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In the Name of Allah, the most Compassionate, the most Merciful

And bless be upon Muhammad and his pure Household, and may Allah's curse be on his enemies from now until the Day of Resurrection! And there is no power or strength except for the Lofty Glorious Allah.

The Wise Allah has stated in His Glorious Book:

انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهَّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا ^[1]

 ‘… Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to purify you, (Qur’an: 33/33).’

This verse, in the Glorious Qur’an, is in the Chapter of the Coalition, (ăl-ăh’zāb), and it is known by the scholars, interpreters and the narrators as the Verse of the Purification, (Tăt‘hir); and anyone who is familiar with the public or the original books knows that there is no doubt that this Verse has been sent down for the sake of the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, and the Commander of the believers, Ali bin Abī Tālib, upon him be peace, Fatima-t,as Zahra, Hassan and Hussein , upon them be peace. This affair is absolute and to reject it means being the enemy of the Qur’an and the Messenger of Allah and the Household. It is so important that some people have said: ‘The opinions of all Muslims about its revelation for the five pure immaculate is confirmed; and the original and public books are full of narratives concerning this subject.

All the public books of Hanafi, Maliki, Shafiee and Hanbali consider this Verse as the “ASHAB-e-KASA”, and if you turn over few pages in their any books, you notice this Verse and the sacred names of the Five-Immaculate.

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The names of the public books that say the Purification Verse is about the people of the Over-Cloak

The narratives which have been related in “Ghayat-al-Maram” are exactly seventy-five.^[2] Forty-one of them^[3] are by the public, narrated by Umm Salama, Aisha, Abu Saeed Khodri, Sa’d bin Wagh’ghas, Wathila bin Asgha and Al-Hamra Thi’ban, the servant of the Messenger of Allah, and Abdullah bin Ja‘far, and Ali bin Abī Tālib, upon him be peace, and also Imam Hassan and Imam Hussein , upon them be peace. Then, the greatest narrators, and also the scholars and the commentators have carefully investigated them and then put in the books, such as: ‘SAHIH MUSLIM’, ‘SAHIM TERMIZI’, ‘SAHIH BOKHARI’, ‘MOSNAD AHMAD HANBAL’, ‘MOSNAD TAYALESI’, ‘SONAN BEIHAGHI’, ‘MOSTADRAK HAKIM’, and the commentary of ‘AD-DUR AL-MANSOUR’, SEYOTI and ‘TAFSIR TABARI’, ‘TAFSIR IBN KATHIR’, ‘MAJ’MA AZ-ZAWAEED’, Hithami and ‘AS-SAWAEEGH AL-MOHARRAGHA’, Ibn Hajar and ‘AKHAYIR ALOGHBA’, Mohibb ad-Din Tabari and ‘MOSHKEL AL ATHAR’, Tahawi and ‘TAHZIB AT-TAHZIB’, ‘ARREIAZ NAZARA’, ‘FARAEED AS SAMTIN’,  Hawini and ‘OSTOL GHABA’, Ibn Kathir and ‘KANZOL OMMAL’, Molla Ali Mottaghi and ‘KHASAEES’, Nisaee and ‘HAGHTAL Kharazmi, and ‘MANAGHIB Kharazmi, and ‘NAZM DURAR AS SAMTIN’ Zarandi, and ‘YANABI ALMAWADDA’ Ghandouzi, and ‘FOSOUL AL MOHEMMA’ In Sabbagh Al-Maliki, and ‘KIFAYAT AT TALIB’ Ganji Shafiee, and ‘MANAGHIB’ Ibn al Moghazeli, and ‘SHAWAHIS AT TANZIL’ Hakim Haskani, and ‘MATALIB AS SO’OL’ Muhammad bin Talha, and ‘TAZKERAT KHAWASS AL OMMA’ Sibt ibn Jozi, and ‘WASH SHARAF ALMOAIIED’ Yusuf bin Ismaeel nabhani, and ‘RASHFAT AS SADI’ Abi Balr Shab ad-Din Alawi, and ‘ASBAB AN NOZOL’ Wahidi, and TAFSIR Ath-THA’LABI’.

And thirty-four narratives of those ^[4] are from among the original ones and are related by the Commander of the believers, Imam Hassan, the Holiness Imam Baqir and the Holiness Imam Sādiq, and the Hoiliness Imam Reza, upon then all be peace. And also Umm Salama, Abuzar, Abi Leila, Abu al-Aswas al-Duelli, Omar ibn Meimoon al-Odi, and Sa’d bin Abi Wagh’ghas. As well the greatest narrative companions such as: Kolaini and Sadough in the “AMALI” and Sheikh Tousi also in the “AMALI”, and “TAFSIR ALI BIN IBRAHIM’ “TAFSIR BORHAN’, “TAFSIR MAJ’MA AL’BAYAN’, “TAFSIR ABUL FOTOUH”, TAFSIR BAYAN AS’SA’Aa’DA”, “TAFRIR MINHAJ AS’SADEGHIN”, TAFSIR ALMIZAN” Al’lama Tabatabaee, “TAFSIR SAFI”, and Majlisi in “BIHAR”, and Mohaddith Ghomi in “SAFINAT AL BIHAR” and most of the narrative books, and commentators and the books of the virtues have mentioned it.

Anyhow, all these books that are mentioned from the Shiite and the Sunnite have considered the Verse of Purification to be about the Five most sincere to the Messenger of Allah; the first one is Muhammad, the Chosen, Bless be to him and his Descendants, and his , who is the part of the soul him, as the Qur’an states it: the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, and the Messenger’s daughter, the crown of the women in Paradise, upon her be peace, and two sweet basils, two sons, two masters of the youth of Paradise, Imam Hassan and Imam Hussein, upon them be peace.

This Verse has clearly be sent down for these five immaculate, and no in the universe has claimed to be among these five gathering under the loose over cloak of the Messenger of Allah

Jalal ad-Din Seyouti mentions twenty different public narratives in the commentary of “AD-Dur al-Mansour” that the purpose of the Household in this Verse is only these Five, Immaculate, but not anyone else.

And ibn Jarir Tabari in his “Commentary” has related by means of his documents fifteen narratives similar to that related in the “Ash-Sharaf al-Moab’bad”, and in all of them, he has mention the Five Immaculate to be of Household. And this is enough that the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, has stated:

انْزِلَتْ هذِهِ الْآيَة فى خَمْسَة: فِىَّ وَ فى عَلِىٍّ و الْحَسَنِ و الْحُسَيْنِ وَ فاطِمَة.

‘This Verse has been sent down to honour five: for me, for Ali, for Hassan and Hussein and Fatima.’

And ibn Jarir and Tibrani, through their documents,  have related this narrative to be by the Messenger of Allah. As well, Nabhani has put it in the book “Ash-Sharaf al-Moabbid”, and ibn Hajar Heitami has mentioned it in “As-Sawaeegh al-Moharragha”^[5]. ^[6]

Imam Ahmad Hanbal has quoted Abu Saeed Khodri saying about this Verse:

انَّها نَزَلَتْ فى خَمْسَة: الَّنبِىِّ وَ عَلِىٍّ وَ فاطِمَة وَ الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْن ^[7]

‘Surely, it has been sent down for five: the Messenger, Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hussein.’

And in the book of “Asbab an-Nozol” and Ahadi and “Tafsir Th’labi” from Abu Saeed Khodri this narrative has been mentioned. ^[8]

All the sects of religion in Islam agree that when the Messenger of Allah sensed that the death was approaching him, he gathered the five Household of his together and placed them under his loose over-cloak and covered them all with it, asking Allah for His mercy, honour and blessing upon them as:

‘O Lord! For every messenger is his own household and now these Five are my Household. There are the children of Muhammad, do send Your blessing and mercy upon Muhammad and his Descendants, for You are the Praiseworthy the most Glorious.’ At that moment, Umm Salama raised the over-cloak and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, can I also creep under it?’

The Holiness stated: “No, do not do so. It is not your place, but you are in the line of benevolent.”

In that state, the Messenger of Allah drew out his hands from under the over-cloak, raised them up to the havens imploring: “O Allah, keep this Household of mine pure against any impure and rise them to the position of purification.” It was then when suddenly this blissful Verse was sent down by the trustworthy Gabriel, which goes as:

انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا.

    ‘… Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to purify you, (Qur’an: 33/33).’

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The narratives of the Sunnite and Shiite about the dignity of the revelation of the Purification Verse 

Now, we are to mention some of the narratives that the Shiite and Sunnite have related concerning this Verse, and then to explain the exact meaning of the Verse.

The first Narrative: Abdullah bin Ahmad Hanbal, through his series of documents, relates it from “Ata’ibn Abi Reiah” who has also related if from Umm Salama that: 

كانّ امُّ سَلَمَة تَذْكُرُ انَّ النَّبىَّ كانَ فى بَيْتِها فَأَتَتْهُ فاطِمة عليها السّلام بِبُرْمَة فيها حَرِيرَة فَدَخَلَتْ بِها عَلَيْهِ، قالَ: ادْعى لى زَوْجَكِ وَ ابْنَيْك، قالَ: فَجاء عَلِىٌ وَ حَسَنٌ وَ حُسَيْنٌ فَدَخَلْوا وَ جَلَسُوا يَأْكُلُوَن مِنْ تِلْكَ الْحَريرَة وَ هُوَ وَ هُمْ عَلى مَنامٍ لَهُ عَلى دُكّانٍ تَحْتَه مَعَهُ كِساءٌ خَيْبَرِىٌّ، قالَتْ: وَ انَا فِى الْحُجْرَة اصَلّى، فَانْزَلَ اللهُ تَعالى هذِهِ الْآيَة انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ البَيْت وَ يُطَهِّرِكُمْ تَطْهيراً». قالَتْ: فَاخَذَ فَضْلَ الْكِساءِ وَ كَساهُمْ بِهِ ثُمَّ اخْرَجَ يَدَهُ فَالْوى بِها الَى السَّماءِ وَ قالَ: هؤُلآءِ اهْلُ بَيْتى وَ خاصَّتى، اللّهُمَّ فَاذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيراً. قالَتْ: فَادْخَلْتُ رَأْسِىَ الْبَيْتَ وَ قُلْتُ: انَا مَعَكُمْ يا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قالَ: انَّكِ الى‏ خَيرٍ انَّكِ الى‏ خَيْر. ^[9]

Of course, Ahmad Hanbal has related this narrative by means of other two documents from Salama^[10], and from Shahr bin Hoshab ^[11] from Salama.

Umm Salama says: ‘The Holiness Messenger, Bless be to him and his Descendants, was in my room when the Holinesses Fatima, upon her be peace, entered the room and she had a kind of a pap in a stone-pot she had prepared for the Holiness Messenger of Allah. The Holiness stated: “O Fatima, call your husband and two sons also to come.” Before long, the Holiness Commander of the believers, Hassan and Hussein, upon them be peace, entered the, they all sat and stared eating of that food. In the mean time, the Holiness Messenger of Allah was sitting along with them on the mattress lying on his bed for him to rest. The Holiness had his “Kheibari” above-cloak on his shoulders, and Umm Salama says: “At that moment I was in the next room alone praying when I felt that Allah sent down this Verse that: “Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to purify you.”

Umm Salama continues: ‘I eavesdropped and then peeped the room saying: ‘Am I also with you, o the Messenger of Allah?’ The Holiness Messenger stated: “You are in the line of benevolent; you are in the line of benevolent.”

The Second Narrative: Abdullah Ahmad Hanbal, through the series documents of his, relates from his father who quotes Umm Salama saying that:

 انَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ قالَ لِفاطِمَة: ايتينِى بِزَوْجِكِ وَ ابْنَيْكِ، فَجاءَتْ بِهِمْ، فَالْقى عَلَيْهِمْ كِساءً فَدَكِيّاً، قالَتْ: ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ و قالَ: اللّهُمَّ هؤُلآءِ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اجْعَلْ صَلَواتِكَ وَ بَرَكاتِكَ عَلى‏ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آل مُحَمَّدٍ انّكَ حَميدٌ مَجيدٌ. قالَتْ امُّ سَلَمَة: فَرَفَعْتُ الْكِساءَ لِادْخُلَ مَعَهُمْ فَجَذَبَهُ مِنْ يَدِى وَ قالَ: انَّكِ عَلى. خَيْرٍ.^[12]

Umm Salama says: ‘The Messenger of Allah stated Fatima: “Fetch your husband and two sons.” The Highnesses Fatima invited them in the room, and the Holiness spread his “FADAKI OVER-CLOAK” over them and then held his hands up and implored: “O my Creator! There are the children of Muhammad, do bestow Your blessing and mercy upon Muhammad and his Descendants; You are indeed the Praiseworthy and Loadable and the most Lofty.”

Umm Salama says: ‘I raised the corner of the over-cloak to creep under but the Holiness drew the over-cloak back and said: “You are on the right.”’

 The third Narrative: Tha’labi, through his series of documents, relates from Ismaeel, the son of Abdullah bin Ja‘far of his father, Abdullah bin Ja‘far that had said:

لَمّا نَظَرَ رَسُولُ اللهِ الى الَة ^[13] جَمَّة هابِطَة مِنَ السَّماءِ قالَ: مَنْ تَدَعُ- مَرَّتَيْنِ-؟ قالَتْ زَيْنَبُ: انَا يا رَسُولَ اللهِ، فَقالَ: ادْعى لى عَلِيّاً وَ فاطِمَة و الْحَسَنَ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ، قالَ: فَجَعَلَ حَسَناً عَنْ يَمينِهِ وَ حُسَيْناً عَنْ شِمالِهِ وَ عَلِيّا وَ فاطِمَة تِجاهَهُ ثّمَّ غَشّاهَمْ كِساءً خَيْبَرِيّاً ثُمَّ قالَ: انَّ لِكُلِّ نَبِىٍّ اهْلًا وَ هؤُلاءِ اهْل بَيْتى، فَانْزَلَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: "انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا"ً فَقالَتْ زَيْنَبُ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ الا ادْخُلُ مَعَكُمْ؟ فَقالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ: مَكانَكِ فَانَّكِ الى خَيْرٍ انْ شاءَ الله. ^[14]

When the Holiness Messenger of Allah saw that the blissful mercy and excessive favors were descending down from Heaven, he stated: “Who is here? Who is here?” Zeinab, the daughter of Umm Salama, (his wife), says, ‘I said: ‘It is me, o the Messenger of Allah.’ Then, the Holiness sated: “Do immediately call Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hussein to come to me.” I did so, and when they entered the room, he made Hassan sit on his right and Hussein on his left, and then asked Ali and Fatima to sit in front of him. When all were seated, he spread his Kheibari over-cloak over them and stated: “For every messenger is a household, and these are my household.” It was then Allah, the Honourable and Exalted sent this Verse:  

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

Zeinab asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, do I have a permission to be with them under the over-cloak?’ The Holiness stated: “Stay where you are, you will have a good ending, God-willing!”

The fourth Narrative: Hamidi says: ‘The sixty-fourth narrative is from among the narratives of two: Sahih Bokhari and Sahih Moslim that both of them agree it is from “Mosnad Aisha” from Mas’ab bin Sheba, from Safi’ia, the daughter of Sheba, and finally from Aisha is related that:

خَرَجَ النَّبِىُّ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم ذاتَ غُدْوَة وَ عَلَيْهِ مِرْطٌ مُرَحَّلٌ^[15] منْ شَعْرٍ اسْوَدَ، فَجاءَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِىٍّ فَادْخَلَهُ، ثُمَّ جاءَ الْحُسَيْنُ فَادْخَلَهُ، ثُمَّ جاءَتْ فاطِمَة فَادْخَلَها، ثُمَّ جاءَ عَلِىٌّ فَادْخَلَهُ، ثُمَّ قال: "انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الِّرجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا."  وَ لَيس لمصعب بن شيبة عن صفيّة بنت شيبة فى مسند من الصحيحين غير هذا. ^[16]

Aisha says: ‘Once, early morning the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, left home, (perhaps she means that he left her home for the house of Umm Salama), at that moment, he had a black robe woven with hair on his shoulders, which had sporadically camels’ pictures on.

There, the Holiness Imam Hassan came to him and he made him sit and then let him go under the robe, then, the Holiness Imam Hussein came and did the same with him. Next Fatima came and soon after Ali, the Messenger let them too go under the robe, then, he stated:

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

Hamidi, the narrator of this narrative has said: ‘Apart from this narrative, Safiah, the daughter of Sheba, says ‘Mas’ad bin Sheba has not related any narrative from “Masnad Aisha” in “Sahih Moslim and Sahih Bokhari”

The fifth Narrative: the substance of this narrative has been narrated exactly in the same way which is related in part three of the book “Union among the six Sihah”, in the section of the virtues of Hassan and Hussein, from the Sahih of Abi Dawood which is his own "Sonan". ^[17]

The sixth Narrative: in the book of the Sunnite “Union among the six Sihah” which includes: the “Mowat’ta” of Malik bin Anas Asbahi, and “Sahih” of Moslim, and “Sahih” of Bokhari, and the “Sonan” of Abu Dawood Sajistani, and “Sahih” Termizi, and the great copy from “Sahih” Nisaee which is written by Sheikh Abu-al-Hassan Razin bin Mua‘wiyah al-Abdari as-Serghasti al-Andolisi. It is from the “Sahih” of Abu Dawood Sajistani which is his own book, “Sonan” concerning this blissful Verse:

 انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهَّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا.

 ‘… Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to purify you, (Qur’an: 33/33).’

He quotes Aisha’s saying that:

خَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم وَ عَلَيه مِرْطُ مُرَحَّلٌ مِنْ شَعْرٍ أسْوَدَ فَجاءَ الْحَسَنُ فَأَدْخَلَهُ، ثُمَّ جاءَ الْحُسَيْنُ فَأَدْخَلَهُ، ثُمَّ جاءَتْ فاطِمَة فَأدْخَلَها، ثُمَّ جاءَ عَلىٌّ فَأَدْخَلَهُ، قالَ: "انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ البَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً."

قالَ: وَ عَنْ امِّ سَلَمَة زَوْجِ النَّبِىِّ: انَّ هذِهِ الْآيَة نَزَلَتْ فى بَيْتِها «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ البَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً». قالَتْ: وَ انَا جالِسَة عِنْدَ الْباب، فَقُلْتُ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَ لَسْتُ مِنْ اهْلِ الْبَيْتِ؟ فَقالَ: انَّكِ الى‏ خَيْرٍ انَّكِ مِنْ ازْواجِ رَسُولِ اللهِ قالَتْ: وِ فى الْبَيْتِ رَسُولِ اللهِ وَ عَلىٌّ و فاطِمَة وَ حَسَنٌ وَ حُسَيْنٌ، فَجَلَّلَهُمْ بِكِساءٍ وَ قالَ: اللّهُمَّ هؤُلآءِ اهْلُ بَيْتى فَاذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيراً. ^[18]

Aisha says: ‘The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, left the home [for somewhere] while he had a black robe woven with hair on his shoulders, which had sporadically camels’ pictures on.

There, the Holiness Imam Hassan came to him and he made him sit and then let him go under the robe, then, the Holiness Imam Hussein came and did the same with him. Next Fatima came and soon after Ali, the Messenger let them too go under the robe, then, he stated:

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

And it is related from Umm Salama, the wife of the Messenger of Allah that this Verse has been sent down in her room. Umm Salama says: ‘I was sitting at the corner of the room when the ‘Purification Verse” was sent down, and then, I had the honour to ask, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Am I also among the Household?’ He stated: “You will have happy ending, for you are of the wives of the Messenger.”’

Umm Salama says: ‘In that room was only the Messenger of Allah, with Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hussein. The Holiness covered all of them under his robe and said: “O my Creator! These are my Household, do keep them pure from any impurity and put them in the status of certain purity.”’

The seventh Narrative: from the commentary of Tha’labi concerning the blissful Verse of “Ta, Ha” is related from the Holiness Imam Sādiq, upon him be peace that he has said:  

«طه» طَهارَة اهْلِ بَيْتِ مُحَمَّدٍ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم، ثُمَّ قَرَأ  «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا». ^[19]

The Holiness Imam Sādiq, upon him be peace, said: ‘Ta, Ha’ refers to the purification of the Household of Muhammad, Bless be to him and his Descendants, and then, as for the witness of his saying, the Holiness recited the Verse of Purification.’

 he eighth Narrative: Tha’labi, by means of his own documents, relates from the cousin of bin Hushab whom they call “Maj’ma” says: 

دَخَلْتُ مَعَ امّى عَلى عائِشَة فَسَألَتْها امّى قالَتْ: رَأَيتُ خُرُوجَكِ يَوْمَ الْجَمَلِ؟ قالَتْ: انَّهُ كانَ هذا مِنَ اللهِ تَعالى، فَسَألَتْها عَنْ عَلِىٍّ فَقالَتْ: سَألْتِنى عَنْ احَبِّ النّاسِ كانَ الى رَسُولِ اللهِ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم وَ لَقدْ رَأيْتُ عَليّاً وَ فاطِمَة وَ حَسَناً وَ حُسَيْناً وَ قَدْ جَمَعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ لغوفَ ^[20] عَلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ قالَ: اللّهُمَّ هؤُلآءِ اهْلُ بَيْتى وَ خاصَّتى فَاذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيراً. قالَتْ: قُلْتُ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ انَا مِنْ اهْلِكَ؟ فَقالَ: تَنَحّى فَانَّكِ الى خَيْر. ^[21]

Maj’ma says: ‘My mother and I went to Aisha, my mother told her: “I heard that, on the day of “Jamal Even” you stood against the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace.”’

Aisha said: ‘It was a destiny from Allah the Highest.’ Next, my mother asked about Ali. To her question, Aisha said: ‘Now, you asked me about the most beloved person in the sight of the Messenger of Allah. By Allah, I witnessed that the Messenger of Allah had brought together all of them: Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hussein and had spread a cover on top of them; then, he said: “O my Creator, these are my Household and are very close to me, remove any kind of impurity from them and purify them with the best purification.”

I asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, am I not of your Household?’ He stated: “Keep away from us, you have the happy ending.”

The ninth Narrative: Tha’labi, by means of his own documents, relates from Sad’dad bin Am‘mār that he says: ‘I went to Wathila bin Asgha and there were some people sitting with him. They were discussing until their conversation lead them to Ali, by hearing his name, all of them cursed him and so I.’ Wathila said: ‘Would you like me say something that I have heard from the Messenger of Allah?’

قالَ: اتَيْتُ فاطِمَة صَلَواتُ اللهِ عَلَيْها اسْأَلُها عَنْ عَلِىٍّ فَقالَتْ: تَوَجَّهَ الى رَسولِ اللهِ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم فَجَلَسْتُ فَجاءَ رَسُولُ اللهِ وَ مَعَهُ عَلِىٌّ وَ حَسَنَ وَ حَسَيْنٌ كُلُّ واحِدٍ مِنْهٌما آخِذٌ بِيَدِه حَتّى، دَخَلَ، وَ ادْنى عَليّاً وَ فاطِمَة فَاجْلَسَهُما بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَ اجْلَسَ حَسَناً وَ حُسَيْناً كُلَّ واحِدٍ مِنْهُما عَلى فَخِذِهِ ثُمَّ لَفَّ عَلَيْهِمْ ثَوْبَهُ- اوْ قالَ: كَساهُ- ثُمَّ تَلا هذِهِ الْآيَة: «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً».  ثُمَّ قال: اللّهُمَّ هؤُلآءِ اهْلُ بَيْتى وَ اهْلُ بَيْتى. ^[22]

 Wathila says: ‘I went to Fatima, upon her be peace, and enquired where Ali was; she said: ‘He has gone to the Messenger of Allah.’ I waited there until the Messenger of Allah and Ali returned. The Messenger of Allah was holding Hassan and Hussein on their hands when they entered the room. After they sat down, the Messenger of Allah called Ali and Fatima to him and let them sit closer in front of him. When they gathered together, the Messenger of Allah took Hassan and Hussein separately and seated them on his laps and spread his over-cloak upon them all and started reciting the Verse of Purification and stating twice: “O my Creator! These are my Household, these are my Household.”

And by means of his series of documents, Ahmad Hanbal has related this narrative at the last pages of his “Mosnad” that the Messenger of Allah said:

هؤُلاءِ اهْلُ بَيْتى، وَ اهْلُ بَيْتى احَق ^[23]

“These are my Household, and my Housed deserve it.”

The tenth Narrative: Ibrahim bin Muhammad Hamwini, in the book of “Faraeed as-Samteen fi Fazaeel al-Mortaza wal Batool wa as-Sibteen”, by means of his series of documents, relates from Yusuf bin Abdul-Hamid that:

 قالَ: قالَ لى ثَوْبانُ مَوْلى رَسُولِ اللهِ: اجْلَس رَسُولُ- اللهِ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم الْحَسَنَ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ عَلى فَخِذَيْهِ وَ فاطِمَة فى حُجْرِهِ وَ اعْتَنَقَ عَليْاً عليهم السّلام ثُمَّ قالَ: اللّهُمَّ هؤُلآءِ اهْلُ بَيْتى. ^[24]

Yusuf bin Abdul-Hamid says: ‘Thoban, the servant of the Messenger of Allah told me: ‘The Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, seated both Hassan and Hussein in his laps, placed Fatima close to him and put his hand on Ali’s shoulder then implored: “O my Creator! These are my Household.”’

The eleventh Narrative: Abu al-Mo‘ay‘yid Mowaf‘fagh bin Ahmad Kharazmi, by means of his series of documents from Abdur Rahman bin Abi Leila, relates it in the book “The Virtues of Ali upon him be peace ”, and also the Late Sheikh Tousi, in the book “Amali”, through his documents through Abdur Rahman bin AbiLeila says: ‘My father said: ‘On the Day of Kheibar, the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, trusted the banner of the battle to Ali bin Abī Tālib, upon him be peace, and Allah made the battle victories by him.

And on the Day of Ghadir, let him stand by him and then introduced him to the all gathering that he was the Successor of him and the Guardian upon every Muslim – man and woman. Then, the Messenger told him: “You are of me so am I of you;” and he also said: “you will fight for the sake of the Qur’an, as I struggled for the revelation of the Qur’an.”

And he stated him: “Your relation to me is as the relation of Aaron to Moses,” and he added: “I am peaceful with him who is peaceful with you, and I am the enemy of those who are enemies of you.” And he stated him: “And you are a strong shelter of belief, you are going to clarify all the dubious questions of my nation after me, you are the Imam and Leader of every believing man and woman, you are going to authority upon all the believing men and women after me. You are the same one about whom Allah has sent down this Verse:

وَ اذانٌ مِنَ اللهِ وَ رَسُولِهِ يَوْمَ الْحَجِّ الْاكْبَر

‘… and [this is] a proclamation from Allah and His Messenger [to people] on the day of the Greater Hajj Pilgrimage, (Qur’an: 9/3).’

And it is you who are going to follow my laws and traditions and defend my frontage, and you are the first one for whom the earth will split apart. You are going to be with me when I am by the [Kow‘thar] Pond [in Paradise]; I will be the first one to enter paradise while you are with me, and in the mean time, Fatima, Hassan and Hussein will enter it with us.

Allah commanded me to reveal your virtuous and so did I, I stood in front of the people and fulfilled my mission by announcing it to them. Now, fear the seditions of some people who have in their hearts against you and will be evident after me – may Allah curse them and curse them the curser!”

In that state, the Messenger of Allah cried, and he was asked why the Messenger of Allah was crying. The Holiness stated: “Gabriel has informed me that my nation will hurt him, they will take his right from him and with fight with him. They will oppress his children and kill some of them. And Gabriel reported me that at the time of the advent of their Existing Imam, the oppression will wiped out, the honour of my Household will increase and all my nation will come together under his protection. At that time, their accusers lessen and the pessimistic against then decreases, instead, they are praised. This victory is when the [the people] of the towns and cities are changed and their situations are different than it used to be. The righteous worshippers of Allah become weaker and weaker and they become hopeless of relief, at that time, the Existing Imam will come to sight among them.”

The Prophet said: “His name is my name, and his father’s name is the name of my father,^[25] and he is of the children of my daughter.

Allah will manifest the Right to them, and He will have the void destroyed by their swords; people will follow them with their own desires while they fear them.”

At that moment, the Messenger stopped crying and stated: “O you the company of the believers! I have the good news of relief for you, for Allah never breaks His promise, and He is the Wise Aware – certainly the victory is close:

اللّهَمَّ انَّهُمْ اهْلى فَاذْهِبَ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيرا.

O my Lord! They are my Household, do remove any impurity from them and make them ever-pure. Make them be pleased and have them under Your care, do help them  and give them honour but do not let them be abject – let my Truth remain among them forever!”

 انَّكَ عَلى‏ ما تَشاءُ قَدير ^[26]

Indeed You have power upon what You will.

The twelfth Narrative: Kharazmi Mowaf’fagh bin Ahmad, by means of his documents, relates from Wathila bin Asgha:

قالَ: لَمَّا جَمَعَ رَسُولُ اللهِ عَليّاً و فاطِمة وَ الْحَسَنَ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ تَحْتَ ثَوْبِهِ قالَ: اللّهُمَّ قَدْ جَعَلْتَ صَلَواتِكَ وَ رَحْمَتَكَ وَ مَغْفِرَتِكِ وَ رِضْوانَكَ على‏ ابْراهيمَ و آلِ ابْراهيمَ، اللّهُمَّ انَّهُمْ مِنّى وَانَا مِنْهُمْ فَاجْعَلْ صَلَواتِكَ وَ رَحْمَتَكَ وَ مَغْفِرَتَكَ وَ رِضْوانَكَ عَلَيْهِمَ. قال واثِلَة: وَ كُنْتُ واقِفاً بِالْبابِ فَقُلْتُ: وَ عَلَىَّ يا رَسْولَ اللهِ بِابى انْتَ وَ امّى؟ قالَ: اللّهُم‏ وَ عَلى‏ واِثلَة. ^[27]

Wathila says: ‘When the Messenger of Allah gathered Ali, Fatima, Hassan and Hussein under his over-cloak, implored: “You bestowed Your blessing, mercy, forgiveness and satisfaction to Abraham and his family; now, O Lord, these are my Household, they are from me and I am for them, so bestow Your blessing, mercy, forgiveness and satisfaction upon them.” 

The thirtieth Narrative: by means of his documents, Muhammad bin Yaghub Koleini relates from the Holiness Imam Sādiq who states the Statement of Him, the Almighty:

  انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً،يَعْنِى الْائِمَّة وَ وِلايَتَهُمْ، مَنْ دَخَلَ فيها دَخَلَ فى بَيْتِ النَّبِىِّ ^[28]

Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to purify you; that means, they are the Guardians and whoever enters into their Guardian he actually enters the House of the Messenger.

The fourteenth Narrative: by means of his own documents, ibn Babwiah relates from the Holiness Hussein bin Ali, the Master of the martyrs, upon him be peace, who said:   

 قالَ: دَخَلْتُ عَلى‏ رَسُولِ اللهِ فى بَيْتِ امِّ سَلَمَة وَ قْد نَزَلَتْ هذِهِ الْآيَة «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً»فَقالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ: يا عَلِىُّ هذِهِ الْآيَة فيكَ وَ فى سِبْطَىَّ وَ الْائَمَّة مِنْ وُلْدِكَ. فَقُلْتُ: يا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَ كَمِ الْائِمَّة بَعْدَكَ؟ قالَ: انْتَ يا عَلِىُّ ثُمَّ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ وَ بَعْدَ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلٌّى ابْنُهُ وَ بَعْدَ عَلىٍّ مُحَمِّدٌ ابْنُهُ وَ بَعْدَ مُحَمَّدٍ جَعْفَرٌ ابْنُهُ وَ بَعْدَ جَعْفُرٍ مُوسى‏ ابنُهُ وَ بْعَد مُوسى‏ عَلىٌّ ابْنُهُ وَ بَعْدَ عّلىٍّ مُحَمَّدٌ ابْنُهُ وَ بَعَد مُحَمَّدٍ علىٌّ ابْنُهُ وَ بَعْدَ عَلىّ‏] الْحَسَنُ ابْنُهُ وَ الْحَجَّة مِنْ وُلْدِ الْحَسَنِ، هكَذا اسْماؤُهُمْ مَكْتُوبَة عَلى‏ ساقِ الْعَرْشِ، فَسَألْتُ اللهَ تَعالى‏ عَنْ ذلِكَ، فَقالَ: يا مُحَمَّدُ هذِهِ الْائِمَّة بَعْدَكَ مُطَهَّرُونَ مَعْصُومُونَ، وَ اعْداؤُهُمْ مَلْعٌونُونَ. ^[29]

The Holiness Master of the martyrs said: ‘for visiting my grandfather I went to the house of Umm Salama, and the Verse of the Purification was sent down there. The Holiness Messenger stated: “O Ali, this Verse is for you and for two my beloved, my children and about the Imams descending from you.” I had the honour to ask: ‘How many are the Imams after you?’ The Holiness stated: “first, it is you, o Ali, and after you is Hassan and then Hussein. And after Hussein is his son, Ali, and after his son, Ali, is his son, Muhammad, and after Muhammad is his son Ja‘far. After Ja‘far is his son Musa, and after Musa is his son Ali, and after Ali is his Muhammad; and after Muhammad is his son Ali. After Ali is his son Hassan and finally the Holiness, the Proof of the era from the offspring of Hassan – their names have been written thus on the pillar of the firmament. Concerning those I asked Allah, the Almighty, I was addressed: “O Muhammad, these are the Imams after you, all of them are pure, innocent and free from any faults and impurities – their enemies are cursed.” 

The fifteenth Narrative: by means of his own series of documents, ibn Babweiah relates from Abdur-Rahman bin Kathir that he says:  

قُلْتُ لِابى عَبْدِ اللهِ: ما عَنَى اللهُ عَزَّ وَ جَّل بِقَوْلِهِ "انِّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ و يطهركم تطهيرا"؟ قالَ: انَزَلَتْ فى النَّبِىِّ وَ اميرِ الْمُؤْمِنينَ وَ الْحَسَنِ و الْحُسَيْنِ وَ فاطِمَة عليهم السّلام، فَلمّا قَبَضَ اللهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ نَبِيَّهُ كانَ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ اماماً ثُمَّ الْحَسَنُ ثُمَّ الْحُسَيْنُ ثُمَّ وَقَعَ تَأْويلُ هذِهِ الْآيَة  "وَ اولُوا الْارْحامِ بَعْضُهُمْ اوْلى‏ بِبَعْضٍ فى كِتابِ اللهِ" وَ كانَ عَلِىُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ اماماً ثُمَّ جَرَتْ فِى الْأئِمَّة مِنْ وُلْدِ الْاوْصِياءِ عليهم السّلام فَطاعَتُهُمْ طاعَة اللهِ وَ مَعْصِيَتُهُمْ مَعْصِيَة اللهِ عَزَّ وَ جَّل. ^[30]

Abdur-Rahman bin Kathir says: ‘I asked the Holiness Imam Sādiq concerning the Verse of Purification and the Holiness answered: “This Verse has been revealed about the Messenger, the Commander of the believers, Hassan, Hussein and Fatima, Peace be upon her; and when Allah, the Honourable And Exalted, took His Messenger to Him, the Commander of the believers became the Imam, and after him Hassan and then Hussein were the Imams. And after Hussein, according to the interpretation of the “Verse of the closer relatives”, the Holiness Ali bin al-Hussein became the Imam, and then, the Imamate circulated one after another among his lineages. Therefore, obeying them means obeying Allah, and committing sins against them is committing sins against Allah, the Honourable and Exalted.”’

