Another authentic variation of “The Tradition of Cloak” Here is another authentic variation of “The Tradition of Cloak” which is related to Safiyya who was another wife of the Prophet (PBUH&HF). Ja’far Ibn Abi Talib narrated:
When the Messenger of Allah noticed that a blessing from Allah was to descent, he told Safiyya (one of his wives): “Call for me! Call for me!” Safiyya said: “Call who, O the Messenger of Allah?” He said: “Call for me my Ahlul-Bayt who are Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan, and al-Husain.” Thus we sent for them and they came to him. Then the Prophet (PBUH&HF) spread his cloak over them, and raised his hand (toward sky) saying: “O Allah! These are my family (Aalee so bless Muhammad and the family (Aal) of Muhammad.” And Allah, to whom belong Might and Majesty, revealed: “Verily Allah intends to keep off from you every kind of uncleanness O’ People of the House (Ahlul-Bayt), and purify you a thorough purification (Quran, the last sentence of Verse 33:33)”.
Sunni references:
al-Mustadrak by al-Hakim, Chapter of “Understanding (the virtues) of Companions, v3, p148. The author then wrote: “This tradition is authentic (Sahih) based on the criteria of the two Shaikhs (al-Bukhari and
Muslim).”
Talkhis of al-Mustadrak, by al-Dhahabi, v3, p148 Usdul Ghabah, by Ibn al-Athir, v3, p33 The testimony of three wives of the Prophet (Aisha, Umm Salama, and Safiyya) leaves us no room but to believe that the Ahlul-Bayt at the time of the Prophet were no more than five individuals: Prophet Muhammad, Lady Fatimah, Imam Ali, al-Hasan, and al-Husain (Peace be upon them all).
al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir, al-Hakim, and al-Tahawi have quoted from Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas that:
At the time of the revelation of the verse, the Holy Prophet called Ali along with his two sons and Fatimah and accommodated them under his own cloak and said: ‘O Lord! These are the members of my family’. Sunni references:
Tafsir al-Kabir, by Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, v22, p7
Tafsir Ibn Kathir, v3, p485
al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p147
Mushkil al-Athar, by al-Tahawi, v1, p336; v2, p33
History of al-Tabari, Arabic version, v5, p31
Ali Ibn al-Husain, Zain al-Abideen
While commenting on the verse 33:33, al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir and al-Suyuti have stated in their exegesis: Ali Ibn Husain said to a Syrian: “Have you read this verse in Surah al-Ahzab, O people of the House! Allah intends to keep you pure from blemish and to purify you with a thorough purification (Quran 33:33)?” The Syrian said: “Does this verse pertain to you?” The Imam replied: “Yes, it pertains to us.”
Sunni references:
Tafsir al-Kabir, by Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, v22, p7
Tafsir Ibn Kathir, v3, p486
Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthoor, by al-Hafidh al-Suyuti, v5, p199
al-Kharazmi has quoted this very narration in his Maqtal in the following words:
When, after the martyrdom of (Imam) al-Husain the grandson of the Holy Prophet, (Imam) Zain alAbideen and other prisoners belonging to the House of the Holy Prophet were carried to Damascus and stationed in a jail located by the side of the Grand Mosque of Damascus, an old man approached them and said: “Praised be Allah who killed you and annihilated you and relieved the people from your men and provided the Commander of the Faithful (Yazid) with authority over you.” Ali Ibn al-Husain said: “O old man! Have you read the Holy Quran?” He replied: “Yes.” Then the Imam said: “Have you read the verse: Muhammad! ‘Say, I do not ask you of any reward for my preaching except the love of my kinsfolk’?” The old man said: “Yes. I have read it.”
The Imam said: “Have you read the verse: ‘So give what is due to the near ones, the needy and the wayfarer.’ and the verse: ‘Know that whatever (income) you gain, one fifth belongs to Allah, the Messenger, his near ones, orphans the needy and the wayfarers, if you believe in Allah and what We revealed to Our servant in the Holy Quran’?” The old man replied: “Yes. I have read them.”
The Imam said: “I swear by Allah that the word ‘near ones’ refers to us and these verses have been revealed about us. (The Imam added): And have you also read this verse in the Holy Quran wherein Allah says: ‘O people of the Prophet’s House…’ (33:33)?” The old man said: “Yes. I have read it”. The Imam said: “What is meant by people of the Prophet’s House! It is we whom Allah has especially associated with the verse of Tat’hir (purification).”
The old man said: “I ask you by Allah! Are you of the same family?” The Imam replied: “I swear by my grandfather the Prophet of Allah that we are the same people.”
The old man was stunned and expressed regret for what he had said. Then he raised his head towards the sky and said: “O Allah! I ask forgiveness for what I have said, and forsake enmity against this family and hate the enemies of the progeny of Muhammad.”
Sunni reference: Maqtal al-Husain, by al-Khateeb al-Kharazmi
Aal-e-Qutub Aal-e-Syed Abdullah Shah Ghazi 