Aishah says: One morning, the Holy Prophet (a.s) came out of his house wearing a cloak made of black hair. Hasan (a.s) came in and the Prophet (a.s) placed him under the cloak. Then Husayn (a.s) came and went in there. Then came Fatimah (a.s) who was placed there by the Prophet (a.s). Next Ali (a.s) came and the Prophet took him under his cloak and recited, “Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, people of the House (Ahl alBayt), and to purify you a thorough purifying. 33:33.”[2]
[1] For more information see: narrative books such as Al-Durr Al-Manthur, by Suyuti.
[2] Sahih Muslim, Published in Egypt, Vol. 7, Kitab Fadha’il Al-Sahabah, p. 130, No. 4450; Musnad Ahmad, Vol. 1, Baqi Musnad Al-Ansar, p. 31, No. 24132; Sunan Al-Tirmidhi, Kitab Al-Adab, No. 2738; Sunan Abu Dawud, Kitab AlLibas, No. 3513, (Int’l No.)
Umar Ibn Salamah, the Holy Prophet’s stepchild, says: The honorable verse of “Purification” was revealed in the house of Ummu-Salamah, the Holy Prophet’s wife. The Holy Prophet (a.s) called Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn (a.s), and Ali (a.s) was behind him. Then he covered them with a cloak (kisa’) and stated: “O Allah! These are my Household, so banish wickedness from them and make them pure!” At this moment, Ummu-Salamah asked: “O Prophet of God! Am I among them?” He answered, “You are in your own place and you are into goodness, too.”[1]
The same in narrated by Tirmidhi with a little difference in words and he comments under it, “This tradition is fine and true.” [2]
1] Sahih al-Tirmidhi with exposition of Ibn Arabi Maliki, Published in Egypt, Vol. 13, Kitab Tafsir (Exegesis of Quran. 200, No. 3129 (Int’l No.) Kitab Al- Manaqib, No. 3719, Tafsir (Exegesis of Quran), No. 3129 (Int’l No.)
[2] Sunan Al-Tirmidhi, Kitab Al-Manaqib, No. 3806 (Int’l No.).
Dear readers: certainly pay attention that the Prophet (a.s) excluded his wife, Ummu-Salamah, from the Ahl al-Bayt. With so many traditions on this issue, how can one trust few traditions, which consider the Prophet’s wives among the Ahl al-Bayt? Moreover, as history and the reference books of traditions, like Sahih Muslim state, the Umayyad and the Abbasid rulers tried to put out the light of the Ahl al-Bayt, and scholars in Rijal and biographies have stipulated that some of the narrators of these few traditions like Ikramah and Muqatil were liars and fabricators. Furthermore, in these traditions only the Prophet’s wives are considered as the Ahl al-Bayt, while so many traditions exclude exactly the Prophet’s wives from the Ahl al-Bayt (a.s). Therefore, even if the documents of these traditions are true, since they are in contrast with a great many of other traditions excluding the Prophet’s wives from the Ahl al-Bayt, these latter traditions are preferable with regard to their number and documentation.
Another issue posed about the Purification Verse is that its preceding and following verses are:
And stay in your houses and do not display your finery like the displaying of the ignorance of yore; and keep up prayer, and pay the poor-rate, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you a (thorough) purifyin . And keep to mind what is recited in your houses of the communications of Allah and the wisdom; surely Allah is Knower of subtleties, Aware.
A doubtful question may be posed here as to why this honorable verse accompanies verses about the Prophet’s wives. The answer would be, first, as is evident from various traditions, the latter part of the honorable verse has been revealed independently and then arranged in the present order later on. Second, the change in address form from feminine plural[1] to masculine plural [2] is a clear reason for the multiplicity of addresses, especially since it shifts to feminine plural[3] again. It may be stated that: the change in pronouns is to include people other than the Prophet’s wives. The answer would be that if it is so, the same should be continued to the end, while this is not the case. So, the honorable verse mentions characteristics for a certain group determined in traditions and the Holy Prophet’s Sunnah.
Also, with regard to this change in style and the usage for exclusion, it becomes clear that here God’s will
is of genesis kind and hence unobjectionable, just like the true meaning of will. Moreover, if there were a religious will stressed by the Prophet, it were not only unnatural but stylistically obscene to address the Ahl al-Bayt with masculine words. Because the Prophet’s wives are included in the religious will and besides they have been addressed in the beginning of this honorable verse. Furthermore, the traditions including Thaqalayn traditions which will follow, proves that God’s will has been since the genesis. And consequently the Ahl al-Bayt’s infallibility and the proof of their tradition are proved.
Aal-e-Qutub Aal-e-Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi 