Imamology, Lesson 40-45: The Third: Argumentation of the Holinesses Fatima Az-Zahra, Upon her be peace, concerning the Verse of Purification about “FADAK”

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The Third: Argumentation of the  Holinesses Fatima Az-Zahra, Upon her be peace, concerning the Verse of Purification about “FADAK”

Salim bin Ghais says: ‘I went to the Mosque of the Messenger where there were sitting a group of people in circle. They were all Hashimi, but except Salman, Abuzar, Mighdad, Muhammad bin Abu Bakr, Omar bin Abi Salama and Ghais bin Sa‘d bin Ebada. Abbas said to the Commander of the believers, Upon him be peace: ‘Do you know why Omar demanded compensations from his agents in the different cities, and also decreased the salaries of all of them except Ghanfazra?’ The Holiness cast a glance around him and while his eyes became tearful he stated: “It was because Ghanfazra’s so hard lashing the arm of Zahra which, until her death, the lashing spot formed a painful !” He still continues: “It is very strange that still this nation loves this man and his friend, and they bear their affection in their hearts – they honour and pay homage to them. If his agents and workers were treacherous and they had gathered their money out of the treachery, he had no authority to leave the rest of their money with them, because it was spoils and was rightful for the Muslims. Neither was he right to take half of it and leave the other half with them; by the way, if his agents and workers were not treacherous, he had no right to get anything, more or less, from their money. This man has taken a part of their property out of religious law; if supposedly the unlawful property were in their hands, and it was apparent that they kept it with them, then without the manifest witness he could not get it from them. And even the most strange thing is that, after behaving so and getting half of their properties, he let them stay on their posts and positions; while if they had committed any treacheries then it was not right to assign them on their jobs.” 

Then the Commander of the believers states of the movements done by him and the changes that he had brought in the laws and traditions of the Messenger, and carries on until he lands on the event of Fadak when they wanted to take away Fadak from her Fatima, Upon her be peace, said: “Is Fadak not my property, and am I not the right owner of it, is my counsel not in Fadak and did I not use the product of it at the time of the Messenger of Allah?”

Those two said: ‘Yes, it was.’

Fatima said: “So why do you demand a proof for what is in my control and it is my own property?”

They said: ‘As it is for the Muslims therefore you should bring a proof as well a good witness to claim it to be for you, otherwise, we will not give it back to you.’

When all the people were standing about them and witnessing, Fatima said: “With your immoral manner, you want to render the act of the Messenger and to impose a law upon us, the Household, other than the rest of the Muslims; o people, do listen and consider their acts and innovations!”

Then, she told them both: “Now, tell me, if I claim something which is the possession of Muslims and it is their property to be mine then do you want a proof from me or them?” 

They said: ‘Of course we ask for a proof from you, because it is in your control.’

Fatima said: “If all Muslims claim whatever in my control is belongs to them then do you ask for a proof from me or them?” Right then – when Fatima won the argument, and they became helpless to answer – Omar got angry and shouted: ‘This property is for the Muslims, it is the land of them though is in the control of Fatima, she has benefitted its corns and products. If she brings a manifest proof for her claim, to prove that the Messenger of Allah has presented the land to her – while it was spoils and belonged to the Muslims – then, we will have special consideration on it.’

Fatima said: “It is enough, stop it. “I administrate you to swear Allah, did you not hear that the Messenger of Allah stated: ‘Fatima is the gentlewoman and the Mistress of the ladies in paradise?’” They answered: ‘Yes, we heard it from the Messenger.’

Fatima said: “Does the Mistress of the ladies in paradise claims wrongfully and demands to get that which is not hers but for the other people? Now, if four persons bear witness against my ugly affairs, or two men bear witness of my theft, do you accept them?”

Abu Bakr kept quiet, but Omar answered: ‘Yes, we accept them and even we give lashes to you.’

Fatima said: “You lie it, by saying so, you unveiled your natural base – or else, you confess that you are not in the religion of Muhammad! Whoever considers it lawful giving lashes to the Mistress of the ladies of paradise, according to the Messenger’s law, is to be cursed, he is a disbeliever and is far away from the mercy of Allah. He is a disbeliever in the religion of his Messenger, Muhammad, Bless be to him and his Descendants, [as it is stated:]  

انَّ مَنْ اذْهَبَ اللهُ عَنْهُمُ الرَّجْسَ وَ طَهَّرَهُمْ تَطْهيراً لا تَجُوزُ عَلَيْهِمْ شَهادَة لِانَّهُمْ مَعْصُومُونَ مِنْ كُلِّ سُوءٍ مُطَهَّرُونَ مِنْ كُلِّ فاحِشَة.

Indeed, Whomsoever Allah has taken away filth and impurity from, and keeps them immune against any fault it is not allowed to accept the witness of those who bear witness against them, because they are pure and innocent – they are free from any fault and immune of any ugly affair.

“O Omar, tell me if a certain people bear witness to the disbelief, blasphemy, or an ugly affair against these people whom Allah has mentioned to be pure and immaculate in this Verse of Purification and has considered them to the Household, or to bear witness only to one of them, then can the Muslims renounce them and lash them for those ugly affairs?”

Omar said: ‘Yes, the Household who are in this Verse are similar to the ordinary people.’

Fatima said: “You are lying, [for it says:] 

ما هُمْ وَ سائِرُ النّاسِ سَواءً لِانَّ اللهَ عَصَمَهُمْ وَ انْزَلَ عِصْمَتَهُمْ وَ تَطْهيرَهُمْ، وَ اذْهَبَ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ، فَمَنْ صَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَانَّما يُكذَبُ اللهَ وَ رَسُولَه.

‘They are not alike the other people, because Allah has stated them to be innocent and away from any filth and impurity, and He has stated of their chastity in the Qur’an. He has warned people that they are pure and cleanse and protected against any evil and ugly affairs; so whoever believes any repulsiveness against them, he has denied Allah and His Messenger.’

As the subject reached at this point and the strong argument of Fatima stopped them answering, Abu Bakr told Omar: ‘For the sake of Allah keep quiet ^[62] … the narrative.

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The Fourth: Argumentation of the  Holiness Imam Hassan, Upon him be peace, by referring the Verse of Purification

First: on the day, when the Commander of the believers, Upon him be peace, passed away and he was buried, the Holiness Imam Hassan, Upon him be peace, returned to the Mosque of Kufa. The Mosque was full with the people and Holiness began lecturing. He mentioned the virtues and some points of the Commander of the believers and then all the people present in the mosque, paid homage for the Caliphate of that Holiness. Among his statement was his mentioning  the Verse of Purification concerning himself.

Muhammad bin Abbas ibn Mahiar, whose opinion on the commentary of the Qur’an, and the Verses about the Household, considers to be authentic by the Shiite, by his chains of documents, has written about Omar ibn Ali ibn Abī Tālib:  

قال: خَطَبَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلىٍّ عليهما السّلام النّاسَ حَينَ قُتِلَ عَلٌّى عليّه السّلام فَقال: قُبِضَ فى هذِهِ اللَّيْلَة رَجُلٌ لَمْ يَسْبِقْهُ الْاوَّلُونَ وَ لا يُدْركُهُ الْآخِرُونَ، ما تَرَكَ عَلى‏ ظَهْرِ الْارْضِ صَفْرآءَ وَ لا بَيْضآءَ الَّا سَبْعَمِائَة دِرْهَمٍ فَضَلَتْ مِنْ عَطائِهِ ارادَ انْ يَبْتاعَ بِها خادِماً لِأَهْلِهِ، ثُمَّ قالَ: ايُّهَا النّاسُ مَنْ عَرَفَنى فَقَدْ عَرَفَنى وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْنى فَانَا الْحَسَنْ بْنُ عَلِىٍّ وَ انَا ابْنُ الْبَشيرِ النَّذيرِ وَ الدّاعى الَى اللهِ بِاذْنِهِ وَ السَّراجِ الْمُنيرِ، انَا مِنْ أهْلِ الْبَيْتِ الَّذِى كانَ يَنْزِلُ فيهِ جَبْرائيلُ وَ يَصْعَدُ، وَ انَا مِنْ أهْلِ الْبَيْتِ الَّذينَ أذْهَبَ اللهُ عَنْهُمُ الرَّجْسَ وَ طَهَّرَهُمْ تَطْهيرا. ^[63]

Omar bin Ali, who is the brother of the Holiness Imam Hassan, Upon him be peace, says: ‘When my father was murdered, the Holiness Hassan bin Ali, Upon him be peace, addressed the people preaching as: “At this night, such a man went to Allah, and his soul soared to the World of Holiness that the predecessors could not take the lead in the course of Allah, nor could the last ones reach at his status and position. He passed away without leaving any white, (silver), or yellow, (gold), behind; what he left was seven hundred Dirhams of his share in the ‘Public Treasury’ that he was going to pay it for a servant to get for his family.”

Then, he said: “O the company of the people, whoever knows me, well, he knows, but he who does not me, let him know that I am Hassan bin Ali. And I am the son of the Messenger of Allah, I am the bearer of the good news to the Mercy of Allah and so am I here to warn you from the chastisement of Allah and to direct you to Allah. And I am the son of the Illuminating Light; I am from a family that Gabriel descended within and then ascended from there. I am the member of such a Household that Allah has purified them and kept them away from any filth and impurities – and He has secured them against any faults.”

And Hakim in the book of “Mostadrak” as well Hithami have related:

انَّ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلىٍّ خَطَبَ النّاسَ حينَ قُتِلَ عَلِىٌّ وَ قالَ فى خُطْبَتِهِ: ايُّهَا النّاسُ مَنْ عَرَفَنى فَقَدْ عَرَفَنى وَ مَنْ لَمْ- يَعْرِفْنى فَانَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِىّ وَ انَا ابْنُ النَّبِىِّ وَ انَا ابْنُ الْوَصِىِّ وَ انَا ابْنُ الْبَشيرِ وَ انَا ابْنُ النَّذيرِ وَ انَا ابْنُ الدّاعى الَى اللهِ بِاذْنِهِ وَ انَا ابْنُ السِّراجِ الْمُنيرِ، وَ انَا مِنْ اهْلِ الْبَيْتِ الَّذى كانَ جَبْرَئيلُ يَنْزِلُ الَيْنا وَ يَصْعَدُ مِنْ عِنْدِنا، وَ انَا مِنْ اهْلِ الْبَيْتِ الَّذى اذْهَبَ اللهُ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهَّرَهُمْ تَطْهيراً- الخطبة. ^[64]

After the martyrdom of the Holiness Commander of the believers, Upon him be peace, Hassan bin Ali, Upon him be peace, while addressing the people, in his sermon said: “O the company of the people! Whoever knows me, well he knows me, but he who does not know me, let him know that I am Hassan bin Ali, the son of the Messenger. I am the son and the Guardian of the Messenger, I am the son of ‘giving good news’ to the Mercifulness of Allah. I am the ‘WARNER’ against the chastisement of Allah, and I am the son of ‘THE INVITER’ to Allah with his permission, and I am the son of ‘THE ILLUMINATING LIGHT’. And I am from such a Household that Gabriel used to ply to and fro, and I am from such a Household that Allah kept them away from any filths and impurities and saved them against any faults.”

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The second Argumentation of the  Holiness Imam Hassan, concerning the Verse of Purification

The second Argumentation of the  Holiness Imam Hassan, concerning the Verse of Purification is when he made a peace treaty with Mua‘wiyah; he climbed the pulpit and stated a lengthy and detailed sermon within he stated all his virtues and priorities.      

In “Aamali”, Sheikh has related this sermon with two documents. With the document, first he has related it from Ali bin al-Hasan Zain al-Aabedin, this sermon is very lengthy and the Holiness within explains his virtues and priorities, until he states:

وَ أقُولُ مَعاشِرَ الْخَلائِقِ فَاسْمَعُوا وَ لَكُمْ أَفْئَدَة وَ أسْماعٌ فَعُوا: انّا اهْلُ بَيْتٍ اكْرَمَنَا اللهُ بِالْاسْلامِ وَ اخْتارَنا وَ اصْطَفانا وَ اجْتَبانا وَ أَ ذْهَبَ عَنَّا الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهَّرَنا تَطْهيراً، وَ الرِّجْسُ هُوَ الشَّكُّ فَلا نَشُكُّ فِى اللهِ الْحَقِّ وَ دينِهِ ابَداً، وَ طَهَّرَنا مِنْ كُلِّ افْنٍ وَ عَيْبٍ مُخْلَصينَ الى‏ آدَمَ نِعْمَة مِنْهُ، لَمْ تَفْتَرِقِ النّاسُ فِرْقَتَيْنِ الّا جَعَلَنَا اللهُ فى خَيْرِهِما، فَادَّتِ الْامُورُ وَ افَضَتِ الدُّهُوُر.

He states: “O the company of the people, listen! You have your own hearts and ears so do listen. We are the Household whom Allah has honoured to Islam, and He has chosen us, picked us and nominated us. He removed any filths and impurities from us and assigned us to be faultless, free from doubts and immorality. We never doubted in the religion of Allah for He has cleansed us from the weakness in our thoughts and errors in our acts.

And He has secured our forefathers back to the era of Adam, He has made us pure, and has honoured us this boon and blessing. Never did people fell in two parties until He assigned us to be in the purer and decent party – thus, the wheel circled and life ran.”

And next, the Holiness goes on explaining of his virtues in details until he points to:

فَنَحْنُ اهْلُهُ وَ لَحْمُهُ وَ دَمُهُ وَ نَفْسًهً وَ نَحُنُ مِنْهُ وَ هُوَ مِنّا، وَ قَدْ قالَ اللهُ تَعالى: «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكَمْ تَطْهيراً»، فَلمّا انْزِلَتْ آيَة التَّطْهيرِ جَمَعَنا رَسُولُ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم أنَا وَ أخى وَ امّى وَ أَبى فَجَعَلَنا وَ نَفْسَهُ فى كِساءٍ لِامِّ سَلَمَة خَيْبَرِىٍّ فى حُجْرَتِها وَ يَوْمِها فَقالَ: اللّهُمَّ هؤُلآءِ اهْلُ بَيْتى وَ هؤُلآءِ اهْلى وَ عِتْرَتى فَاذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيراً، فَقالَتْ امُّ سَلَمَة- رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْها- انَا ادْخُلُ مَعَهُمْ يا رَسُولَ- اللهِ؟ فَقالَ لَها رَسولُ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم يَرْحَمُكِ اللهُ انْتِ عَلى‏ خَيْرٍ وَ الى‏ خَيْرِ وَ ما ارْضانى عَنْكِ وَ لكِنَّها خاصَّة لى وَ لَهُمْ، ثُمَّ مَكَثَ رَسُولُ اللهِ بَعْدَ ذلِكَ بَقِيَّة عُمْرهِ حَتّى قَبَضَهُ اللهُ الْيهِ يَأْتينا فى كُلِّ يَوْمٍ عِنْدَ طُلوُع الْفَجْرِ وَ يَقُولُ: الصَّلاة يَرْحَمُكُمُ اللهُ، «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يَطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً»- الخطبة. ^[65]

He states: "We are the Household, the flesh, the blood and the main life of the Messenger – we are of him and he is of us. And Allah, Almighty, has stated: Verily Allah’s will is that to keep you the Household cleansed from any flaws and impurities and to take away from you any faults and defects. And when the Purification Verse was revealed the Prophet brought us: my father and my mother, my brother and I together, and then, along with him he placed us under the Khaibari over-cloak which belonged to Umm Salama; and this event occurred at Umm Salama’s house and it was the turn of the Messenger to be there on that day. And then, the Holiness had the honour to implore: ‘O my Creator! These are my Household, these are the members of my family; do remove any impurities and dirtiness from them and keep them pure and cleanse. At that moment Umm Salama asked: ‘O Prophet, am I allowed to join them?’ The Messenger of Allah answered: “May Allah bless you, you are on the right track and you are having good destiny. I am very pleased with you but this position is specified for us only.” 

After this event, all through his lifetime until Allah taking his soul to Him, the Messenger came to us every morning at dawn and said: “[It is time to] pray, may Allah bless you, this is what Allah desires to do for you. It is His will to save you against any impurities and keep you remain pure and sacred.”            

The second document is from Abu Omar Zazan who said: ‘When the Holiness Imam Hasan made his peace treaty with Mua‘wiyah, he climbed the pulpit and lectured in front of the people about his virtues, and he stated:

وَ لَمّا نَزَلَتْ آيَة التَّطْهيرِ جَمَعَنا رَسُولُ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم فى كِساءٍ لِامِّ سَلَمَة- رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْها- خَيْبَرِىٍّ ثُمَّ قالَ: اللّهُمَّ هؤُلآءِ أهْلُ بَيْتى وَ عِتْرَتى فَاذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيراً- الخطبة. ^[66]

‘When the Purification Verse was sent down, the Messenger of Allah gathered us all together under the Khaibari over-cloak which belonged to Umm Salama, may Allah be pleased with her, and implored: “O my Creator! These are my Household, these are the members of my family; do remove any impurities and complexity from them and keep them pure and cleanse.” And then, the Holiness continued the rest of the sermon.’

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The third argumentation of Imam Hassan, Upon him be peace, about the Purification Verse

The third argumentation of Imam Hassan, Upon him be peace, about the Purification Verse is, when in the battle with Mua‘wiyah, they stabbed him on the thigh with a dagger. After recovering, the Holiness delivered a sermon and later on, with a brief difference in the phrases and words, Hithami and ibn Kathir related it, and now we are to explain Hithami’s saying:

انَّ الْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِىّ حينَ قُتِلَ عَلِىٌّ اسْتُخْلِفَ، فَبَيْنا هُوَ يُصَلِّى بِالنّاسِ اذْ وَثَبَ رَجُلٌ فَطَعَنَهُ بِخَنْجَرٍ فى وَرِكِهِ فَتَمَرَّضَ مِنْها اشْهُراً ثُمَّ قامَ فَخَطَبَ عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَقالَ: يا اهْلَ- الْعِراقِ اتَّقُوا اللهَ فينا فَانّا امَراؤُكُمُ وَ ضيفانُكُمْ، وَ نَحْنُ اهْلُ الْبَيْتِ الَّذى قالَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: " انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً"، فَما زالَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَكَلَّمُ حَتْى ما نَرى فِى الْمَسْجِدِ الّا باكِياً. ^[67]

And the Hithami says: ‘Tabrani has related this narrative and it has authentic origin.

After the martyrdom of his father, the Holiness Imam Hassan, Upon him be peace, who was the rightful Caliph, when was leading the congregational prayer a man suddenlyrose from among the people and stabbed the Holiness on his thigh. The Holiness was ill for a few months, and then when he was recovered, he went to the mosque and made a speech on the pulpit. He said: “O people of Iraq, do fear of Allah and do not do such unkindness to us, because we are your Emirs and guests. We are the very Household that Allah has stated: ‘For sure, Allah has desired to take away any impurities from you and to keep you cleanse.’ [The narrator says:] ‘On that day, the Holiness went on lecturing so much that we could hardly see anyone in the mosque but crying.’’  

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The Holiness Master of the martyrs’ declaration on the Verse of Purification

The Fifth is the argumentation of the Master of the martyrs ,Upon him be peace, concerning the Purification Verse which is put in a poem and ascribed to that Holiness who, on the Day of Aashura, has read it in front of the army, and its beginning goes as:

كَفَرَ الْقَوْمُ وَ قِدْماً رَغِبُوا             عَنْ ثَوابِ اللهِ رَبِّ الثَّقَلَيْن

Lost faith the folk and turned away in their desire

from the reward of Allah, the Lord of Two Adored Ones

Next, he goes on counting his own prides and virtues and then saying:

نَحْنُ اصْحابُ الْكِساءِ خَمْسَتُنا        قَدْ مَلَكْنا شَرْقَها وَ الْمَغْرِبَيْنِ 

ثُمَّ  جَبْريلُ  لَنا  سادِسُنا               وَ لَنا الْبَيْتُ كَذا وَ الْمَشْعَرَيْن ^[68]

‘We are the companion of the over-cloak and all of us had gathered beneath it; from the east to west, the nobility and virtue are for us. There was no one under the over-cloak except we and Gabriel, the heavenly Angel, who counted the sixth. The Ka‘ba [in Mecca], Arafat and Mash’ar are the Houses of us.’

And in several occasions, the Holiness Imam Hussein has mentioned himself to be of the Household; one of them is that when the Holiness Muslim hesitated to go to Iraq and wrote a letter to the Holiness confessing his hesitation and auguring bad from his journey. Then, the Holiness replied:

 يَا ابْنَ الْعَمِّ انّى سَمِعْت رَسُولَ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم يَقولُ: ما مِنّا اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ مَنْ يَتَطَيَّرُ وَ لا يَتَطَيَّرُ بِهِ، فَاذا قَرَأْتَ كِتابى فَامْضِ عَلى‏ ما امَرْتُكَ، وَ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ وَ رَحْمَة اللهِ وَ بَرَكاتُه. ^[69]

‘O my cousin, I heard it from the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, say that: “There is none among us, the Household, to consider ill omen, nor is he considered ill omen. As soon as you have read my letter go after what I have commanded you – do go, may the peace, mercy and blessing of Allah be upon you.’

And among them is that which he stated in a sermon when he was leaving Mecca for Karbala; he stated:

رِضَا اللهِ رِضانا اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ، نَصْبِرُ عَلى‏ بَلائِهِ وَ يُوَفّينا اجُورَ الصّابِرين. ^[70]

The satisfaction of Allah is the satisfaction of us, the Household, we will remain patient against His trial and calamity, and He will pay us the reward of the patients.’

And among them is a sermon that he delivered on the Eve of Aashura, it was when he announced: “Whoever wants to leave let him leave;” his statement is:

 وَ الْآنَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ مَقْصَدٌ الّا قَتْلى وَ قَتْلَ مَنْ يُجاهِدُ بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ وَ سَبْىَ حَريمى بَعْدَ سَلْبِهِمْ، وَ أَخْشى‏ انَّكُمْ ما تَعْلَمُونَ اوْ تَعْلَمُونَ وَ تَسْتَحْيُونَ وَ الْخَدْعُ عِنْدَنا اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ مُحَرَّمٌ، فَمَنْ كَرِهَ مِنْكُمْ ذلِكَ فَلْيَنْصَرِفْ- الخطبة. ^[71]

He stated: “And now, this nation has no aim but killing me as well killing those who are struggling alongside me.

For they have intended to [kill me and then] capture the women and the children of mine, but after plundering them. My worry is that perhaps you are not aware of it, or perhaps you know it but feel shy to leave me alone.

The deceit and playing tricks is unlawful with us, the Household; the right thing to say is that anyone of you who wants to leave – and he does not approve fighting and being killed – let him go.”

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The Sixth is the declaration of the Holiness Imam Saj’jad, Upon him be peace, concerning the Purification Verse  

Sayyid ibn Tawous in “Luhouf” says: ‘When they brought the captives to Sham the people were standing and watching them. They lead them in that manner until they were by the gate to Damascus. They let them stand next to the platform where they always did with the other captives. At that moment, an old man went closer to the family unit and said:

الْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذى قَتَلَكُمْ وَ اهْلَكَكُمْ وَ اراحَ الْبِلادَ عَنْ رِجالِكُمْ وَ امْكَن اميرَ الْمؤُمِنينَ مِنْكُمْ، فَقال لَهُ عَلِىُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ عليهما السّلام: يا شَيْخُ هَلْ قَرَأتَ الْقُرْآنَ؟ قالَ: نَعَمْ، قالَ: فَهَلْ عَرَفْتَ هذِهِ الْآيَة: «قُلْ لا اسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ اجْراً الَّا الْمَوَدَّة فِى الْقُرْبى‏؟ قالَ الشَّيْخُ: نَعَمْ قَدْ قَرَأْتُ ذلِكَ، فَقالَ عَلِىُّ عليّه السّلام: فَنَحْنُ الْقُرْبى يا شَيْخُ، فَهَلْ قَرَأْتَ فى بَنى اسْرائيلَ: «وَ آتِ ذَا الْقُرْبى‏ حَقَّهُ»؟ فقالَ الشَّيْخُ: قَدْ قَرَأْتُ، فَقالَ عَلِىُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ عليهما السّلام: فَنَحْنُ الْقُرْبى‏ يا شيخُ، فَهَلْ قَرَأْتَ هذِهِ الْآيَة: «وَ اعْلَمُوا انَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَىْ‏ءٍ فَانَّ لِلّهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِى الْقُرْبى؟ قالَ: نَعَمْ، فَقالَ لَهُ عَلِىٌّ عليّه السّلام: فَنَحْنُ الْقُرْبى يا شَيْخُ، فَهَلْ قَرَأْتَ هذِهِ الْآيَة: «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً»؟ قالَ الشَّيْخُ: قَدْ قَرَأْتُ ذلِكَ، فَقالَ عَلِىٌّ (عليه السلام) فَنَحْنُ اهْلُ الْبَيْتِ الَّذينَ خَصَّصَنَا اللهُ بِآيَة الطَّهارَة يا شَيْخُ. قالَ الرّاوى: فَبَقِىَ الشَّيْخُ ساكِتاً نادِماً عَلى ما تَكَلَّمَ بِهِ وَ قالَ: بِاللهِ انَّكُمْ هُمْ؟ فَ قالَ عَلُّى بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ عليهما السّلام: تَاللهِ انّا لَنَحْنُ هُمْ مِنْ غَيْرِ شَكٍّ، وَ حَقِّ جَدِّنا رَسُولِ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم انّا لَنَحْنُ هُمْ، فَبَكَى الشَّيْخُ وَ رَمى عِمامَ تَهُ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ الَى السَّماءِ وَ قالَ: اللّهُمَّ انَّا نَبْرَأُ الَيْكَ مِنْ عَدُوِّ آل مُحَمَّدٍ عليهم السّلام مِنْ جِنٍّ وَ انْسٍ، ثُمَّ قالَ: هَلْ لى مِنْ تَوْبَة؟ فَقالَ لَهُ: نَعَمْ انْ تُبْتَ تابَ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ وَ انْتَ مَعَنا، فَقالَ: انَا تائبٌ، فَبَلَغَ يَزيدَ بْنَ معاوِيَة حديثُ الشَّيْخِ فَامَرَ بِهِ فَقُتِل. ^[72]

The elderly man said to the captive of the Household: ‘Thanks and praises are for Allah Who let you perish and die away, He ruined your towns of their wicked and saved the people; and He let Yazid, the commander of the faithful, prevail upon you.

At that moment, the Holiness Ali bin al-Hussein Zain al-Aabedin, Upon him be peace, said to the Sheikh: “O Sheikh, have you recited the Qur’an?” He answered: ‘Yes, I have.’

The Holiness stated: “Have you recited this Verse that Allah States: ‘O Messenger, announce the people that I expect no reward from you for my message-bearing  unless you make friendship and be kind to my relatives?’”

The Sheikh answered: ‘Yes, I have recited this Verse.’

The Holiness said: “O Sheikh, we are the very relative of the Messenger. Now, have you recited this Verse in the Chapter of the Children of Israel where Allah states: ‘O people, know that whatever you receive as the booties one fifth of it goes to Allah, and to the Messenger and his relatives?’ He answered: ‘Yes.’

The Holiness stated: “We are the relative and the most close to the Messenger. O Sheikh, have you recited this Verse: Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to purify you?” The Sheikh said: ‘Yes, I have recited this Verse.’

The Holiness said: “O Sheikh, we are the very Household that Allah has attributed us to the Purification Verse.” The narrator says: ‘After hearing such words, the Sheikh was astonished of the statements of the Holiness Imam Saj’jad, Upon him be peace, and he was regretting his own condition and was worried for what he had said to the Holiness. Therefore, he turned to the Holiness and said: ‘For the sake of Allah, tell me you are really of thee Household of the Messenger!’

The Holiness stated: “I swear by Allah that, without doubt, we are the Household of the Messenger; by the Messenger of Allah, who is our grandfather, we re the Household of the Messenger.”

[By hearing what the Holiness say,] the Sheikh started to cry, he took his turban off from his head and hit it on the ground in fierce, raise his head to heaven and implored: ‘O my Creator, we hate the enemies of the Household of Muhammad, Bless be to him and his Descendants, whether they are men or Jinn,’ and then, he said to the Holiness: ‘Is there a way for me to repent? Is my repent accepted?’ The Holiness stated: “Yes, if you turn to Allah, Allah too shall cast His mercy upon you and you will among us.”

The Sheikh implored: ‘O Lord! Now, I repent.’”

Later on, when they related this story to Yazid, he commanded him to be killed, and they killed him.

Nonetheless, Kharazmi has related this case in the same way but with small differences in the words and phrases in “MAGHTAL.” ^[73] And also Tabari ^[74] has related it in the commentary of the Purification Verse, and ibn Kathir ^[75] in the commentary of this Verse has only explained that of the Holiness Imam Saj’jad concerning the Purification Verse and the old man from Sham.

As well Aalousi ^[76] and Sayyid Sharaf-ad-Din ^[77] relate five different cases about the Holiness related to the verse of amity (قُل لا اسْئَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ اجْراً الَّا الْمَوَدَّة فِى الْقُرْبى‏) relates for the Sheikh of Sham. And Sayyid Sharaf-ad-Din relates it from Tabrani and "الصواعق المحرقة".

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The Seventh is the declaration of the Highnesses Zeinab, Upon her be peace, in the Assembly of ibn Zeiad concerning the Purification Verse   

When they brought the captives of Muhammad’s Household, Bless be upon them, into the mansion of Abidollah bin Zeiad, and they introduced the Holinesses Zeinab to hem, he said:

الْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذى فَضَحَكُمْ وَ قَتَلَكُمْ وَ اكْذَبَ احْدُوثَتَكُمْ، فَقالَتْ زَيْنَبُ: الْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذى اكْرَمَنا بِنَبِيَّهِ مُحَمِّدٍ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم وَ طَهَّرَنا مِنَ الرِّجْسِ تَطْهيرا، انَّما يَفْتَضِحُ الْفاسِقُ وَ يَكْذِبُ الْفاجِرُ وَ هُوَ غَيْرُنا، وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلّه. ^[78]

[Abidullah bin Zeiad] said: ‘Praise be to Allah Who killed you and disgraced you, and He revealed your false claim.’ The Holinesses Zeinab, Upon her be peace, said: “Praise be to Allah Who honoured us through His Messenger, Muhammad, Bless be to him and his Descendants, and He kept us away from any impurities but saved us to be clean. It is true that the corrupts become disgraced and the debauchee lie and thanks Allah such a person is not among us.”And also, in Yazid’s mansion, during her lecture she ironically cursed Yazid by saying:

