveredanddeliveredasermonandsaid:‘‘OpeopleofIraq!FearAllah.WeareyourAmirsandyourguestsandbelongtothefamilyaboutwhomAlmightyAllahhassaid:‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortsofuncleannessandblemishfromyoutopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification’.ImamHasan(a.s)dweltonthissubjectsomuchthatallthosepresentintheMasjidbegantocry.’ThishadithhasalsobeenquotedbyTibraniandallthenarratorsarereliable.

(b)Ummal-MomineenUmmSalma

In‘Mushkilal-Athar’TahavihasquotedUmraHamdaniaassaying:‘IwenttoUmmSalmaandsaidSalaamtoher.Sheenquired:‘Whoareyou?’Ireplied:IamUmraHamdania’.Umrasays,‘Isaid,OMotheroftheFaithful!Saysomethingaboutthemanwhohasbeenkilledamongustoday.Onegroupofthepeoplelikeshimandanothergroupisinimicaltowardshim’(meaningImamAliibnAbiTalib).UmmSalmasaid,‘Doyoulikehimorarehostiletohim?’Ireplied,‘Ineitherlikehimnoramhostiletohim.’

Herethenarrativeisdefectiveandthereafteritislikethis:‘Allahrevealedtheverse:OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortsofuncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification.’Therewasnoneintheroomatthattime,exceptJibraeel,theHolyProphetandAli,Fatima,HasanandHusain(Maypeacebeuponthem).Isaid:‘OProphetofAllah!AmItoooneofthePeopleoftheHouse?Hereplied:‘Allahwillrewardyouandrecompenseyou.’Iwishedthathemighthavesaid‘Yes’andwouldhavevaluedsuchareplymuchmorethananythingelseintheworld.’

(c)Sa’adbinabiWaqas

In‘Khasais’NasaihasquotedAmirbinSa’ad14sonofAbuWaqasassaying:‘Mua’wiyyahsaidtoSa’adbinAbiWaqas:‘WhydoyourefrainfromabusingAbuTurab?’Sa’adsaid,‘Idon’tabuseAli(a.s)forthreereasonswhichIheardfromtheHolyProphet(S).IfevenoneofthemhadbeeninmyfavourIwouldhavevalueditmuchmorethananythingelseonearth.IheardfromtheHolyProphet(S):

‘WhenheleftAli(a.s)ashisrepresentativeinMedinaandproceededtofightabattle,Ali(a.s)said,‘AreyouleavingmewiththewomenandthechildreninMedina?’TheHolyProphet(S)replied:‘Don’tyoulikethatyourpositionvis-a-vismyselfshouldbelikethatofHaroonwithMusa(Maypeacebeuponthem)?YouenjoythesamepositionwithreferencetomeasHaroonenjoyedwithreferencetoMusa’(Maypeacebeuponthem)’.

OnthefatefuldayofKhyber,too,IheardtheHolyProphet(S)assaying:‘TomorrowIshallgivethestandardtoonewholovesAllahandHisProphet(S)andAllahandHisProphet(S)alsolovehim.’Allofuswerekeentobegracedandsingledoutinthefaceofthisdeclarationandthatthestandardmightbeinourhands.InthemeantimetheHolyProphet(S)said:‘BringAli(a.s)tome.’

ImamAli(a.s)cameinsuchaconditionthathehadsometroubleinhiseyes.TheHolyProphet(S)appliedhissalivatoAli’seyesandgavethestandardinhishand.

Moreover,whentheverseof‘Tathir’,‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremove(allsortsof)uncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification’,wasrevealed,theHolyProphet(S)calledAli,Fatima,HasanandHusain(Maypeacebeuponthemall)nearhimselfandsaid:‘OAllah!Thesearethepeopleofmyfamily.’

IbnJarir,IbnKathir,Hakim(in‘Mustadrak’)andTahavi(in‘Mushkilal-Athar’)havequotedfromSa’adbinAbiWaqasthatatthetimeoftherevelationoftheverse,theHolyProphet(S)calledAli(a.s)withhistwosonsandFatima(s.a)andaccommodatedthemunderhisowncloakandsaid:‘OLord!Thesearethemembersofmyfamily.’

(d)IbnAbbas

Ithasbeennarratedin‘TarikhIbnAthir’thatUmar,whileconversingwithIbnAbbassaid:‘Fiebeuponyou,OBaniHashim!Youhavenothinginyourheartsexceptenvy,fraudandrancourwhichdonotleaveyourheartsandarenotexterminated.IbnAbbassaidinreply:‘BecalmOCommanderoftheFaithful!Don’tattributeenvytothoseheartswhichhavebeencleansedfromallthefilthbyAllahandmadepureandclean,becausetheheartoftheHolyProphet(S)too,isoneoftheheartsofBaniHashim.’

ImamoftheHanblis,Ahmad(inhis‘Musnad’),Nasai(in‘Khasais’)MuhibbeTibri(in‘Riazal-Nuzra’)andHaithmi(in‘Majmaal-Zawaid’)havereported‘AmrbinMaimun15ashavingsaid:‘IwaswithIbnAbbaswhenninepersons

cametohimandsaid:‘OsonofAbbas!Eithercomeoutwithusorprovideusprivacy.’Hesaid:‘Ishallgooutwithyou.’Thenarratorsays:‘InthosedaystheeyesofIbnAbbaswereallrightandhecouldsee.Thenarratorsays:TheyhadmutualconversationandIamnotawareastowhattheytalkedabout.’AftersometimeIbnAbbasreturnedtous.Hewasthenshakingoffhisdress16andsaying:‘Fiebeuponthem!Theyaretalkingaboutthemanwhoenjoystenexcellences’.

LaterinthenarrationIbnAbbasdetailsthevirtuesoftheImamtillhesays:‘TheHolyProphet(S)spreadhiscloakuponAli,Fatima,HasanandHusain(Peacebeuponthem)andsaid:‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortsofuncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification.’

(e)WasilatsonofAsqaa

Tabari(whilecommentingontheverse),IbnHanbal(inhis‘Musnad’),Hakim(in‘Mustadrak’),Bahiqui(in‘Sunan’),Tahavi(in‘Mushkilal-Athar’)andHaithami(in‘Majmaal-Zawaid’)quoteAbuAmmar17ashavingsaid:‘IwassittingwithWasilatsonofAsqaawhenadiscussiontookplaceaboutAli(a.s)andthepeopleabusedhim.Whenthosepresentrosetoleavehesaidtome:

‘KeepsittingsothatImaytalkwithyouaboutthemanwhomtheyhadbeenabusing.IwaswiththeHolyProphet(S)whenAli(a.s),Fatima(s.a),Hasan(a.s)andHusain(a.s)approachedhimandtheHolyProphet(S)spreadhiscloakonthemandsaid:‘OAllah!Thesearethemembersofmyfamily.Removeuncleannessfromthemandmakethemcleanandpure.’

In‘Usudal-Ghaba’ShiddadsonofAbdAllahhasbeenquotedassaying:‘I

heardfromWasilatsonofAsqaathatwhentheheadofHusain(a.s)wasbrought,oneoftheSyriansabusedHusain(a.s)andhisfather.Wasilatstoodupandsaid:‘IswearbyAllahthateversinceIheardtheHolyProphet(S)sayaboutthem:‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortofuncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification’,IhavealwayslikedAli,Fatima,HasanandHusain(Peacebeuponthem).’

(f)AnotherNarrationfromUmmSalma

Ahmad(in‘Musnad’),Tabari(in‘Tafsir’)andTahavi(in‘Mushkilal-Athar’)havequotedShahrbinHaushabtohavesaid:‘WhenthenewsofthemartyrdomofHusain(a.s)reached(Medina)IheardUmmSalma,wifeoftheHolyProphet(S),saying:‘TheyhavekilledHusain(a.s)!ImyselfobservedthattheHolyProphet(S)spreadhisKhybercloakonthemandsaid:‘OAllah!Thesearethemembersofmyfamily!Removeuncleannessfromthemandmakethemcleanandpure!’

(g)Alibinal-Husain(a.s)

Tabari,IbnKathirandSuyutihavestatedthusintheir‘Tafsirs’whilecommentingonthissacredverse:Alibinal-Husain(a.s)saidtoaSyrian:‘HaveyoureadthisverseinSuraal-Azhab,‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortsofuncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification.’TheSyriansaid:‘Doesthisversepertaintoyou?’TheImamreplied:‘Yes,itpertainstous.’

Khwarizmihasquotedthisverynarrationinhis‘Maqtal’inthefollowingmanner:

‘WhenafterthemartyrdomofHusain(a.s),thegrandsonoftheHolyProphet(S),Sajjad(a.s)andotherprisonersbelongingtotheHouseoftheHolyProphet(S)werecarriedtoDamascusandstationedinthejaillocatedbythesideoftheJamaMasjidofDamascus,anoldmanapproachedthemandsaid:‘PraisedbeAllahwhokilledyouandannihilatedyouandrelievedthepeoplefromyourmenandprovidedtheCommanderoftheFaithful(Yazid)withauthorityoveryou.’Alibinal-Husain(a.s)said:‘Ooldman!HaveyourreadtheHolyQuran?Hereplied:Yes.ThentheImam(a.s)said:Haveyoureadthisverse:

‘NorewarddoIaskyouforthis(thetoilsoftheofficeofProphethood)excepttheloveofthosenearofmykin.’(Suraash-Shura,42:23)

Theoldmansaid:‘Yes.Ihavereadit’TheImamsaid:‘Haveyoureadtheverse:

‘Sogivewhatisduetokindred(nearones),theneedyandthewayfarer.ThatisbestforthemwhoseekthecountenanceofAllah,anditistheywhowillprosper.’(Suraar-Room,30:38)

andtheverse:

‘Theyaskyouconcerning(thingstakenas)spoilsofwarsay:suchspoilsareatthedisposalofAllahandtheProphet,sofearAllahandkeepstraighttherelationsbetweenyourselves:ObeyAllahandHisProphet,ifyoudobelieveintheHolyQur’an.’(Suraal-Anfal,8:1)

Theoldmanreplied:‘Yes.Ihavereadthem’.TheImamsaid:‘IswearbyAllahthattheword‘nearones’referstousandtheseverseshavebeenrevealedaboutus.(TheImamadded):AndhaveyoureadthisverseintheHolyQur’anand

whereinAllahsays:

‘OPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!Allahintendsbuttoremoveallsortsofuncleannessandblemishfromyouandtopurifyyouwithathoroughpurification’?(Suraal-Ahzaab,33:33)

Theoldmansaid:‘Yes.Ihavereadit.’TheImamsaid:‘WhatismeantbyPeopleoftheProphet’sHouse!WearewhomAllahhasespeciallyassociatedwiththeverseof‘Tathir’.Theoldmansaid:‘ByAlmightyAllah!Areyouofthesamefamily?’TheImamreplied:‘IswearbymygrandfathertheProphetofAllah(S)wearethesamepeople.’

Theoldmanwasstunnedandexpressedregretforwhathehadsaid.Thenheraisedhisheadtowardstheskyandsaid:‘OAllah!IapologizeforwhatIhavesaidandforsakeenmityagainstthisfamilyandhatetheenemiesoftheProgenyofMuhammad(S)fromtheJinnandthemen.’18

Othertraditionsonthesubjecthavealsobeennarratedbutwehavedesistedfromquotingthem.19Thissufficesforourpurposeofprovingourassertions.

AndtheHolyQu’ransays:

Mostsurelythereisareminderinthisforhimwhohasaheartorhegivesearandisawitness.(SuraQaf,50:37)

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

1.ThemotherofAbdAllahsonofJa’farsonofAbuTalibwasAsmadaughterof‘UmaisKhasamayya.’HewasborninEthiopiaandsawtheHolyProphet(S).Hediedattheageof80years.HisbiographyisrecordedinUsudAl-Ghaba(Vol.2Page33)

2.AbuAbdAllahMuhammadsonofAbdAllahofNishapur,popularlyknownasHakim,isoneofthetraditionalistsandisheldinmuchesteembytheSunnites.Hepassedawayin405A.H.

3.AyeshawasthedaughterofthefirstCaliphAbuBakr.TheHolyProphet(S)marriedherseventeenmonthsafterhismigrationtoMedina.Shepassedawayin57,58or59A.H.(exactyearisnotknown)andAbuHurayrahledherfuneralprayer.ShewasburiedinBaqi.Forherbiographypleaserefertothebookentitled‘AhadisAyesha’.

4.PerhapsAyeshameanttosaythattheHolyProphet(S)cameoutofherhousewiththecloakandwenttothehouseofUmmSalma.

5.UmmSalmaHind,daughterofUbiOmayyahQurayshiMakhzumihadthehonourofmarryingtheHolyprophet(S)afterthedeathofherhusbandAbuSalmasonofAbdal-Asad.HerhusbandAbuSalmadiedasaresultofawoundsustainedbyhimintheBattleofOhad.ShepassedawayafterthemartyrdomofImamHusain(a.s).ThelifehistoryofUmmSalmaisrecordedin‘Usudal-Ghaba’and‘Tehzibal-Tehzib’.

6.UmarwasthesonofUmmal-MomineenUmmSalmafromherfirsthusband(AbuSalma).He(Umar)wasborninEthiopia.HewasoneamongthefollowersofImamAli(a.s)intheBattleofSiffinandwasalsoappointedbyhimastheGovernorofBahrainandFars.UmarpassedawayinMedinain83A.H.Forhisbiographypleasereferto‘Usudal-Ghaba’(Vol.Vpage79).

7.Forhisbiographyreferto‘Usudal-Ghaba’(Vol.V,page77).

8.AbuSaeedKhudriKhazraji.HisnamewasSaeedsonofMalikAnsari.HeparticipatedintheBattleoftheDitchandinotherbattles.HediedinMedinawhenhewasabove60yearsor70yearsofage.Hisbiographyappearsin‘Usud

alGhaba’(Vol.II,page289).

9.AbdAllahsonofAbbasandcousinoftheHolyProphet(S)wasbornthreeyearsbeforetheHolyProphet’smigrationtoMedinaandpassedawayatTaifattheageof68years.Forhisbiographypleasereferto‘Usudal-Ghaba’.

10.Abual-QasimorAbuMuhammadZahhaksonofMuzahimHilali.Ibn-Hajarsays:‘Heistruthfulinnarratinghadithandhasnarratedmanyhadithbywayofreceivingitfromcorrectsources.Zahhakisconsideredtobebelongingtothefifthgroupanddiedafterattainingtheageof100years.Hisbiographyappearsin‘Tehzibal-Tehzib.’

11.Therearefourpersonsbythename‘Qatada’(viz.Saddusi,Rihawi,QaisiandAnsari)andallofthemarereliable.Itisnotknownastowhichoneofthemisreferredtohere.Fortheirbiographiespleasereferto‘Tehzib-al-Tehzib’.

12.AbuBarzaAslamiwasoneofthecompanionsoftheHolyProphet(S).HepassedawayatKufaattheageof60or64years.Hisbiographyisgivenin‘Usudal-Ghaba’(Vol.V,page146).

13.AnasbinMalikKhazraji.IthasbeenreportedthatheremainedintheserviceoftheHolyProphet(S)fortenyears.HepassedawayinBasraafterattainingtheageof90years.Forhisbiographypleasereferto‘Usudal-Ghaba’.

14.‘AmirbinSa’adsonofAbiWaqas.Hishadithhasbeenrecordedbyallthecompliersof‘Sihah’.IbnHajarsays:‘Heisconsideredtobeoneofthereliablenarratorsofthethirdgroup.Hediedattheageof104.(Taqribat-TahzibVolIPageno.387).

15.‘AmrbinMaimunisconsideredtobeoneofthereliableTabaeen.Hishadithhavebeenincludedinthe‘Sihah’.HepassedawayinKufaattheageof74.(‘TaqreebalTehzeeb’Vol.IIpage80).

16.InthosedaysshakingoffthedresswasconsideredtobeasignofdisgustforwhathadhappenedandastheninepersonshadusedunbecominglanguageforImamAli(a.s)IbnAbbasspokethus.

17.AbuAmmarShiddadsonofAbdAllahal-QarshiofDamascus.Heisincludedinthefourthgroupofreliablenarratorsandhishadithareavailableinthe‘Sihah’.(‘Taqreebal-Tehzib’Vol.1,page347).

18.MaqtalofKhwarizmiVol2Page61,printedatNajaf.

19.Forexamplethenarrationaboutthebiographyof‘Atiyya’asdetailedin‘Usudal-Ghaba’(Vol.III,page413)andin‘Asaba’(Vol.II,page479)and‘TarikhBaghdad’(Vol.X,page278),andthenarrationofHakimsonofSaeedin‘TafsirTabari’(Vol.22,page5)andothernarrationsquotedin‘Musnad’ofAhmed(Vol.VI,page304)and‘Usudal-Ghaba’(Vol.II,page12andVol.IV,page29)and‘Majmaal-Zawaid’(Vol.IX,pages206and207)and‘ZakhairalUqba’(page21).

TheVerseofPurificationinShiaSources

TheRevelationoftheVerseofPurification

(a)TraditionofUmmulMomineenUmmSalma

(a)TraditionofUmmulMomineenUmmSalma1

ShaharBinHoshalsays:IcametoUmmSalmathewifeoftheHolyProphet(S)andaftersalaamsaid:‘Haveyouseenthisverse,Omotherofbelievers,‘Allahonlydesirestokeepawaytheuncleannessfromyou,OpeopleoftheHouse!andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying’?’Shesaid:‘IandtheMessengerofAllah(S)wereuponthebedandunderthecloakofKhyberwhenFatima(s.a)camewithHasanandHusain(a.s).

TheHolyProphet(S)said:‘Whereisyourcousin?’shesaid,‘athome’.Hesaid:‘callhim’,shecalledhim.Thenhetookallofthemunderthecloakandraiseduphishands(inprayer)saying:‘OAllahthesearemyAhlulbayt(a.s).Soremovefromthemtheimpurityandpurifythemathoroughpurification.’IwassittingoppositetheMessengerofAllah(S).Isaid,‘OMessengerofAllah(S),maymyparentsbesacrificeduponyou,andwhataboutme?’Hereplied,‘Youhaveagoodfuture.’AndtheVersedescended,‘Allahonlydesiresto...’.ItconcernedtheProphet(S),Ali,Fatima,Hasan,andHusain(a.s).

Anotherreference

ThereisanothernarrationofUmmSalmawhichstatesthatthefollowingversewasrevealedfortheProphet(S),Ali,Fatima,Hasan,andHusain(a.s)2

UmmSalmasays:Theverseof“Allahonlydesires...”wasrevealedinmyhouse.AndthattheHolyProphet(S)coveredthemwiththecloak,raisedhishands(inprayer)andsaid:“OAllah,thesearemyAhlulBayt(a.s)soremovefromthemuncleannesslikeYouremoveditfromtheprogenyofIsmail,IshaqandYaqoobandpurifythemfromtheuncleannesslikeYoupurifiedtheprogenyofLut,progenyofImranandprogenyofHaroon(a.s).

