BISMILLAHIR RAHMANIR RAHIM
INTRODUCTION AND COGNITION OF AHLE BAIT (A.S.)
Literally Ahle Bait means “those belonging to the House” (of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w.). But authentic sources have proved beyond doubt that Ahle Bait include only Hazrat Ali (a.s.) the cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet (s.a.w.), Hazrat Bibi Fatima (a.s.) the Prophet’s daughter, Hasan and Husain (a.s.) the Prophet’s grandsons and their nine successors, the Imams the last one Hazrat Mahdi (a.s.) being still alive, who will reappear in an unknown future by the command of Allah. Ouly they are the Ahle Bait and they are also called Aal-e-Mohammad (a.s.). In respect of these holy personages Allah says in His last word (the Holy Quran):
Verily, verily Allah intendeth but to keep off from you (every kind of) uncleanness O ye the people of the House, and purify you (with) a thorough purification. (33:33)
There is unanimity of views among all famous writers Ahmad bin Hanbal, Muslim, Ibne Kasir, Shnbbir Ahmed Usmani, etc., who declare that the above verse, called Aya-e-Tatheer or “the verse of purity” followed the incident when the Holy Prophet covered in his blanket the four persons Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain (a.s.) and said, “O God! these are my Ahle Bait”. These views are corroborated by various authentic sources. Hazrat Shah Abdul Qadir Mohaddis Dehlavi, Moulana Shabbir Ahmed Usmani and Molvi S. Ashraf Ali Thanavi admit that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) expressed in no ambiguous terms that the Aley Aba or Ahle Bait included the Prophet, Hazrat Ali, Hazrat Bibi Fatima and Hasan and Husain (a.s.). They confirm the fact that Hazrat Umme Salma the Prophet’s wife wanted to come under the blanket but the Prophet (s.a.w.) did not let her in. Moreover when the Prophet (s.a.w.) passed through the door of his daughter Hazrat Fatima (a.s.) at the time of the morning prayers he knocked at her doors saying, “O Ahle Bait it is the time of prayers” and then he recited the Ayat-e-Tatheer cited above, which clearly showed that this verse referred to Hazrat Mohammad (s.a.w.), Hazrat Ali (a.s.), Hazrat Fatima (a.s.), Hazrat Hasan (a.s.) and Hazrat Husain (a.s.).
On various occasions the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) showed by his declarations as well as by his actions that only the above four persons included in his Ahle Bait. In another verse of the Holy Quran called Ayat-e-Mubahella (verse of challenge verse No. 61 Chapter 3). It reads – And unto him who disputes with you therein after the knowledge has come unto you, say: (O Our Messenger Mohammad) (unto them): Come you, let us summon our sons, and your sons and our women and your women and our selves and your selves and then let us invoke and lay curse of God on the liars!
This verse descended when the Christians of Najran refused to accept the Holy Prophet’s argument and so they were challenged by the Prophet as stated above. There is no difference of opinion about the fact that the Holy Prophet took with him only Hazrat Ali (a.s.) Hazrat Fatima (s.a.) and Hazrat Hasan (a.s.) and Hazrat Husain (a.s.).
Although the Prophet’s wives were there, the Prophet of Allah included only his daughter Fatima (a.s.) in his women, and took with him Hazrat Ali as his ‘Nafs’ or Soul and Hasan and Husain (a.s.) as his sons.
When these luminous faces appearrd in the challenge-field, the opponent christians were awe-struck. Their religious heads were so frightened that they accepted the terms of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.) and went back without invocation. service to God. In fact both Quran and Hadith, in places out of number, have clearly marked the high position of the Messenger of God and his Aal or Ahle Bait. Verse number 23 of Ash-Shoora in Quran lays down:
Tell (O Prophet) I do not want any reward for my preachings except that you love my kins.
The kins referred to here are the Prophet’s Ahle Bait. Tirmizi has quoted the Prophet’s hadith ‘I leave amidst you
two heavy things – God’s Book – (the Quran) and my Aal or Ahle Bait’. If you remain attached to them, you shall never be misled – until you reach the ‘HOUZ’ the divine spring”. Quran is really the silent code of Shariat and Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w.) and his Ahle Bait are the speaking and practising interpreters of that code. “My Ahle Bait,” said the on Prophet (s.a.w.), are like the Ark (of Noah) only those who climbed into the Ark were saved and those who kept away from it were drowned in the sea.” Here are some of the declarations of the Holy Prophet noted by authentic Muslim writers –
Certainly that one would go to Hell, inspite of continuing in his prayers and keeping fasts if he or she bears ill-will to my Ahle Bait
(Mustaarak Vol. 3, P. 149)
O Umme Salim, Ali’s flesh is my flesh, Ali’s blood is my blood. To me he is as Aaroon was to Moses. (Selections from Kanzul Ummal, P. 62)
Any one who wants to look at Noah with his wisdom, Abraham with his politeness, Joseph with his handsome features should glance at Ali.