امِنَ الْعَدْلِ يَا بْنَ الطُّلَقاءِ تَخْديرُكَ حَرائِرَكَ وَ اماءَكَ، وَ سَوْقُكَ بَناتِ رَسُولِ اللهِ سَبايا؟ قَدْ هَتَكْتَ سُتُورَهُنَّ وَ ابْدَيْتَ وَجَوهَهُنَّ، تَحْد و بِهِنَّ الْاعْداءُ مِنْ بَلَدٍ الى بَلَدٍ، وَ يَسْتَشْرِفُهُنَّ اهْلَ الْمَناهِلِ وَ الْمَناقِلِ، وَ يَتَصَفَّحُ وُجُوهَهُنَّ الْقَريبُ وَ الْبَعيدُ وَ الدَّنِىُّ وَ الشَّريفُ، لَيْسَ مَعَهُنَّ مِنْ رِجالِهِنَّ وَلِىٌّ وَ لا مِنْ حُماتِهِنَّ حَمِى، وَ كَيْفَ يُرْتَجى مُراقَبَة مَنْ لَفَظَ فُوهُ اكْبادَ اْلَازْكياءِ، وَ نَبَتَ لَحْمُهُ بِدِماءِ الشُّهَداءِ، وَ كَيْفَ يَسْتَبْطِئُ فى بُغْضِنا اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ مَنْ نَظرَ الَيْنا بِالشَّنْفِ وَ الشَّنَآنِ وَ اْلِاحْنِ و اْلَاضْغانِ- الخطبة. ^[79]

Zeinab stated: “O you the son of freed-captive! Is it right and fair that you keep your women and slave-girls secured behind the curtain but have the daughters of the Messenger of Allah marched as the captives among the people! While you have torn apart the veils of their chastity and have made their faces be seen. Their enemies force them move from one city to the next and the common desert-people glance at their faces and get to know them. All people: known and unknown, the noble and the lowly look at them; there has been remained not a single man for them to support them. How can expect nobility from one who has chewed the livers of the Immaculate and the Guardians of Allah, and then has cast away – and his flesh ha nourished with the blood of the martyrs! How can one, who is a manifest enemy of us, stop grudging and his enmity against us, the Household of the Messenger of Allah!”

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The other declarations on the Purification Verse

The Eighth one is the declaration of the Highnesses Fatima-tus-Soughra concerning the Purification Verse in Kufa

After praising Allah, she goes on explaining the tragic events of the Household in details and then states:

وَ افْتَخَرَ بِذ لِكَ مُفَتَخِرُكُمْ شِعْراً:

نَحْنُ قَتَلْنا عَلِيّاً وَ بَنِى عَلِىٍّ             بِسُيُوٍف هِنْدِيَّة وَ رِماح

وَ سَبَيْنا نِسآءَهُمْ سَبْىَ تُرْكٍ             وَ طَعَنّاهُمْ فَاًىَّ نِطاح

  بِفيكَ ايُّهَا الْقائِلُ الْكَثْكَثُ وَ الْاثْلَبُ، افْتَخَرْتَ بِقَتْلِ قَوْمٍ زَكّاهُمْ وَ طَهَّرَهُمْ وَ اذْهَبَ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْس ^[80]؟!

[She states:] anyhow, a proud among you has been proud of this poem saying so:

We slain Ali, so did we slain his children,

We ruined them with the Indian swords and spears,

And we captured their women as the Turk women were captured; and how fierce we battered them with our spikes!’

‘O you, the composer of this poem! Let your mouth be filled up with soil and pebbles. Are you proud of killing a folk whom Allah purified? Purified and sanctified them, and also protected them against any filths and impurities?!’

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The Ninth: Declaration of Abdullah bin Afif Azdi concerning the Purification Verse 

After ibn Zeiad disengaged of the affairs of capturing and torturing, he went to the mosque, delivered a sermon and then said: ‘Thanks to Allah Who revealed the fact and gave victory to the people of righteous, He assisted the commander of the faithful, Yazid, and his followers and also the liar killed the son of the liar!’

Abdullah had not yet finished this phrase when suddenly Abdullah bin Afif Azdi, who was a sincere Shiite and losing one of his eyes in the Battel of Jamal, and later on another eye in the Battle of Siffin, then had nothing to do but to go to the Great  Mosque of Kufa from dawn to dusk and establish prayer, stood up and shouted: “O ibn Zeiad, it is you who are a liar son of the liar! And so is he as well his father who are given you this position. O you the enemy of Allah, you are killing the son of the Messenger and then ascending the pulpit and telling lies to the Muslims?!”

The relater of this narrative says: ‘Ibn Zeiad got angry and cried: “Who is this saying nonsense?” Abdullah answered: ‘It is me, o the enemy of Allah. You are killing the immaculate family whom Allah has kept away from impurities and gave them the highest status of wholesomeness; and then you think you are within this religion of Islam?!’ O Lord! Where are the children of the Immigrants and the Supporters? Why do they not take vengeance of you the rebellious Emir, that is you the cursed, the son of cursed, (Yazid bin Mua‘wiyah), who has been cursed by the Messenger of the Lord of all being? 

فَقالَ: انَا الْمُتَكَلِّمُ يا عَدْوَّ اللهِ، اتَقْتُلُ الذُّرِّيَّة الطّاهِرَة التَّى قَدْ اذْهَبَ اللهُ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ تَزْعَمُ انَّكَ عَلى دينِ الْاسْلامِ، و اغْوثاهُ ايْنَ اوْلادُ الْمُهاجِرينَ وَ الْانْصارِ لا يَنْتَقِمُونَ مِنْ طاغِيَتِكَ اللَّعينِ ابْنِ اللَّعينِ عَلى لِسانِ رَسُولِ رَبِّ الْعالَمين. ^[81]

So he said: ‘I am the speaker, o the enemy of Allah. You slain the pure Household that Allah has secured them against impurities and has given them the highest status of morality; and then you imagine you are in this religion of Islam?!’

O Lord! Where are the offspring of the Immigrants and the Supporters? Why do they not take vengeance of you the rebellious Emir, that is you the cursed, the son of cursed, that is: (Yazid bin Mua‘wiyah), who has been cursed by the tongue of the Messenger of Allah, the Lord of the worlds?’          

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The Tenth: Declaration of the Holiness Imam Reza, Upon him be peace, concerning the Purification Verse in the presence of MA‘MOON 

The Late Sadough ibn Babweiah, by means of his documents from Ray’yan bin Salt, relates from the Holiness Imam Reza, Upon him be peace, that when he was questioned by Ma‘moon and the scholars about the difference between the Household of the Messenger of Allah and the common nation, he stated:  

فَكانَ الْوراثَة لِلْعِترَة الطّاهِرَة لا لِغَيْرهِمَ، فَقالَ الْمَأْمُونُ: مَنِ الْعِتْرَة الطّاهِرَة؟ فَقالَ الرِّضا عليّه السّلام: الَّذينَ وَصَفَهُمُ اللهُ فى كِتابِهِ فَقالَ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ:  «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا» - الحديث ^[82].

“The inheritance of the Messenger of Allah is specialized for the immaculate Household  and none has any share in it.” 

Ma‘moon asked: ‘Who ate the immaculate Household?’

The Holiness Imam Reza, Upon him be peace, answered: “They are those whom Allah, the Creator has explained in His Book, and He has stated: ‘Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to purify you.’”

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The Eleventh: Declaration of Sa‘d  Wagh‘ghas  concerning the Purification Verse in the presence of Mua‘wiyah      

Sheikh Tousi, by means of his series of documents, relates in “Aamali” from ibn Abbas that he says I was at Dhi Tuwa with Mua‘wiyah when Sa‘d Wagh‘ghas came and greeted him.

Mua‘wiyah said: ‘O people of Sham, this is Sa‘d, he is of Ali’s friend.’ Those people in hatred began cursing the Commander of the believers, Upon him be peace.

 Sa‘d began crying and Mua‘wiyah asked: ‘Why are you crying?’ Sa‘d sad: “Why shouldn’t I cry for a man of the companions of Allah whom people curse in front of you but I have no power to change this behavour and tradition!”

‘There were such priorities with Ali that if there were one of them with me it would be better for me than everything in the world.  

One of them is that: a man from Yemen, who claimed that Ali had been disloyal to him, said to Ali: ‘I will take my complain against you to the Messenger of Allah.’ Thus, the man went to the Messenger of Allah and in the presence of the Holiness spoke out about the Commander of the believers.

The Highness stated: “For Allah’s sake, Who has sent down His Book to me, and has assigned me as a Messenger, tell me if you are speaking behind Ali through your anger.” He said: ‘Yes, I do.’ The Holiness stated: “Do you not know that I have authority upon the obedient worshippers, and I have more privilege over them than they have?” He said: ‘Yes.’

The Holiness stated: “Whomsoever I am Master upon, so is Ali his Master.”

And another one is that: on the Day of Kheibar, the Holiness commanded Omar to fight, nevertheless he, as well as all his men, fled. The Messenger of Allah stated: “I will indeed trust the banner of the battle to one who loves Allah and the Messenger of Allah, so does Allah and the Messenger of Allah love him.” Since then, the Muslims stop fighting and were waiting for the next command of the Messenger of Allah. At that instant, Ali, Upon him be peace, has serious sore in eyes. The Holiness Messenger called him saying: “Take the banner.” The Commander of the believers said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, you see that I sore eyes;’ then the Messenger of Allah rubbed a bit of spittle on his eyes and they were cured.

Ali stood up, hold the banner of the battle in his hand and went to fight – Allah brought the victory with his hand. 

The third is that in some battles when the Messenger went to fight, he left Ali stay in his place, so once Ali said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, do you let me stay with the women and children?’ The Holiness Messenger sated: “Are you not pleased that your relation with me to be as the relation of Aaron, Moses’ brother to Moses? With this difference that there is no any messengers after me.”

And the fourth is that: the Messenger closed all the doors of the companions to the Mosque except the door of Ali.

 The fifth is that: the Purification Verse was sent down, as:

انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يَطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً».

‘Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to purify you.’

Therefore, the Messenger of Allah summoned Ali, Hassan, Hussein and Fatima, Upon them be peace, and said:   

فَقالَ: اللّهُمَّ هؤُلاءِ اهْلى فَاذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيرا. ^[83]

‘O my Allah! These are the Household of mine, so remove any impurity from them, and perfectly purify them.’

And Nisaee in “KHASAIS” narrates three characters concerning the virtues of the Commander of the believers.

One is giving him the banner on the day of Kheibar, the next is the narrative of the status and the third one is the Purification Verse; thus he says: ‘Mua‘wiyah ordered Sa‘d Wagh’ghas to curse Ali but Sa‘d rejected it and instead, he praised Ali with these three virtues. ^[84]

And Hakim ^[85] in “Mostadrak”, Tahawi,^[86] ibn Jarir Tabari ^[87] and ibn Kathir ^[88] in the commentary of the Purification Verse have narrated of Sa‘d Wagh’ghas:

قالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم حينَ نَزَلَ عَلَيْهِ الْوَحْىُ، فَاَخَذَ عَليّاً وَ ابْنَيْهِ وَ فاطِمَة وَ ادْخَلَهُمْ تَحْتَ ثَوْبِهِ ثُمَّ قالَ: هؤُلآءِ أهْلى وَ أهْلُ بَيْتى.

When the Purification Verse was sent down to the Generous Messenger, he held of Ali, as well the hands of his two sons, Hassan and Hussein and Fatima and after taking them under the over-cloak he implored: “These are my family and my Household.”

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The Twelfth: Declaration of ibn Abbas concerning the Purification Verse in the presence of nine newly arrival

Ahmad Hanbal by means of his own series of documents relates from ibn Meimoun that he says: ‘I was sitting with ibn Abbas when nine persons came to him … (as this narrative is too lengthy, the Late Sayyid Bahrani says: ‘We have all related it in the event of the Ghadir Khum,’ and the ten characters that ibn Abbas relates from the Commander of the believers, we have related them in the narrative of the “Banner”, therefore, in this part, which is the section of the Purification Verse, we find it enough to explain it as it is).’

 قالَ ابْنُ عَبّاسٍ: وَ اخَذَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ثَوْبَهُ فَوَضَعَهُ عَلى عَلِىٍّ وَ فاطِمَة وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ وَ قالَ: «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ البَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً.» ^[89]

Ibn Abbas said: ‘The Messenger of Allah took his over-cloak and spread it upon Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hussein and then Implored: “Allah has only desired to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to purify you.”’

And Tabari in his “History” explains the discussion between ibn Abbas and Omar concerning the Caliphate and the Messenger-ship, and Omar says: ‘The Quraish denied that the Caliphate and the Messenger-ship to be only from one family; and Omar says ibn Abbas s his decisive answer to him:

بَلَغَنى انَّكَ تَقُوُل: انَّما صَرَفُوها عَنّا حَسَداً وَ ظُلْما، فَقُلْتُ: امّا قَوْلُكَ يا اميرَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ ظُلْماً فَقَدْ تَبَيَّنَ لِلْجاهِلِ وَ الْحَليمِ، وَ امّا قَوْلُكَ حَسَداً فَانَّ ابْليسَ حَسَدَ آدَمَ فَنَحْنُ وُلْدُهُ الْمَحْسُودُونَ، فَقالَ عُمَرُ: هَيْهاتَ أبَتْ وَ اللهِ قُلُوبُكُمْ يا بَنى هاشِمٍ الّا حَسَداً ما يَحُولُ، وَ ضِغْناً وَ غِشّاً ما يَزُولُ، فَقُلْتُ: مَهْلًا يا اميرَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ لا تُصِبْ قُلُوبَ قَوْمٍ اذْهَبَ اللهُ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهَرَهُمْ تَطْهيراً، فَقالَ عُمَرُ: الَيْكَ عَنّى يَا بْنَ عَبّاسٍ، فَقُلْتُ: افْعَلُ، فَلمّا ذَهَبْتُ لِاقُومَ اسْتَحْيى مِنّى فَقالَ: يَا بْنَ عَبّاسٍ مَكانَكَ فَوَ اللهِ انّى لَراعٍ لِحَقِّكَ مُحِبٌّ لِما سَرَّكَ، فَقُلْتُ: يا اميرَ الْمُؤْمِنينَ انّ لى عَلَيْكَ حَقّاً وَ عَلى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ فَمَنْ حَفِظَهُ فَحَظَّهُ اصابَ، وَ مَنْ اضاعَهُ فَحَظَّهُ اخْطَأَ، ثُمَّ قامَ فَمَضى. ^[90]

[Omar says:] ‘I have been informed that you have said: “They have seized the Caliphate from us, the Household of Bani Hashim by force and envy.” To his question, ibn Abbas said: ‘Your saying ‘by force’, is quite right and clear; but as you said, ‘by envy’ well, surely Iblis envied Adam, we, the children of Adam, also are subjected to envy.’ Omar said: “Far be it from you! O Bani Hashim, I swear by Allah, there is such an envy in your hearts that it never releases you – it is such a grudge that never ends.”

Ibn Abbas said: ‘Be quiet, o Omar! Do not accuse unjustly those whom Allah has cleansed their hearts and taken away impurities from them and assigned them to be pure and sacred.’ Omar said: “O ibn Abbas, stand up and get lost.”

Ibn Abbas said: ‘I’ll leave.’ But as he stood up, Omar felt ashamed and said: ‘O ibn Abbas, sit where you are, by Allah, I am on the respect side with you, and I like seeing you happy.” Ibn Abbas said: ‘O the commander of the faithful, (o Omar), you are indebted to me, and every Muslim is indebted to me. If anyone heard my word and put it in practice, and also took my advice, and it benefitted him then, he has really received blessing and boon; but if he did not listen, or did not care it, he has really ruined his share in life.’ 

