|
Sunday, 18 Muharram 1431
The Pure Family of The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him and his Family) [Ahl al-Bayt]
And The Blessed Pure Five [Panjataan Paak]
Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) says in the Holy Qur’aan in the 33rd Sura, al-Ahzaab: Verse 33:
And stay quietly in your houses and make not a dazzling display, like the times of ignorance, establish regular prayer, give zakaat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. (Reference to wives) And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you and the members of your family and make you pure and spotless.
This verse of the Holy Qur’aan refers to the Household of the Prophet Sall Allahu ‘alaihi wa Sallim (Ahl al-Bayt). This includes the wives of the Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu’alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) as well as his daughter Hazrath Fatimah, his-son in-law Hazrath Ali and his grandsons, Hassan and Hussain (Ridhwaanullahu ta ‘ala alaihim ajma’een) [1]
The Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu’alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) had called many companions, including the ‘Companions of the Verandah[2]‘ (Ashaab as-Suffa), who were not related to him by blood, but had dedicated their lives to achieve purity, piety and humility as the Household of the Prophet (Ahl al-Bayt). The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him and his family) was asked, “Who are your family (Ahl)?” He replied, “those who are purified (Safa), i.e. the pure of heart, who maintain their words, fulfill their promises, dedicate their lives to fulfill my teachings and have greater love for me than any other human being, and after Allah remember me the most”.[3] Therefore all that pursue the Science of Spirituality (tasawwuf) and attain to the status of “Friend of Allah” (Aulia Allah) are also referred to as Ahl al- Bayt.
Blessed Pure Five (Panjattan Paak).
The blood family of the Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu’alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim), amongst the Ahl al-Bayt; Hadhrat Ali, Hazrath Fatimah, Hadhrat Hassan and Hadhrat Hussain (may Allah be well pleased with them all) are known as the Blessed Pure Five (Panjattan Paak). We the People of the Sunna and the Community (Ahl as- Sunna wa’l Jamaa’a) hold this belief (aqida) that the Prophets (may Allah bless them with peace) are ‘infallible’ (ma’sum) whilst the Imams of the Household of the Holy Prophet (Ahl al-Bayt) are not ‘infallible’ (ma’sum) but they are ‘protected and guarded’ (mahfuz). What is the difference between ‘infallible’ (ma’sum) and ‘protected and guarded’ (mahfuz)? ‘Infallible’ (ma’sum) is he who can never commit sin whilst ‘protected and guarded’ (mahfuz) is he who can commit sin but never do since Allah has protected them and saves them from committing sin. So our belief (aqida) is that Prophets are ‘infallible’ (ma’sum). After the Prophets the Companions of the Holy Prophet (Sahaba) and the Household of the Holy Prophet (Ahl’l Bayt) were not ‘infallible’ (ma’sum) but they were ‘protected and guarded’ (mahfuz). They were under the protection of Allah and saved from all sin.
Regarding the Household of the Holy Prophet (Ahl al-Bayt), Allah has said:
‘O Members of the Household of the Holy Prophet, Allah wants to purify you with a thorough purification and keep you free from all kinds of external (zaahir) and internal (baatin) impurities.’
In view of this verse of the Holy Qur’aan, Hadhrat Maulana Hassan Raza Khan Sahib, the younger brother of Ala Hadhrat, The Imam of the People of the Sunna (may Allah be well pleased with them both), composed the following verse of poetry in which he says:
Unki paaki ka Khudae Paak karta heh bayaan
Ayah e tathir se zaahir heh shaane Ahle Bayt
The Purity of the Household of the Holy Prophet (Ahl’l Bayt), is spoken of by Allah The Pure. From the Qur’aanic Verse of Purity is a manifestation of the status of the Household of the Holy Prophet (Ahl’l Bayt)
So this the 33rd Sura, al-Ahzaab, Verse 33 of the Holy Qur’aan is a very strong proof of the status and state of the Household of the Holy Prophet (Ahl al-Bayt).
The Tradition of the Cloak
In the Hadith[4], an important event symbolizes the spiritual dimension of their relation to the Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu’alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim). This is the Tradition of the Cloak, which the Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu’alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) spread his blessed cloak (kambli mubarak) over himself and Hadhrat Ali, Hazrath Fatimah and their two sons Hadhrat Hassan and Hadhrat Hussain (Radiallahu anhu ajmain). The circumstances of the Tradition (Hadith) is as follows:
Hadhrat Umm Salama (may Allah be well pleased with her), the wife of the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him and his family) reports, that one-day the Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu’alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) said to Fatimah (may Allah be well pleased with her):
“Bring me your husband and two sons” When they had all come together he spread his cloak over them and he said: “Oh Allah, these are the people of my house! Let therefore your blessings descend upon Muhammad the people of the House of Muhammad and remove uncleanness far from them and cleanse them with a thorough cleansing “It is stated that the verse: ‘Surely Allah wishes to remove all abomination from you, O People of the House, and purify you with a thorough purification’, was revealed as a response to this supplication (dua).
Mubaahila
Muslim, Tirmidhi (hassan sahih gharib), al-Hakim, and others narrate the incident when the Christians of Najran argued with the Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu’alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) Allah revealed Verse 61 of the 3rd Sura, al-i-Imraan:
“Say (unto him), Come! Let us gather together – our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves – then let us humbly pray, and invoke the curse of Allah on those who lie
When two opposing schools of thought differ on an issue and when dialogue and debate fails to resolve the dispute, then the solution is a mubaahila or a gathering where the opposing groups supplicate to Allah as follows:
O Lord of the Universe! In this dispute give honor to the proper in this matter and disgrace those that are incorrect.
Sad ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be well pleased with him) said Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him and his family) arrived accompanied by Hadhrat Ali and Hadhrat Fatimah Zahra (may Allah be well pleased with them both). The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him and his family) was carrying Hadhrat Imam Hussain (may Allah be well pleased with him) in one arm and Hadhrat Imam Hassan was holding the other hand of the Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu’alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) and walking alongside him. When the ‘Pure Five’ (panjattan paak) arrived for the mubaahila the Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu’alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) prayed:
Allahumma ha ulahe ahle baitihi
O Allah! They are my Family
He (Sall Allahu 'alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) then said to Hadhrat Ali and Hadhrat Fatimah Zahra, Hadhrat Imam Hussain and Hadhrat Imam Hassan (may Allah be well pleased with them all) that when I supplicate to Allah against this opposition you all should say, ‘May it be so’ (ameen).
La tu baahilu fatah le ku
Don’t partake in this Mubaahila or all of us will be destroyed
Surprised at his remarks they asked him as to what had happened to him, since he was in high spirits and confident of defeating the Muslims. He said, ‘I swear by God, I had not seen these faces before and I am seeing such faces that if they were to pray to God to move the mountains, God Almighty would move the mountains for them.’
The Holy Qur’aan tells us in the 2nd Sura, al-Baqarah: Verse 37 that Hadhrat Adam (may Allah bless him with peace) received certain words from Allah, which earned him forgiveness for his transgression.
Hadhrat Adam Pardoned For Forgetting
Adam received certain words from his Lord, and He turned towards him; for He is Relenting, Compassionate
Imam Suyuti (Rahmatullah-alai) reports that Hadhrat ibn Abbas (Radiallahu anhu), the famous traditionalist and authority on the Qur’aan, asked the Prophet (Sall Allahu’alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) about the words which Adam received. The Prophet replied,
‘He prayed saying, “O Allah, for the sake of Muhammad, Ali, Fatimah, Hassan and Hussain, do turn towards me”, and He turned towards him’.[5]
Love for The Prophets Family Enjoined In The Holy Qur’aan
Allah in the Qur’aan enjoins love for the Prophets family in 42nd Sura, as-Shura: Verse 23.
Say, ‘I ask no other reward of you save love of my next of kin.
The Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu’alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) said:
I am leaving among you two weighty matters: Allah’s book and the People of my House [7]
Some narrations state:
I am leaving amongst you two weighty matters: Allah’s book and (the people of) my Mantle (itrati): these two shall never part ways until they come to me at the pond. Therefore attend to how you act with them after me.
The dictionary Mujam maqayis al-lugha defines an itra (mantle) as ‘His relatives such as his children, grandchildren and paternal cousins’.[8]
Ahmad and Muslim narrated from Zayd bin Arqam.[9] On the return journey from his “Farewell Pilgrimage” the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him and his family), on the 18 Zil Hijjah stopped at Ghadir-e-Khum, (which is close to today’s Juhfah), an Oasis between Makkah and Madinah. It was a place where people from different provinces should depart from each other and take different routes for their home provinces. He called the gathering of Companions from the various tribes and after addressing them on important matters he announced that he had received a message from Allah to declare as follows: – The Messenger of Allah declared: “It seems the time approached when I shall be called away (by Allah) and I shall answer that call. I am leaving for you two precious things and if you hold fast to both of them, you will never go astray after me. They are the Book of Allah, in which is the guidance and the light…. and the People of my House i.e. my Ahl al-Bayt. I remind you by Allah of the People of my House! I remind you by Allah of the People of my House! I remind you by Allah of the People of my House! The two shall never separate from each other until they come to me by the Pool (of Paradise).” Thereafter he declared Hadhrat Ali (may Allah be well pleased with him) as the Spiritual Guide after him. Then the Messenger of Allah continued: “Do I not have more right over the believers than what they have over themselves?” People cried and answered: “Yes, O’ Messenger of God.” Then Prophet (Sall Allahu’alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) held up the hand of Ali and said:
“Man Kunto Maulaho Fa Aliun Maulaho, Allah humma Wala Man Walaho Wa Aada Man Aadaho”.
“He whose spiritual guide I am, Hadhrat Ali (Karam-allah wajhu) is also his spiritual guide, Oh Allah, You keep him as Your friend who keeps him [Hadhrat Ali (Karam-allah wajhu] as his friend (and spiritual guide) and You (Allah) treat him as Your enemy who treats him [Hadhrat Ali (Karam-allah wajhu)] as his enemy.”[10]
The spiritual unity of the Panjataan Paak is a symbol of the unity of all Muslims. It is for the sake of this unity in faith and commitment to Allah and truth (which is Islam), that Imam Hussain sacrificed his life. Imam Hussain (may Allah be well pleased with him) took a stand against tyranny at the age of 56 years, on the day of Ashura 61 AH. He gave the ultimate sacrifice of position, family and life for the restoration of justice. He refused a partisan Islam, and leadership devoid of morality (Adab) and love (ishq).….
Footnotes:
[1] Holy Qur’aan in the 33rd Sura, al-Ahzaab: Verse 33:
[2] These are the materially poor but spiritually enriched members of the community that lived on a porch outside the Prophet’s house in the Mosque of Madinah.
[3] Nuska-e-Sahihah Dalailul Khairaat by Syed Abu Abdullah Muhammad bin Muhammad al-Jazuli. A descendant of Imam Hussain
[4] Ahmad narrated it in his Musnad with six chains, also Tirmidhi with several chains and he said hassan sahih, al-Hakim, and Tabrani.
[5] Al-Suyuti Commentary.
[6] See commentaries in al-Zamakhshari, al-Tabari, and al-Suyuti.
[7] Narrated, by Muslim, Tirmidhi, and Ahmad through many chains.
[8] Dictionary: Mujam maqayis al-lugha (4:217)
[9] Ahmad, Musnad and Muslim Sahih, Also al-Hakim, ibn Hibban, al-Darimi, al-Bazzar, and al-Tabrani.
Courtesy: www.sufi.co.za
Qur’aanic commentators are unanimous that ‘the next of kin’ here intended are Ahl al-Bayt.[6]
Statement Ghadir-e-Khum, an Oasis between Makkah and MadinahThe Holy Prophet (Sall Allahu’alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim) told those priests that they should also supplicate. When the Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him and his family) said this the Pope exclaimed and told his followers:
|
Ahlul Bayt 