FromAbiAbdullahAlJalali

FromAbiAbdullahAlJalali3

Hesaid:IcametoAyeshaandasked,‘wheredidtheverse“Allahonlydesires...”descend?’Shesaid:“ItdescendedatthehouseofUmmSalma.”ButUmmSalmasaidthatifAyeshaisaskedconcerningthis,shewillsaythatitdescendedatherhouse.TheHolyProphet(S)said:“IsthereanyonewhowillcallformeAli,Fatimaandtheirtwosons?”Shesaid,“Whoisthereotherthanme?”Hesaid,“ThendoasIsay.”Sotheyallcameandsat:Ali(a.s)betweenhishands,Husain(a.s)onhisright,Hasan(a.s)onhisleftandFatima(s.a)oppositehim.TheProphetcoveredthemwiththecloakofKhyberandsaidthrice,“Maythefireneverapproachyou,youaremysoul,myprogeny,myAhlulBaytfrommyfleshandmyblood.”

UmmSalmasaid,“OProphetofAllah!CanIenterwithyou?”TheHolyProphetsaid,“OUmmSalmayouarefrommyrighteouswives.”Thenthe

followingverseofQuranwasrevealed:

“Allahonlydesirestokeepawaytheuncleannessfromyou,OPeopleoftheHouse!Andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.”

(Suraal-Ahzaab,33:33)

FromAbdullaIbnMoeen,theslaveboyofUmmSalma

FromAbdullaIbnMoeen,theslaveboyofUmmSalma4

InthistraditionalsoUmmSalmasaysthattheverse:“Allahonlydesirestokeepawaytheuncleannessfromyou,OPeopleoftheHouse!”wasrevealedinmyhouse.

TheHolyProphet(S)orderedmetosendAli(a.s),Fatima(s.a),Hasan(a.s)andHusain(a.s).Thentheycameandseatedwithhim.TheMessengerofAllah(S)said:‘OAllahthesearemyhousehold,myprogeny,soremoveuncleannessfromthemandpurifythema(thorough)purifying.’Herepeatedthisthrice.Isaid,‘AndI,O,MessengerofAllah?’Hereplied,‘YoushallhaveagoodfutureInshaAllah.’

FromImamReza(a.s)

UmmSalmasaid,“OnthedaytheverseofpurificationwasrevealedatmyhousetheMessengerofAllahsummonedAli,Fatima,HasanandHusain(a.s).WhentheyallgatheredJibraeel(a.s)came.TheMessengerofAllah(S)prayed,

‘OAllahthesearemyAhlulBayt,OAllahremoveuncleannessfromthemandpurifythema(thorough)purifying.’Jibraeel(a.s)said,‘AndamIfromyou,OMuhammad?’TheProphet(s.a)replied,‘YouarefromusOJibraeel.’

UmmSalmaasked,‘OMessengerofAllah,amIfromyourAhlulBayt?’andmovedforwardtoenterthecloak.TheMessengerofAllah(S)said,‘StayinyourplaceOUmmSalma,YouareonthegoodandyouarefromthewivesoftheMessenger.’

ThenJibraeel(a.s)said:‘ReciteOMuhammad!Allahonlydesirestokeepawaytheuncleannessfromyou,OPeopleoftheHouse!Andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.’

(b)TraditionofAlHusainIbnAli(a.s)

FromZaid5binAlifromhisfatherfromhisgrandfather,Hesaid:TheMessengerofAllah(S)wasatthehouseofUmmSalmawhensheservedadishofHarira.HecalledAli,Fatima,HasanandHusain(a.s)andtheyatefromit.ThenhecoveredthemwiththecloakofKhyberandsaid:‘AllahonlydesirestokeepawaytheuncleannessfromyouOPeopleoftheHouse!Andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.’UmmSalmasaid:‘AndamIoneofthemOMessengerofAllah?’He(S)said,‘Youhaveagoodfortune.’

(c)TraditionofAbuSaeedKhudri

(i)FromAbuSaeedKhudri

(i)FromAbuSaeedKhudri6

Hesays:TheVerseofPurificationwasrevealedwhentheMessengerofAllah(S)hadcollectedFatima,Ali,HasanandHusain(a.s)inthecloakandprayed‘OAllahthesearemyAhlulBaytsokeepawayuncleannessfromthemandpurifythema(thorough)purifying.’UmmSalmaasked,‘OMessengerofAllah!AmIincludedinthem?’Hesaid,‘Andyouhaveagoodfortune.’7

(ii)FromAtiyya

AtiyyasaysthatheaskedAbuSaeedKhudriabouttheholyverse:‘AllahonlydesirestokeepawayuncleannessfromyouOPeopleoftheHouse!Andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.”AbuSaeedKhudrisaidthatitwasrevealedfortheMessengerofAllah,Ali,Fatima,HasanandHusain(a.s).

(d)FromAbuJafar

(d)FromAbuJafar8

RegardingtheQuranicverse,‘Allahonlydesirestokeepawayuncleannessfromyou,OPeopleoftheHouse!Andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying’hesaysthatthisversewasrevealedfortheMessengerofAllah(S),Ali,Fatima,HasanandHusain(a.s).ItwasrevealedatthehouseofUmmSalmathewifeoftheProphet(s.a).TheMessengerofAllah(S)calledAli,Fatima,HasanandHusain(a.s)andcoveredthemwiththecloakofKhyber.Thenhesaid,‘OAllah!ThesearemyAhlulBaytregardingwhomyouhavepromisedmewhateveryoupromised.OAllahkeepawaytheuncleannessfromthemandpurifythema(thorough)purification.’Thentheaboveversewasrevealed.UmmSalmasaid:‘AndamIincludedinthem?’Hesaid,‘Igiveyougladtidingsthatyoushallhaveagoodfuture.’

WhatDidtheHolyProphet(S)DoAftertheRevelationofthisVerse?

(a)FromAbuSaeedKhudri

(a)FromAbuSaeedKhudri9

Hesays,‘TheMessengerofAllah(S)usedtocomeatthedoorofAliandFatimaforfortydaysandsay,“PeacebeuponyouandtheMercyofAllahandHisBlessings,OAhlulBayt.AllahonlydesirestokeepawayuncleannessfromyouOpeopleoftheHouse!Andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.Iamatwarwiththeonewhomakeswaronyouandpeaceattheonewhoisatpeacewithyou.”’

(b)FromAbuHumra

(b)FromAbuHumra10

HesaysthatIwasintheserviceoftheMessengerofAllah(S)fornineortenmonths,ninemonthstobesure.IusedtoseethateverydaytheProphet(S)cameoutfromhishouseinthemorningandknockedatthedoorofAli,Fatima,HasanandHusain(a.s)saying,“PeacebeuponyouandtheMercyandBlessingsofAllah.RiseupforprayersthatAllahmayhavemercyonyou.”

Theyreplied,“AndPeacebeuponyouandtheMercyandBlessingsofAllah,OMessengerofAllah.”ThentheMessengerofAllah(S)said,“AllahonlydesirestokeepawayuncleannessfromyouOpeopleofthehouseandpurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.”

Theabovetraditionhasbeenrecordedwithaslightvariationalso.

(c)FromAmirulMomineenAli(a.s)

Ali(a.s)said11,“TheMessengerofAllahcametouseverymorningandsaid,“Prayers!MayAllahhaveMercyonyou,Prayers!Allahonlydesirestokeepawayuncleannessfromyou,OPeopleoftheHouseandpurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.”

(d)FromAbuJafar(a.s)

(d)FromAbuJafar(a.s)12

HenarratedfromhisfatherImamSajjad(a.s)thathesaidregardingtheholyverse,

“Andenjoinprayeronyourhouseholdandsteadilyadheretoit...”(SuraTaha20:132).

ItwasrevealedforAli,Fatima,HasanandHusain(a.s).TheMessengerofAllah(S)cametothedoorofFatima(s.a)everymorningandsaid,“Peacebeuponyou,OAhlulBaytandMercyofAllahandHisblessingsbeuponyou.Prayers!MayAllahhaveMercyonyou.”

“Allahonlydesirestokeepawaytheuncleannessfromyou,OPeopleoftheHouse!Andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.”

Moreover,inTafsirofFurat13theexegesisoftheverse,“Andenjoinprayeronyourhousehold,andsteadilyadheretoit....”isasfollows:

Allahcertainlyorderedtheaboveforthepeopleofeveryhousehold.However,itwasnecessarytoshowthesuperiorityoftheProphet’shouseholdoverthatofthecommonpeople.ThuswhenthisversewasrevealedtheMessengerofAllah(S)approachedthedoorofAli,Fatima,HasanandHusain(a.s)everydaybeforethemorningprayersandsaid,“PeacebeuponyouandtheMercyofAllah.”

“Peacebeuponyou(too),OMessengerofAllah.”repliedAli,Fatima,HasanandHusain(a.s).ThentheMessengerofAllahknockedatthedoorandsaid,“Prayers!Prayers!MayAllahhavemercyonyou.Allahonlydesirestokeepawaytheuncleannessfromyou,OPeopleoftheHouse!Andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.”

Hecontinuedwiththispracticetillhislastdays.

(e)FromImamas-Sadiq(a.s)

ImamSadiq(a.s)narratesfromhisforefathers:EverydayatthetimeofdawntheMessengerofAllah(S)approachedthedoorofAliandFatimaandsaid,“PraisebetoAllahthebestofthebenevolents,thegreatestbestowerofbounties,OnebyWhoseblessingsweachieverighteousness,OneWholistenstothosewhopraiseHim.MaywereceivethebestofHisbounties.WeseekrefugeinAllahfromthefire.WeseekrefugeinAllahfromthedayofthefireandthenightoffire.Prayers!OAhlulBayt.Allahonlydesirestokeepawayuncleannessfromyou,OpeopleoftheHouse!Andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.”

IthasalsobeenrecordedfromAbuSaeedKhudrithathesaid:WhenthisversewasrevealedtheMessengerofAllah(S)cametothedoorofFatimaandAliforninemonthsatthetimeofeveryprayerandsaid,“Prayers!MayAllahhavemercyonyou.Allahonlydesirestokeepawayuncleannessfromyou.OpeopleoftheHouse!Andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.”

AllamaMajlisisaysthatthistraditionhasbeennarratedthroughmanychainsofnarrators.

ThoseWhoReliedonthisVerse

(a)AmirulMomineenAli(a.s)

(a)AmirulMomineenAli(a.s)14

Ali(a.s)says:“CertainlyAllahtheAlmightyraisedthestatusofus,AhlulBayt.AndwhynotwhenAllahtheGreatandMightyhasmentionedinHisbook,“Allahonlydesirestokeepawayuncleannessfromyou.OpeopleoftheHouse!Andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.”

ThusHepurifiedusfromeveryimpurity,externalandinternalandweareatthepinnacleoftruth.”

(b)AlHasanIbnAli(a.s)

(i)ImamHasan(a.s)addressedthepeopleafterthemartyrdomofhisfatherImamAli(a.s)andsaidduringhisspeech:‘Opeople!Whoeverknowsme,knowsmeandwhoeverdoesnotknowmeshouldknowthatIamHasanbinAli.IamthesonoftheHolyProphet(S)andofhissuccessor.Iamthesonofthegiverofgoodtidingsandthewarner.IamhissonwhoinvitedpeopletoAllahandwarnedthemofthetortureofHishell-fire.IamthesonoftheLuminousLamp.IbelongtothehouseuponwhereJibraeelusedtodescendandfromthereascendtoheavens.IbelongtothefamilyfromwhomAllahhasremovedallimpuritiesandmadethempure.”15

(ii)AtthetimeofthePeaceTreatywithMuawiya.

‘AndItellthistothegatheringofmen,solistentome.Youpossessheartsaswellashearing,sopayattention.WearetheAhlulBaytwhomAllahhonouredwithIslam.Heexaltedusandraisedourstatusandkepteveryimpurityawayfromusandpurifieduswithathoroughpurification.Andoneoftheimpurityisdoubt.AndwehavenodoubtthatAllahisthetruth.AndthatHisreligionisforever.AllahhaspurifiedusfromeveryinfamyandbestoweduswithHisbountiessincethetimeofAdam(a.s)tillHesaid,“AllahonlydesirestokeepawayuncleannessfromyouOpeopleoftheHouse!Andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.”’

‘SowhentheVerseofPurificationwasrevealedtheMessengerofAllah(S)tookmewithhim,andmybrother,andmymother,andmyfatherundertheCloakofKhyber,takenfromUmmSalma,anditwasinthehouseofUmmSalma.Onthatdayhe(S)said:“OAllahthesearemyAhlulbayt(a.s)andmyProgeny.Soremovefromthemtheimpurityandpurifythemwithathoroughpurification.”ThenUmmSalmasaid,“CanIalsoenter(theCloak)withyou?”TheMessengerofAllah(S)toldher,“MayAllahhaveMercyuponyou,youareupontherightandyouhaveagoodfuture,butyouarenotallowed(toenter),thisis(only)formeandforthem(theAhlulBayt).’

‘FromthatdayonwardstheMessengerofAllah(S)usedtoapproachourdoor

everydayatdawnandsay,“Prayers!MayAllahhaveMercyonyou.AllahonlydesirestokeepawayuncleannessfromyouOpeopleoftheHouse!Andtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying.’16

(c)UmmSalma

ThefollowingnarrationhasbeenrecordedintheTafsirofFurat,AlKhisaalandAmaaliofSadooq,andBehaarulAnwaarfromUmratulHamadaniabinteAfaai:UmmSalmasaid,“AreyouUmra?”“Yes”,repliedUmra.ThenUmrarequestedUmmSalma,“Tellmeaboutthismanwhoisamongstyou,whoislovedbysomeandhatedbyothers.”UmmSalmaasked,“Doyoulovehim?”Umrasaid,“Ineitherlovehim-thatisAli(a.s)-norhatehim.”UmmSalmasaid,“TheAlmightyAllahhasrevealed,‘AllahonlydesirestokeepawayuncleannessfromyouOpeopleoftheHouseandtopurifyyoua(thorough)purification.’AndtherewasnooneinthehouseexceptJibraeel,Mikaeel,Muhammad,Ali,Fatima,HasanandHusain(a.s)andmyself.AndIsaid,‘OMessengerofAllah(S),amIalsofromtheAhlulBayt?’He(S)said,‘Youarefrommyrighteouswives.’OUmraifhe(S)hadsaid‘Yes’,itwouldhavebeenmorelovedbymethananythingonwhichthesunshines(morethananythingintheworld).”17

(d)AliIbnHusainal-Sajjad(a.s)

ThegiventraditionhasbeenrecordedintheAmaaliofSadooq,IhtejaajofTabarsiandBehaarulAnwaar:

WhentheprisonersbelongingtotheHouseoftheHolyProphet(S)werecarriedtoDamascusandstationedintheprisonoppositetheJamaMasjid,anoldmanapproachedthemandsaid:“PraisebetoAllahwhokilledyouandannihilatedyouandrelievedthepeoplefromyourmischief.”

ImamSajjad(a.s)said,“Ooldman!HaveyoureadtheHolyQuran?”Hereplied,“Yes.”ThentheImam(a.s)said,“Haveyoureadtheverse:‘NorewarddoIaskforthisexcepttheloveofthosenearofmykin’?”Theoldmansaid,“YesIhavereadit.”TheImam(a.s)said,“Itisus!”

Thenhe(a.s)said,“Haveyoureadtheverse,‘Sogivewhatisduetokindered...’?”Theoldmansaid,“Yes.”Imam(a.s)toldhim,“Itreferstous.”

Thenhe(a.s)asked,“Havereadtheverse,‘AllahonlydesirestokeepawayuncleannessfromyouOpeopleoftheHouseandtopurifyyoua(thorough)purifying’?”Theoldmanreplied,“Yes,Ihavereadit.”TheImam(a.s)said,“Wearethosereferredtointhisverse.”

Theoldmansaid,“ByAlmightyAllah!Areyouofthesamefamily?”TheImam(a.s)replied,“Yes.”Theoldmanraisedhishandstowardstheskyandsaid,“OAllah!IapologizeforwhatIhavesaid,(herepeatedthisthrice)andforsaketheenmityagainstthisfamilyandhatetheenemiesoftheProgenyofMuhammad(S).IhadcertainlyrecitedtheQuranbutIdidnotunderstandthisbeforethisday.”18

(e)ZaidbinAlibinHusain

AbulJaroodsaysthatZaidIbnAlihasmentioned:

‘ThosepeopleareignorantwhothinkthatAllahonlyintendsbythisversethewivesoftheProphet(s.a).Theyliedandsinned.IfAllahhadintendedtomeanthewivesoftheProphet(s.a)Hewouldhavesaid,‘Leyudhebaa’nkunnarrijsawayutahherakunnatatheera’likeHehadusedthefemalegenderintheverse,

‘wadkurnamaayutlafibuyootekunna...’.’

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

1.TafseerofFuratbinIbrahimAlKufi,page21

2.TafseerFuratPg.126

3.TafseerFuratPg.124

4.AlAmaaliofShaykhSadooq,Vol.1,Pg.270

5.JamealFawaid,Pg.203

6.BehaarulAnwaar,Vol.25,Pg.212,213

7.BehaarulAnwaarVol.35,Pg.208

8.BehaarulAnwaarVol.35,Pg.206

9.TafseerFurat,Pg.122

10.TafseerFurat,Pg.123,124

11.AmaaliofShaykhSadooq,Pg.55

12.BehaarulAnwaarVol.25,Pg.220

13.TafseerFuratPg.530,531

14.BehaarulAnwaar,Vol.25,Pg.213,214

15.BehaarulAnwaar,Vol.25,Pg.214

16.BehaarulAnwaarVol.10,Pg.141,142

17.BehaarulAnwaarVol.25,Pg.214

18.AlIhtejaajofTabarsi,Pg.157

SourceURL:

https://www.al-islam.org/verse-purification-light-quran-hadith-sayyid-murtadha-al-askari

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[1]https://www.al-islam.org/user/login?destination=node/41941%23comment-form

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[3]https://www.al-islam.org/person/sayyid-murtadha-al-askari

[4]https://www.al-islam.org/organization/world-islamic-network-win

[5]https://www.al-islam.org/person/al-qalam-translators-and-writers-bureau

[6]https://www.al-islam.org/library/sunni-shia

[7]https://www.al-islam.org/library/general-quran-hadith

[8]https://www.al-islam.org/feature/resources-further-research

[9]https://www.al-islam.org/feature/responses-misconceptions

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