And also it is related from Ahmad Nanbal with his own documents from Amru bin Meimoun who said:

 قالَ: انَّى لَجالِسٌ الىَ ابْنِ عَبّاسٍ اذا اتاهُ تِسْعَة رَهْطٍ فَقالُوا: يَا بْنَ عَبّاسٍ: امّا انْ تَقومَ مَعَنا وَ امّا انْ يُخَلوُّنا هؤُلآءِ، قالَ: بَلْ اقومُ مَعَكُمْ، قالَ: وَ هُوَ يَوْمَئذٍ صَحيحٌ قَبْلَ انْ يَعْمى، قالَ: فَابْتَدَؤُا فَتَحَدَّثُوا فَلا نَدْرى ما قالُوا، قالَ: فَجاءَ يَنْفُضُ ثَوْبَهُ وَ يَقُولُ: افٍّ تُفٍّ وَقَعُوا فى رَجُلٍ لَهُ عَشْرُ خِصالٍ- الى قوله- وَ اخَذَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم ثَوْبَهُ فَوَضَعَهُ عَلى عَلىٍّ وَ فاطِمَة وَ حَسَنٍ وَ حُسَيْنٍ وَ قالَ:  "انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا." ^[91]

[Amru bin Meimoun who says:] ‘I was sitting with ibn Abbas, all of a sudden nine men came in saying: “O ibn Abbas, either come with us to a private place, or ask those sitting here leave the room because we are going to have a word with you.” Ibn Abbas said: “In that case, I will come with you,” (ibn Abbas had not lost his eye-sight then).

The narrator says: ‘Ibn Abbas followed them, they sat somewhere else and began talking, discussing about something unknown to us. After a little while, when ibn Abbas came back to us we saw that he was apparently shaking his hands which presented his anger and hatred towards them. He was murmuring, puffing and spitting around in anger. In his anger he was repeating their words and saying: “They are counting the defects of a man whom Allah has honoured ten superb characters.”’

(In the mean time, ibn Abbas was counting those characters).

The narrator continues: ‘At that moment, the Messenger of Allah took his garment and spread it upon Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hussein and then said: “Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to protect you from all defects.”

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The Thirteenth: Declaration of Umm Salama concerning the Purifican Verse

The first is his declaration on this Verse about the chastity of the Commander of the believers, Upon him be peace, when Omrah Hamdaneiiah came to her and asked about the condition of the Commander of the believers, but after the martyrdom of the Holiness. Considerin it, Tahawi in the “Moshkel al-Athar” has said:

قالَتْ عُمْرَة الْهَمْدانِيَّة: اتَيْتُ امَّ سَلَمَة ف فَسَلَّمْتُ عَلَيْها فَقالَتْ: مَنْ انْتِ؟ فَقُلْتُ: عُمْرَة الْهَمْدانِيَّة. فَقالَتْ عُمْرَة: يا امَّ الْمُؤْمِنينَ اخُبِرينى عَنْ هذَا الرَّجُلِ الَّذى قُتِلَ بَيْنَ اظْهُرِنا فَمُحِبٌّ وَ مُبْغِضٌ- تُريدُ عَلِىَّ بْنَ ابيطالبِ- قالَتْ امُّ سَلَمَة: أ تُحِبِّينَهُ امْ تُبِغِضينَهُ؟ قالَتْ: ما احِبُّهُ وَ لا ابْغِضُهُ ... قالَت: فَانْزَلَ اللهُ هذِهِ الْآيَة «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً» وَ ما فِى الْبَيْتِ الّا جِبْريلُ و رَسولُ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم وَ علىٌّ وَ فاطِمَة و الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ عليهم السّلام، فَقُلْتُ: يا رَسولَ اللهِ انَا مِنْ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ؟ فَقالَ: انَّ لَكِ عِنْدَ اللهِ خَيْرا، فَوَدِدْتُ انَّهُ قالَ: نَعَمْ، فِكانَ احَبَّ الىَّ مِمّا تَطْلُعُ الشَّمْسُ وَ تَغْرُب. ^[92]

Umrat al-Hamadaneiiah said: “I went to Umm Salama and greeted her,” she asked: ‘Who are you?’ I answered: “O Mother of the believers, I am Umrat al-Hamadaneiiah, please let me know the man, (Ali bin Abī Tālib), whom they have killed among us. It is because some people are his friends and some are his enemies and are spiteful against him.”

Umm Salama said: ‘Do you take him as a friend or enemy?’ I answered: “No, I take him as a friend to me.” (Umm Salama has said something more here which is not written in the book but left it empty). She said: ‘So, at that moment Allah sent down this Verse that: Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to protect you from all defects. Next I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, am I also of the Household?’ The Holiness stated: “You are having a grade with Allah.” I swear by Allah that I wished the Messenger had answered me by saying I was a member of the Household, if he would say so it had been mush better for me than whatever on the earth exists.’

The second is her declaration on this Verse about the chastity of Imam Hussein when they brought the news of his martyrdom. In “Mosnad”, Ahmad Hanbal relates it by his own documents from Abdul Hamid bin Imran, from Sahl who said:

قالَ: قالَتْ امُّ سَلَمَة زَوْجَة النَّبِىِّ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم حينَ جاءَ نَعْىُ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلِىٍّ عليهما السّلام لَعَنَتْ اهْلَ الْعِراقِ فَقالَتْ: قَتَلُوهُ قَتَلَهُمُ اللهُ، غَرُّوهُ وَ اذَلُوهُ لَعَنَهُمُ اللهُ، فَانّى رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم وَ قَدْ جاءَتْهُ فاطِمَة غُدَيَّة بِبُرْمَة قَدْ صَنَعَتْ فيها عَصيدَة تَحْمِلُها فَى طَبَقٍ لَها حَتّى وَضَعَتْها بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ- الى‏ انْ قالَتْ- فَاجْتَذَبَ كِساءً مِنْ تَحْتى خَيْبَرِيّاً كانَ بِساطاً لَنا عَلى‏ مَنامَة فِى الْمَدينَة فَلَفَّهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ وَ أَخَذَ طَرَفَىِ الْكِساءِ وَ الْوى بِيَدِهِ الى‏ رَبِّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ قالَ: اللّهُمَّ هؤُلآءِ اهْلَ بَيْتى، اذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيرا. ^[93]

 [Sahl says]: ‘When the news of the martyrdom of the Holiness, the Master of the Martyrs, Upon him be peace, reached Medina, Umm Salama cursed the people of Iraq by saying: “They killed the son of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah send them to death! They cheated him, they humiliated him so, may Allah curse them!”’

I witnessed that when Fatima, after making a kind of pap in a stone-pot and putting it in front of the Messenger of Allah for his breakfast, the Messenger gathered them five together, (here, she explains the narrative of the over-cloak and says), then he drew the over-cloak which I was sitting on as a carpet – the very over-cloak that we used as a carpet in Medina – then he rolled it up, held two ends of it and spread it upon them all. He then, raised his hand supplicated and implored: “Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to protect you from all defects.”’

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The Fourteenth: Declaration of Wasilat bin As‘ghat on the Purification Verse 

when they brought the “head-separated-from body” of the Master of the Martyrs to Sham. Ahmad Hanbal, by means of his chained documents, relates that Shad‘dad bin Abdullah says: 

سَمِعْتُ واثِلَة بْنَ الْاسْقَعِ وَ قَدْ جى‏ءَ بِرَأْسِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عَلىٍّ عليهما السّلام، قالَ: فَلَقِيَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ اهْلَ الشّامِ فَاظْهَرَ سُروراً فَغَضِبَ واثِلَة وَ قالَ: وَ اللهِ لا ازالُ احِبُّ عَليّاً وَ حَسَناً وَ حُسَيْناً ابَداً بَعْدَ اذْ سَمِعْتُ رَسولَ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم فى مَنْزِلِ امِّ سَلَمَة يَقُولُ فيهِمْ ما قالَ. قالَ واثِلَة: رَأَيْتُنى ذاتَ يَوْمٍ وَ قَدْ جِئْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم وَ هُوَ فى مَنْزِلِ امِّ سَلَمَة قَدْ جاءَ الْحَسَنُ فَأَجْلَسَهُ عَلى فَخِذِهِ الْيُمْنى وَ قَبَّلَهُ، وَ جاءَ الْحُسَيْنُ فَاجْلَسَهُ عَلى فَخِذِهِ الْيُسْرى وَ قَبَّلَهُ، ثُمَّ جاءَتْ فاطِمَة فَاجْلَسَها بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ثُمَّ دَعا بِعَلِىٍّ فَجاءَ ثُمَّ ارْدَفَ عَلَيْهمْ كِساءً خَيْبَرِيّاً كَاْنّى انْظُرُ الَيْهِ، ثُمَّ قالَ: انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً قُلْتُ لِواثِلَة: مَا الرِّجْسُ؟ فَقالَ: الشَّكُّ فِى اللهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلّ. ^[94]