(Riaz an nazarah Vol. 2, P. 218)
The faithful alone will befriend you while only the apostate will bear ill-will to you
(Jam’a Tirmizee, P. 462)
Whenever the Prophet went on a journey away from his family and close friends Hazrat Fatima (a.s.) was the last
whom he paid a visit and when he came back she was the first Whom he visited.
(Sunaae Ibne Majah Vol. 2, P. 201)
Fatima is a piece of mine, whoever pleases her pleases me, whoever displeases her displeases me.
Hasan and Husain are the chiefs of the young Men of Paradise.
(Jam’a Tirmizee, P 466) (Sunane Ibne Majah, P. 12)
The Holy Prophet and these four persons Hazrat Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain (a.s.) were the Inmates of the House (Ahle Bait). After their demise followed nine Imams having the same characteristics as the above Panjetan (Mohammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain (a.s.)), and the last of these Imams is Hazrat Mahdi or Mohammad, who would appear in an unknown future. The Holy Prophet has himself said about them on various occasions, “The first of us is Mohammad, the middle of us is Mohammad, the last of us is Mohammad, all of us are Mohammad.”
Mahdi would come down from us, the Ahle Bait and overnight Allah would straighten things for him. Mahdi would hail from the dependents of Fatima.
(Sunane Ibne Majah, P. 310)
Mahdi would come down from us the Inmates of the House (Ahle Bait).
(Vol. 7, P. 69, 71, 73) Mishkat (Vol. 8, P. 66)
From us would appear Mahdi who would lead Jesus in prayers.
(Jame Saghir, P. 134) (Kunzul Haqaique, P. 150)
This in brief is the introduction of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (s.a.w.) and his Inmates of the House (Ahle Bait) in whose love lies the foundation of Islam. Each one of them is a ‘Masoom’ free from all sins, has never erred, or done any thing repugnant to the will of God.
It has been established by all authentic sources that Ali (a.s.) the first of the Ahle Bait surpassed all others in bravery, piety, and knowledge. It was Hazrat Ali (a.s.) who was sent by the Prophet to fight against the enemies in all big battles. Hazrat Ali by his singular valour and courage gave the enemy crushing defeats. The Prophet praised Hazrat Ali (a.s.): “One stroke of sword of Ali on the day of (battle of) Khandaq is better than the prayers of all mankind till the doomsday.” The Prophet had declared in unambiguous terms at Ghadeer-e-Khum on the way back from his last pilgrimage of Haj “Of whomsoever I am the Master of that one Ali is also the Master”. But it is a pity that immediately after the demise of the Holy prophet, there appeared lust for power and Hazrat Ali’s rights and claims were totally ignored. The Prophet’s family members, the Ahle Bait were given the most ignoble treatment unimaginable; Hazrat Ali (a.s.) was murdered in the mosque of Kufa while he was offering morning prayers (on 21st Ramazan 40 A.H.).
The same callous treatment was meted out to Hazrat Fatima
(a.s.) who survived after his father’s deaith for six months only.
Hazrat Imam Hasan (a.s.) made a peace treaty with Muawiya but he was poisoned and his bier was made the target of arrows from Muawiya’s side.
Hazrat Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (a.s.) were dearest to the Holy Prophet who on many occasions expressed his extreme affection for them.
Hazrat Husain (a.s.) refused to acknowledge Yazeed son of Muawiya as the Caliph of Islam and so he, with his 72 companions, was mercilessly killed on the sands of Karbala suffering the pangs of thirst and hunger for three days, on the 10th of Muharram 61 A.H. Not content with this, the tents of the Ahle Bait were burnt and the surviving son of Imam Husain, Hazrat Zainul Abideen and the women Ahle Haram were made captives and taken on camels to Kufa and Damascus and given a very harsh treatment. So all the Imams from Hazrat Ali (a.s.) down to Hazrat Imam Hasan Askari were killed either with sword or by poisoning but they never swerved from the path of righteousness went on fulfilling their mission undaunted, and courted all sorts of troubles with submission to the will of God. – May the last the twelve Imams reappear soon to spread justice and peace in the world.
Aal-e-Qutub Aal-e-Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi 