Day: February 8, 2024

The incident of Mubahala:

Here I would like to bring another evidence from Sahih Muslim and Sahih al-Tirmidhi that why the wives of the Prophet are not included in Ahlul-Bayt, which is also, by the way, another reason for the

superiority of Ali for the position of leadership after the Prophet (PBUH&HF). The following incident is related to the event of “Mubahala” (which means imprecation, or invoking the curse of Allah upon the liar), which took place in the 9th-10th year of Hijrah. In that year a delegation consisting of 14 Christian priests came from Najran to meet the Prophet (PBUH&HF). When they met the Prophet they

asked him what is his opinion about Jesus. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said: “You may take rest today and you will receive the reply afterwards.” The next day, 3 verses of Quran (3:5961) about Jesus were revealed. When Christians did not accept the words of Allah, The Prophet recited the last revealed verse:

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 our selves and your selves; then let us be earnest in prayer and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars. (Quran 3:61). In this way, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) challenged the Christians. The next day the Christian priests came out on one side of the field. Also on the other side, the Prophet came out of his house carrying al-Husain in his arm with al-Hasan walking along with him while he was holding his hand. Behind him was Fatimah

al-Zahra, and behind her was Ali, peace be upon them all. When the Christians saw the five pure souls, and how determined the Prophet is in his idea that he put the closest people to him at risk, the Christians were terrified and abstained from the proposed malediction (Mubahala) and submitted to a treaty with the Prophet (PBUH&HF).



al-Suyuti who was a great Sunni scholar, wrote:

In the above verse (3:61), according to what Jabir Ibn Abdillah al-Ansari (the great companion of the Prophet) said, the word “sons” refers to al-Hasan and al-Husain, the word “women” refers to Fatimah, and the word “our selves” refer to the Prophet and Ali. Thus Ali is referred as “the self” of the Prophet (Nafs of the Prophet).

Reference: al-Durr al-Manthoor by al-Hafidh Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, v2, p38

It follows that just as it is unlawful to seek to be superior to the Prophet, similarly it is unlawful to supersede Ali (who is the “self” of the Prophet according to the words of Allah). Any one who presumed to supersede Ali, was, in essence, presumed to supersede the Prophet! This is another Quranic proof for the right of Imam Ali as the immediate successor of the Prophet (PBUH&HF). Muslim and al-Tirmidhi both confirm the above incident, and recorded the following tradition in their authentic collections of traditions:

Narrated Sa’d Ibn Abi Waqqas:

…And when the verse 3:61 was revealed, the Prophet called Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan, and al-Husain. Then the Prophet said: “O Lord! These are my family members (Ahli).” Sunni references:

Sahih Muslim, Chapter of virtues of companions, section of virtues of Ali, 1980 Edition Pub. in Saudi Arabia, Arabic version, v4, p1871, the end of tradition #32.

Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, p654

al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p150, who said this tradition is authentic based on the criteria set by two Shaikhs, al-Bukhari and Muslim.

Dhakha’ir al-Uqba, by Muhibbuddin al-Tabari, p25

The point, here, is that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) did not bring any of his wives to the field of “Mubahala”, and according to above tradition, he used the word “Ahl” (family) ONLY for the abovementioned individuals (i.e., Imam Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan, and al-Husain).

عليه السلام Some Sunni scholars have narrated that on the day of consultation for appointing the ruler after the death of Umar, Imam Ali argued with the members of Shura reminding them his rights to the Caliphate, and one of his reasons was the incident of Mubahala:

On the day of consultation, Ali argued with the committee members saying: “I adjure you in the name of Allah, is there anyone amongst you closer in relationship to the Messenger of Allah than me? Is there any other man whom the Prophet made him ‘his (own) soul’ (Nafs), and that he made his children ‘his (own) children’, and his women ‘his (own) women’?” They replied: “No, by God!” Sunni reference:

al-Darqunti, as per:

al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p239

It is also narrated that:

The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: “Verily, Allah, to whom belong Might and Majesty, has placed the progeny of each prophet into his backbone (Sulb), and He, Exalted, has placed my progeny into the backbone of Ali Ibn Abi Talib.”

Sunni references:

al-Tabarani

Abul-Khair al-Haakimi, on the authority of al-Abbas al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p239 al-Kunooz al-Mataalib

In another Sunni commentary of Quran, it is narrated on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Umar that:

The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said: “Had there been any soul on the whole earth better than Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan and al-Husain, Allah would have commanded me to take them along with me to Mubahala. But as they were superior in dignity and respect to all human be beings, Allah confined His choice on them only for participation in Mubahala.” Sunni reference: Tafsir al-Baidhawi, under the commentary of Verse 3:61 Concluding, the event of Mubahala between the Prophet (PBUH&HF) the Christians was significant in
many aspects, among them are:

1. It proved to be a lesson for all the Christians of Arabia who no longer dared any confrontation with the Holy Prophet (PBUH&HF).