قالَ أبو أحمدَ الْعَسْكَرىُّ: يُقالُ: انَّ الْاوْزاعىَّ لَمْ يَرْوِ فِى الْفَضائل حَديثاً غيرَ هذا، وَ اللهُ اعْلَم. ^[95]

Shad‘dad bin Abdullah says:] ‘When they brought the “head-separated-from body” of the Master of the Martyrs, a man from Sham met Wasilat bin As‘ghat and declared his happiness for the martyrdom of the Holiness. Wasila got angry and said: “I swear by Allah that since I heard what the Messenger of Allah stated about the people of the Over-Cloak in Salama’s house, I have always have the love and affection of Ali, Hassan and Hussein in my heart.” Then, Wasila goes on explaining the whole story of the session of the People of the Over-Cloak and says: “As if that sight is still in front of my eyes,” and he quoted the Messenger of Allah how he had recited the Purification Verse concerning the status of Five People of the Over-cloak.

Abdullah says: ‘I asked Wasilat what the meaning of “FILTH” was in the Verse, he said: It is to doubt about Allah, the Honourable and Exalted.

Abu Ahmad Askari says: ‘It is said about “Ouzaee” that nothing has been related in “FAZAEEL” except this narrative ^[96] – and Allah knows the best.

انَّ النَّبِىَّ مُحَمَّدًا وَ وَصِيَّهُ             وَ ابْنَيْهِ وَ ابْنَتَهُ الْبَتُولَ الطّاهِرَة

اهْلُ الْعَباءِ فَانَنّى بِوِلائِهِمْ             ارْجُو السَّلامَة وَ النَّجا فِى الْآخِرَة ^[97]

Indeed Muhammad is the Messenger, and his Successor, his son and his daughter, BATOOL, is are chaste; the people of the Over-Cloak [are they], I am in the protect of their Guardianship, I am after peace and salvation in the Hereafter.

Ya‘ghub bin Hamid says: ‘And concerning this event, the poet has composed:   

بِأَبى خَمْسَة هُمْ جُنِّبُوا الرِّجْسَ         كِراماً و طُهِّرُوا تَطْهيراً

أحْمَدُ الْمُصْطَفى‏ وَ فاطِمُ أعْنى          وَ عَلِيًّا و شُبَّراً وَ شُبَيْراً

مَنْ تَوَلّاهُمْ تَوَلّاهُ ذُو الْعَرْشِ            وَ لَقّاهُ نَضْرَة وَ سُرُوراً

وَ عَلى‏ مُبْغِضيهِمْ لَعْنَة اللهِ               وَ اصْلاهُمُ الْمَليكُ سَعيراً ^[98]

May my father be sacrifice to the Five free from the filth, so generous, pure and cleanse,  the selected Ahmad, the distressed Fatima and Ali the courageous. Whomsoever follows them, in fact he follows the Owner of the firmament, coming together with Him with cheer and proud.

And Ali’s enemies are cursed by Allah, whom the Owner of the Fire casts into the Fire.

And after mentioning the revealing of the narrative of the Purification Verse concerning the Five purified, Muhammad bin Talha Shafiee has said that:

هُمُ الْعُرْوَة الْوُثْقى‏ لِمُعْتَصِمٍ بِها            مَناقِبُهُمْ جاءَتْ بِوَحْىٍ وَ انْزال

 مَناقِبُ فِى الشٌّورى‏ وَ سُورَة هَلْ اتي     وَ فى سُورَة الْاحْزابِ يَعْرفُهَا التّالي

  وَ هُمْ اهْلُ بَيْتِ الْمُصْطَفى‏ فَوِدادُهُمْ       عَلَى النّاسِ مَفْرُوضٌ بِحُكْمٍ وَ اسْجال

فَضائِلُهُمْ تَعْلُو طَريقَة مُنْتَهى             رُواهٌ عَلَوْا فيها بِشَدٍّ وَ تِرْحال ^[99]

They are the firm handle to clinch to;

their virtues have come down through the revelation.

Their merits are in the [Verses of] “The Shu:ra and Hal Ate”,

and in the Verse of “Al-Ahzab” which agree with them.

They are the Household of “MOSTAFA” and his allies,

It is enjoined to men to carry their commands and them credit.

Within A to Z you see just their virtues, the highest grace is with them in strain and setting out!

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The Succession of Narratives on the revelation of the Purification Verse about the Five Holy Ones

Nevertheless, from all these narrative that have been explained – whether by the common people or by the Shiite or any narratives have explained this case, they have stated the Purification Verse to be belonged for the Five Holy Ones, Upon them all be peace. In fact, any narratives, including those narratives that are as ‘Declarations or Arguments’ which the Messenger of Allah, the Commander of the believers, Fatima, Hassan and Hussein, and the Holiness Imam Saj’jad, Zeinab and Fatemat al-Soghra, the Holiness Imam Reza and Sa’d bin Abi Qagh’ghas, ibn Abbas and Umm Salama, and Wasilat bin Asgha have declared them and none of them have rejected and opposed them can be referred as the authentic source for the absolute “Over-Cloak narrative.  It is such a decisive narrative that more than seventy narratives, which most of them are written by the common narrators and forty other narratives that, in this case, have their own documents have been written and compiled in the book of the greatest ^[100] and expert narrators – they have also put it in the commentaries , histories and the books of merits and virtues, and added their own authentic documents to them.

There remains no doubts to anyone who is familiar with the books of the events that these privileges and priorities belong only to the Holiness Messenger of Allah, the Commander of the believers, Fatima, Hassan and Hussein Upon them all be peace.   

It is because there are so many proofs and statements by the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, every aware and alert man accepts them without doubts; and referring to them brings one the ever-lasting certainty.

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[86] " مشكل الآثار‏", volume 1, page 336.

[87] Tabari, " تفسير طبرى‏ volume 22, page 7.

[88] Ibn Kathir, "تفسیر ابن کثیر", volume 3, page 485.

[89] " غاية المرام‏", page 287, narrative seven.

[90] " تاريخ طبرى‏", volume 3, page 289, and " البداية و النهاية".

[91] Ahmad Hanbal, "مسند احمد حنبل‏", volume 1, page 321, the first o\publication, and " الرياض النضرة" of Mohibb al-Tabari, volume 2, page 269, and "مجمع الزوايد", volume 9, page 119.

[92] "مشكل الآثار", volume 1, page 336.

[93] " غاية المرام‏", page 288, narrative eight, and in " مسند احمد", page 298, volume six who has related by Umm Salama which is quoted by Shahr bin Hushab, and also in "تفسير طبرى‏", volume 2, page 6' and " مشكل الآثار", volume 1, page 335.

[94] " غاية المرام‏", page 287, narrative six, "شواهد التنزيل‏", volume 2, page 43 and 44.

[95] " اسدالغابة", volume 2, page 20.

[96] In the sentence:

لم يرو في الفضايل حديثا غير هذا

Apparently, it is not only the priorities of the Household; in the narrative books of the Sunnite, there are usually sections about the virtuous of the companions, which the virtuous of the Household are mentioned there. However, here, he has not related anything but the common people.

[97]  " الفصول المهمة" ibn Sab'bagh, page 8, and he says: some people have composed this poem concerning the purification of the Household.

[98] " مناقب‏"of ibn-al-Moghazeli, page 307.

[99] " مطالب السؤول‏", page 8.

[100] Especially put in the book of "غاية المرام" of Bahrani and "عبقات الأنوار" of Mir Hamid Hussein Hindi and "شواهد التنزيل‏" of Hakim Haskani.

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