Ahul l-Bayt ( آل البيت)

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Ahul l-Bayt ( آل البيت)

Question: a brother asked about who exactly are the ahl bait, because all he knows is that when he hears ahl al-bayt, he thinks the 12 imams. is it just from Fatimah, or more than just from her...like Ibn Abbas?
Note to begin that Ahl and Al are the same in meaning. However, Ibn Manzur said in Lisan al-`arab, Al is nobler in usage. Note that in Arabic a man's "bayt" denotes his wife, and that is also one of the meanings of a man's "ahl." See Lisan al-`arab under both entries, where it is also said that "Al" means "ahl" in all the senses of "family," relatives," and "wives."

The following terms all have the same meaning:

a) Ahl al-Bayt = People of the House B ) Al al-Nabi SAWS = Family of the Prophet; the Umma c) Al Bayt al-Nabi SAWS = Family of the House of the Prophet d) `Itrat al-Nabi = [People of the] Mantle of the Prophet

However, in common usage, (a) and (d) have a more restrictive meaning, coinciding with (I) below, whereas (B ) and أ‚آ© is more inclusive, usually coincide with (I), (II), and (III). The term "Al" (B ) is the most inclusive of all, since Nawawi reports among its meanings: "All of the Community." See his Tahdhib al-asma' wa al-lughat as well as his Tahrir al-tanbih under the entry "Al."

The People of the House of the Prophet are those for whom it is unlawful to receive zakat and whom the Prophet ordered all Muslims to respect, honor, and follow. They are:

I. `Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Husayn (in addition to their descendants: Muhassan, Zaynab, and Umm Kulthum [other children of `Ali and Fatima]; among the children of al-Hasan: Zayd, al-Qasim, Abu Bakr, `Abd Allah, `Umar, al-Hasan, `Abd al-Rahman, al-Husayn, `Amr, Muhammad, Ya`qub, Ja`far, Hamza, and Talha; among the children of al-Husayn: Abu Bakr, `Abd Allah, `Ali al-Kabir, `Ali Zayn al-`Abidin, `Umar, Fatima, Sukayna, Zaynab al-Sughra, and Umm Kulthum al-Sughra).

II. The wives of the Prophet [except that zakat is lawful for them by consensus, as reported by Ibn Hajar in Fath al-Bari (3:277) from Ibn Battal]:

1. Khadija bint Khuwaylid. She gave birth to: al-Qasim, `Abd Allah, Zaynab, Fatima al-Zahra', Ruqiyya, & Umm Kulthum.

2. Sawda bint Zam`a

3. `A'isha bint al-Siddiq

4. Hafsa bint `Umar

5. Zaynab bint Khuzayma

6. Umm Salama, Hind bint Umayya

7. Zaynab bint Jahsh

8. Juwayriyya bint al-Harith

9. Safiyya bint Huyayy

10. Umm Habiba bint Abi Sufyan

11. Maymuna bint al-Harith

12. Marya al-Qibtiyya, she was a surriyya (concubine). She gave birth to Ibrahim.

[size=12]III. The Banu Hashim and the Banu al-Muttalib. [Except that zakat may be given to the wives of the Banu Hashim and to the freedmen of Banu al-Muttalib, by consensus as stated by Ibn Battal: related by Shawkani in Nayl al-awtar (4:175) and by Nawawi in Sharh Sahih Muslim (5:36).]

Allah said of the People of the House:

"Allah's wish is but to remove uncleanness far from you, O Folk of the Household, and cleanse you with a thorough cleansing." (33:33)

Umm Salama related that when that verse was revealed, the Prophet surrounded with his garment `Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn, and said: "O Allah! These are the People of my House, therefore remove uncleanness far from them and cleanse them with a thorough cleansing." Ahmad narrated it in his Musnad with six chains, also Tirmidhi with several chains and he said: hasan sahih, al-Hakim, and Tabarani.

Muslim, Tirmidhi (hasan sahih gharib), al-Hakim, and others also narrated that when Allah revealed the verse:

"... say (unto him): Come! We will summon our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, then we will pray humbly (to our Lord) and (solemnly) invoke the curse of Allah upon those who lie" (3:61)

Sa`d ibn Abi Wa×××s said: the Prophet summoned `Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Husayn, and said: "O Allah! These are my Family" (allahumma ha'ula'u ahli).

Allah has given the People of the House the right to (fay') and (khumus) when He said:

"That which Allah giveth as spoil unto His messenger from the people of the townships, it is for Allah and His messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer..." (59:7)

"And know that whatever ye take as spoils of war, lo! a fifth thereof is for Allah, and for the messenger and for the kinsman (who hath need) and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer" (8:41)

The Prophet said: "I am leaving among you the two weighty matters: Allah's Book and the People of my House." Narrated by Muslim, Tirmidhi, and Ahmad through many chains. Some of these narrations state: "I am leaving among you the two weighty matters: Allah's Book and (the People of) my mantle: 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 Mu`jam maqayis al-lugha (4:217) defines a man's `itra (mantle) as: "His relatives such as his children, grandchildren, and paternal cousins."

From Hasan ibn `Ali, Umm Kulthum daughter of `Ali, and others: "Sadaqa is not lawful for the family of Muhammad." Bukhari in the book of zakat, Ahmad through five chains and al-Darimi in his Sunan, book of Salat.

Ahmad in his Musnad and Muslim in his Sahih narrated from Zayd ibn Arqam, also al-Hakim, Ibn Hibban, al-Darimi, al-Bazzar, and al-Tabarani:

The Messenger of Allah stood to speak to us beside a pond which is known as Khum, located between Mecca and Medina. He praised Allah and admonished us to remember Him, then said: "O people! I am a human being and the time is near when my Lord's Messenger shall come to me (with death) and I shall answer him. Behold! I am leaving among you two weighty matters. The first of them is the Book of Allah, in which is the guidance and the light... And 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! I remind you by Allah of the People of my House!" Huswayn ibn Sabra said to Zayd: "Who are the People of his House, O Zayd? Are not his wives among the People of his House?" Zayd replied: "His wives are the People of his House, however, the People of his House are those for whom sadaqa is unlawful after the Prophet." Huswayn said: "And who are they?" He replied: "The family of `Ali, the family of `Aqil (a son of Abu Talib), the family of Ja`far (another son of Abu Talib), and the family of `Abbas. Sadaqa is unlawful for all of these."

The above hadith is not in Tirmidhi. The version narrated by Tirmidhi (he said: hadith hasan gharib) states that Zayd ibn Arqam said:

The Messenger of Allah said: "I am leaving among you that which, if you hold fast to it, you will never go astray after me. One of them is greater than the other: that is, the Book of Allah, the rope that is extended down from the heaven to the earth; and my mantle -- the People of my House. These two shall never part ways until they both come to me at the Pond. Therefore attend to how you act with them after me."

We are ordered to invoke blessings on the Family of the Prophet including his wives. When the Companions asked the Prophet how they should invoke blessings on him, he said:

Say: "O Allah, bless Muhammad, his wives, and his offspring as you blessed Ibrahim; and further grant blessing on Muhammad, his wives, and his offspring, as you granted blessing on Ibrahim. Verily, Yours is all the Majesty and Glory."

It is narrated by Bukhari with two chains, Nasa'i, Abu Dawud, Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Malik.

Abu Ya`la narrated from Abu Hurayra that the Prophet said: "The best among you are the best towards my Family after me." al-Haythami cited it in Majma` al-zawa'id (6:40) and said: "Abu Ya`la narrates it and its narrators are all trustworthy."

Ibn 'Abbas said that the Messenger of Allah said, "Allah divided people into two groups, and He put me in the best group. Allah talks of 'The Companions of the Right' and 'the Companions of the Left.' I am among the Companions of the Right and I am the best of the Companions of the Right. Then He divided the two groups into three and put me in the best of the three. He says, 'The Companions of the Right and the Companions of the Left and the Outstrippers, the Outstrippers.' (56:9) I am among the Outstrippers and I am the best of the Outstrippers. Then He divided the three into tribes and He put me in the best tribe. Allah says, 'We have appointed you races and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed the noblest among you is the most god fearing. Allah is Knowing, Aware.' (49:13) I am the most god fearing of the sons of Adam and the noblest in the sight of Allah, and it is no boast. Then He divided the tribes and put me in the best house. He says, 'Allah only desires to remove impurity from you, People of the House, and to purify you. (33:33) (Hadith from at-Tabarani and al-Bayhaqi.)

The following is from The Ash-Shifa of Qadi 'Iyad in the chapter Devotion to his family, descendants and wives

Part of respect for the Prophet and devotion to him is devotion to his family, his descendants and his wives, the Mothers of the believers, as he urged and as the Salaf did.

Allah said, "Allah wants to remove impurity from you, people of the House."(33:33) He said, "His wives are their mothers." (33:6) Zayd ibn Arqam related that the Messenger of Allah said, "I implore you by Allah! The people of my House!" three times . we asked Zayd who constituted the people of his House and he said, "The family of Ali by the People of his House, and he said, "The family of 'Ali, the family of Ja'far.(A son of Abu Talib.) the family of `Aqil, (Another son of Abu Talib.) and the family of al-'Abbas."(Muslim.)

The Prophet said, "I am leaving you something, taking hold of which will prevent you form going astray: the Book of Allah and my family, the People of my House. So take care how you follow me regarding them."(No source given.)

One of the 'ulama' said, "'Recognition' in this case means recognising their place in relation to the Prophet. Recognition of that brings with it recognition of rights and respect that are due to them because of it."

'Umar ibn Abi Salama said that "Allah wants to remove impurity from you, People of the House,"(33:33) was revealed in Umm Salama's house. The Prophet summoned Fatima. Hasan, and Husayn and enfolded them in a garment and 'Ali was behind him. Then he said, " O Allah! These are the People of my House, so remove all impurity from them and purify them completely!"(At- Tirmidhi.)

Sa'd ibn Abi Wa×××s said that when the ayat of mutual cursing ("And whosoever disputes with you concerning him after the knowledge that has come to you, say, 'Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our wives and your wives, our selves and your selves, then let us humbly pray and so lay the curse of Allah upon the ones who lie.'"(3:61) was revealed, the Prophet called 'Ali, Hasan, Husayn and Fatima, and said, "O Allah! These are my family."(Muslim.)

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