2. The invitation of “Mubahala” (literally meaning cursing each other) was directed by Allah and it was in compliance with His Command that the Holy Prophet and his Ahlul-Bayt along with him to the field of Mubahala. This serves to show how affairs pertaining to prophethood and Islam are determined by the Will of Allah; allowing no margin of interference from the common people (Ummah). (The matter of

Imam Ali’s succession after the Prophet should be viewed similarly)

3.The indispensability of Imam Ali, Lady Fatimah, Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Husain in the following of the precepts of the Holy Prophet could no longer be disputed.

4.Notwithstanding their childhood, al-Hasan and al-Husain did nevertheless serve as two active partners of the Holy Prophet on the field of Mubahala. This yields the conclusion that age is no criteria for the greatness of those infallible souls.

5.That the Holy Prophet’s act of having preferred a few obviously elevates their status above all others.

6.Traditions from the Prophet with regards to this event clearly indicates who the Ahlul-Bayt are.

7.Imam Ali has been mentioned as the ‘Self’ of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) according to the revelation of Allah, and is, in fact, superior to all others with regard to the matter of succession.

Some of you respected readers might ask: Is It Just Blood Relationship?

It is narrated that:

The Messenger of Allah said: “Any relation will end on the day of Judgment except my relation. And the root (identification) of every one is his father, except the progeny of Fatimah, since I am their father and their root (identification).” Sunni references:

Ibn al-Jawzi, al-Bayhaqi, and al-Darqunti, al-Dhahabi on the authorities of Umar Ibn al-Khattab, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Zubair, and Ibn Umar.

al-Sawa’iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p239

Similar tradition has been narrated by Abu Ya’la, al-Tabarani on the authority of Fatimah Ibn Umar


The above precious tradition proves that, blood relationship is of little value in Islam and it will soon melt away when the day of Judgment appears. But what makes the relationship of the Prophet and his AhlulBayt different than others is the qualifications and spiritual purity that they have besides their pure gene (which is also necessary).

and

It is worth mentioning that Lady Fatimah AlaihisSalam is the only surviving child of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) who left progeny for him. All other children of the Prophet died in their early ages, without being able to leave an issue behind themselves. The infidels of Hijaz (Arabia) used to dishonor the Prophet by saying that he does not have a son to preserve his generation. For that reason, Allah revealed the Chapter of “al-Kawthar”:

“Lo! We have given you Abundance (i.e., a long-standing pure progeny). So pray unto your Lord, and sacrifice. Lo! It is your insulter (and not you) who is without progeny.” (Quran, Chapter 108).

In the above Chapter, Allah refers to Fatimah al-Zahra as Abundance who brings for the Prophet a sanctified progeny. Again, by progeny we do not mean all those whose ancestor are the Prophet (PBUH&HF). We rather mean those among his descendants who have been thoroughly purified by Allah, and the history and the Hadith can not count more that 14 of them (including the Prophet). Here I would like to quote another interesting tradition from Sahih Muslim, in which another famous companion of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) swears in the name of Allah that wives of the Prophet are NOT included in his AhlulBayt. The tradition explains the reasoning of this companion and his justification. Here is the tradition recorded in Sahih Muslim:

Narrated Yazid Ibn Hayyan:We went to Zaid Ibn Arqam and said to him: You have found goodness (for you had the honor) to live in the company of the Prophet (PBUH&HF) and offered prayer behind him, and the rest of the Hadith is the same (as 3 traditions before) but the Prophet said: “Behold, for I am leaving amongst you two weighty things, one of them is the Book of Allah…”, and in this (Hadith) these words are also found: We said: “Who are his Ahlul-Bayt (that the Prophet was referring to)? Are they his wives?” Thereupon Zaid said: “No, by Allah! A woman lives with a man (as his wife) for a while; he then divorces her and she goes back to her parents and her people. The Ahlul-Bayt of the Prophet are his lineage and his descendants (those who come from his blood) for whom the acceptance of charity (Sadaqah) is prohibited.” Reference:

Sahih Muslim, Chapter of virtues of companions, section of the virtues of Ali, 1980 Edition Pub. in Saudi Arabia, Arabic version, v4, p1874, Tradition #37 For the English version of Sahih Muslim, please see Chapter CMXCVI,
Tradition #5923