Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) is a phrase meaning Peopleof the House, or family.

Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) is a phrase meaning Peopleof the House, or
family. Inthe Islamic tradition it refers to the household of Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh).
Ahlul Bayt (Ahle Bait) in simple terms is to put trust of guidance to
Aal-e-Muhammad [descendents of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)], through
Fatima Zahra (pbuh) and Imam Ali (pbuh) and their descendents. Bayt is
to give the Oath of Allegiance to Imam Ali (pbuh) and accept his
guidance.
Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) orhousehold members of Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) refers to his daughter Fatima Zahra (pbuh), his successor and
son-in-law, Imam Ali (pbuh), their two sons Imam Hasan (pbuh) and Imam
Hussain (pbuh), and the nine Imams from the lineage of Imam Hussain
(pbuh).
Ahlul Bayt (Ahl-e-Bait) in Noble Qur'an
The Purified Ones: The Highest degree of purity means to be kept
constantly away from all the causes of impurity. This is termed as the
stateof infallibility in knowledge, character and action. It could
have been applied generally tothe whole mankind who are keeping aloof
from all the impurities as the word of Allah (SWT) commands; but,
Allah (SWT) expressively has confined His order to certain group of
individuals by excluding the rest of the mankind from it in His divine
will by declaring Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) as the persons purified by
Him to be constantly in touch with the Noble Qur'an in its original,
hidden, well protected, exalted and purified form. It was Allah's
(SWT) wish to remove all blemishes from them, as mentionedin the Verse
of Purity (Ayat Al-Tathir) in the Noble Qur'an:
The Verse of Purity (Ayat Al-Tathir): "... Allah only desires to keep
away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify
you a (thorough) purifying." Noble Qur'an (33:33)
The above verse from Noble Qur'an, is known as Ayat Al-Tathir, refers
tothe members of the household of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), which
include exclusivelyProphet Muhammad, Imam Ali, Fatima Zahra, Imam
Hasan, and Imam Hussain (peace be upon them all). Hence Prophet
Muhammad's (pbuh) other offspring, wives, sons of paternal uncles, and
dwellers of his houseare not to be called as Prophet Muhammad's Ahlul
Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt).
The argument is based on the genuine and authentic traditions narrated
by Sahaba, companions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) recorded in both the
Sunni and Shia sources.
Ahlul Bayt (Ahle Bait) in Hadith's
1. Hadith-e-Kisa (Hadith of the Cloak):
It is narrated from Umm al-Momineen, Umm Salamah that once Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) was in her house lying on a mattress, covered with a
cloak from Khaibar when his beloved daughter Fatima Zahra (pbuh)
entered with a dish called al-Khazira (a kind of food). Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) askedher to call her husband, Imam Ali and her two
sons, Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain. Fatima Zahra (pbuh) called them and
as they all sat together to eat, Allah (SWT) revealed the following
verse of purity (Ayat Al-Tathir) to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). "...
Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of
the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying." Noble Qur'an
(33:33)
Upon this Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) covered them all with his cloak and
lifting his hands towards the sky said: "O Allah (SWT)! This is my
family and the nearest of my kin, keep away from them uncleanness and
keep them pure as pure can be." Umm al-Momineen, Umm Salamah adds that
thrice Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) repeated these words and when she poked
her head under the cloak andasked him, Am I with you? In a refraining
gesture, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said twice: "You are (also) among the
righteous."
Thus it is clear from above discussion that Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh)
daily habit of stopping at his daughter Fatima Zahra's (pbuh) house
and addressing her household as Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt), was not
without reason. In fact he was expounding the meaning of the term
Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) and practically explaining to the Muslimsthe
verse of purity (Ayat Al-Tathir) and the particular persons meant by
it. To be more precise, he was drawing the attention of the Muslim
nation towards the significance of his Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) and
their leadership after himso that the Muslims should love, obey and
follow them.
2. Mubahala Tradition or Incident of Mubahila (Imprecation):
In the south of Arabia, there is a place called Najran. There lived
the Christian tribe of Najran who staunchly believed that Prophet Isa
(pbuh) i.e., Jesus was the son of God. Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) invited
them to accept Islam. In response to that, a delegation of their
priests and elders came to Madina. They wanted to discuss religion
with Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Their argument was that Jesus was born without afather through Virgin
Mary, so he was the son of God. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) explained to
them that just as Allah (SWT) created Prophet Adam (pbuh) without a
father or even a mother, in the same way He created Prophet Jesus
(pbuh) without a father.
Hence Prophet Jesus (pbuh) was a servant of Allah (SWT) as was Prophet
Adam (pbuh). The Christians did not agree with this simple truth.
Christians stuck to their belief that Jesus was the son of God.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) asked them to wait. Then came the following
Revelation (message from Allah (SWT)):
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 souls and your souls, then let us
be earnest in prayer, and pray for the curse of Allah on the liars.
Noble Qur'an (3:61)
It was then agreed that the Christians seek Mubahila (Imprecation)
with Prophet Muhammad(pbuh). The meaning of Mubahala is that both of
them invoke from Allah (SWT) that he, who speaks the truth, may
survive and he, who is not speaking the truth may perish.
On the day of Mubahala, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) took with him his
grandsons - Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain, in place of his sons. In
place of women, he took his daughter Fatima Zahra. In place of his
souls, he took his cousin and son-in-law Imam Ali. But on seeing the
radiant faces of these sinless members of the household of Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh), the Christians got scared. They decided not to seek
Mubahala any more but accepted their defeat. They agreed to pay
tribute and returned home.
This is how Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) showed to the world, who the true
and real members of his Ahlul Bayt(Ahl-e-Bait) were.
3. Mawaddat al-Qurba (al-Mawaddah Fil-Qurba) or Expressed love for the
close of kin:
In this Last Word of Allah (Noble Qur'an), Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is
being commanded to askthe believers to love his kith and kin (that is
his Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt)) and that would be the return of his
apostleship. Hence, to Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) has been obligatory
(wajib) command of Allah on every Muslim.
Say (O Muhammad, unto mankind): I do not ask of you any reward for it
butlove for my near relatives. Noble Qur'an (42:23)
Hazrat Abdullah Ibn Masood (RA) narrated: One day, we were
accompanying the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in one of his journeys when a
Bedouinwith an orotund voice shouted at us,"Muhammad!"
"What do you want?" answered the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
"What is it if an individual loves a people but he does not imitate
them in deeds?" asked the Bedouin.
"One will be attached to the one he loves," repliedthe Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
"Muhammad," shouted the Bedouin, " Call me to Islam ."
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "You should declare that there is no
god but Allah (SWT) and that I am the Messenger of Allah (SWT), offer
the prayer (Salat) , defray thezakat, fast during the month of Ramadan
, and perform the hajj to the Holy House."
"Muhammad," asked the Bedouin, "Do you ask for wage for so?" "No,"
replied the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), "I do not take any wage except
that you must regard the relatives.""Whose relatives? Mine or yours?"
asked the Bedouin. "It is my relatives," answered the Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh). The Bedouin said:"Give me your hand so that I will declare
allegiance to you. No good is expected from him who loves you, but not
your relatives."(Biharul-Anwar)
4. Hadith al-Safinah or Safinah Tradition:
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has compared his Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) to
Noah's ark. Whoever loves and follows them will attain salvation and
whoever violates their sanctity will drown. While holding the door of
Holy Kaaba, Abu Dharr told that he had heard Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
say, "My family among you is like Noah's ark. He who sails in it
willbe safe, but he who holdsback from it will perish."
In another place Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:"The parable of my Ahlul
Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) is that of the boat of Noah, whoever gets aboard it
issaved and whoever stays away from it is drowned."
5. Hadith al-Thaqalayn or Saqlain Tradition (Hadith of the two weighty things):
Prophet Muhammad - may Allah (SWT) bestow peace and benedictions upon
him and his pure Progeny - said: "Verily, I am leaving behind two
precious things (thaqalayn) among you: the Book of Allah and my
kindred (itrah), my household Ahlul Bayt (Ahlal-Bayt), for indeed, the
two will never separate until they come back to me by the Pond (of
al­Kawthar on the Day of Judgement)." [Hadith-e-Saqlain]
Since the Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) carry as much weight in the eyes of
Allah (SWT) as the Noble Qur'an, the former has the same qualities as
the latter. Just as the Noble Qur'an is true from beginning to end
without the shadow of untruth in it, and just as it is incumbent
(duty) of every Muslim to obey its commands, so also must the Ahlul
Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) be perfectly true and sincere guides whose commands
must be followed by all. Therefore there can be no escape of accepting
their leadership and following their creed andfaith. The Muslims are
bound by the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) to follow them and no
one else.
Imam al-Shafi'i, one of the four Imams of the Sunni school of thought,
in his famous verses says,"Let everybody know that if the love of
Prophet Muhammad's descendants means to be a Rafizi, I am a Rafizi."
Imam al-Shafi'i also says,"O Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt)! Allah (SWT) has
made it obligatory in the Noble Qur'an to love you. It is a matter of
pride for you that without invoking blessing on you,prayer is not
valid." Again he says in his verses, "After having seenthat the people
have chosen different ways which have led them to the Ocean of
deviation and ignorance. I have, in the name of Allah (SWT), embarked
the ship whichmay lead me to safety. The Ahlul Bayt of the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) are that very ship,we have been ordered tohold fast
the rope of Allah (SWT), and that rope is their love."
Conclusion: Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt)
sacrificed all the worldly comforts and even their lives in order to
convey the true religion of Islam to us. In return of their
sacrifices, we are commanded by Allah (SWT) to love them. The aim is
that through their love, we follow their footsteps. We follow the true
teachings of Islam taught by them, so that we live a good and decent
life in this world and earn the pleasure of Allah (SWT) inthe life
hereafter.
*. All Solutions Are with the Prophet's Progeny by Dr. Muhammad
at-Tijani as-Sammawi
*. The Ahl ul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt); Ethical Role Models
*. The Brief History of The Fourteen Infallibles peace be upon them

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