And also there is similar narrative, with little difference, from ibn Babweiah which is related by Jabir Jo’fi of the Holiness Imam Muhammad Baqir from the Holiness Commander of the believers.^[31]

The sixteenth Narrative: by means of his documents, ibn Babweiah relates from Abu Basir in “Aamali”:

قالَ: قُلْتُ لِلصّادِقِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عليهما السّلام: مَنْ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ؟ قالَ: ذُرَّيِّتُهُ. قُلْتُ: مَنْ اهْلُ بَيْتِهِ؟ قالَ: الْائَمَّة الْاوْصِياءُ. قُلْتُ: مَنْ عِتْرَتَهَ؟ قالَ: اصْحابُ الْعَباءِ. فَقُلْتُ: مَنْ امَّتُهُ؟ قالَ: الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الَّذينَ صَدَقُوا بِما جاءَ بِهِ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللهش عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ، الْمُتَمَسِّكُونَ بَالثَّقَلَيْنِ اللَّذّينِ امِرُوا بِالتَّمَسُّكِ بِهِما كتابِ اللهِ وَ عِتْرَتِهِ اهْلِ بَيْتِهِ الَّذينَ اذْهَبَ اللهُ عَنْهُمُ الْرِّجْسَ وَ طَهَّرَهُمْ تَطْهيرا. ^[32]

Abu Basir says: ‘I had the honour to ask the Holiness Imam Sādiq, upon him be peace: ‘Who are the offspring of Muhammad?’

He stated: “His Descendants.” I asked: ‘Who are his Household?’ He answered: “They are the Imams, the successors of that Holiness.” I asked: ‘Who is his family?’

He stated: “The Companions of the Over-Cloak.”

I asked: ‘Then, who is his nation?’

He stated: “They are the believers who confirm whatever he has brought from Allah, and those who take hold of Two Precious Things: the Book of Allah and his Household whom Allah has cleansed from any impurities and has settled them at the position of absolute purification.”

 he seventeenth Narrative: in “Aamali”, ibn Babweiah relates of Abu Basir from the Holiness Imam Sādiq, upon him be peace, saying:

يا ابا بَصيرٍ، نَحْنُ شَجَرَة الْعِلْمِ وَ نَحْنُ اهْلُ بَيْتِ النَّبِىِّ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم وَ فى دارِنا مَهْبَطُ جِبْرائيلَ عليه السّلام، وَ نَحْنُ خُزّانُ عِلْمْ اللهِ، وَ نَحْنُ مَعادِنُ وَحْىِ اللهِ، مَنْ تَبِعَنا نَجا، وَ مَنْ تَخَلَّفَ عَنْا هَلَكَ، حَقّا عَلَى اللهِ عَزِ وَ جَل. ^[33]

“O Aba Basir, we are the tree of knowledge and so are we the Household of the Messenger; and our house is the place for Gabriel descending. We are the treasures of Allah’s Knowledge and we are the mines for the revelations of Allah. Whoever follows us is saved and he who opposes us, it is with Allah to destroy him.” 

The eighteenth Narrative: it is related in “Zakhayir al-Oghba”, from Omar bin Abi Salama that Rabib, who was the son of Allah’s Messenger’s wife:

عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ ابى سَلَمَة رَبيب رَسولِ اللهِ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم: نَزَلَتْ هذِهِ الْآيَة عَلى رَسولِ اللهِ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرَّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ- الآية» وَ فِى الْبَيْتِ امُّ سَلَمَة رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْها فَدَعَا النَّبِىُّ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم فاطِمَة وَ حَسَناً وَ حُسَيْناً فَجَلّلَهُمْ بِكِساء وَ عَلِىٌّ خَلْفَ ظَهْرِهِ، ثُمَّ قالَ: اللّهُمَّ هؤُلاء اهْلُ بَيْتى فَاذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيراً. قالَتْ ام سَلَمَة: وَ انَا مَعَهُمْ يا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قالَ: انْتِ عَلى‏ مَكانِكِ وَ انْتِ عَلى ‏خَيْر. ^[34]

The son of Umm Salama, who is the son of the wife of the Messenger of Allah, says: “This Verse was descended to the Messenger of Allah when Umm Salama was also at home. The Messenger of Allah called Fatima, Hassan and Hussein while Ali was already sitting behind the Holiness. Then he spread his over-cloak over them and implored: “O Allah, these are my Household, remove the impurity away from them and keep them pure and free from any faults.” Then, Umm Salama asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, am I also among them?’ He answered: “Stay where you are for you are on the right track.”

The nineteenth Narrative: Siyu:ti has extracted it out of ibn Mardouyah and Khatib from Abi Saeed al-Khodri, may Allah be pleased with, who said:  

ابى سَعيدٍ الْخُدْرِىِّ- رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ- قالَ: كان يَوْمُ امِّ سَلَمَة امِّ الْمُؤْمِنينَ- رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْها- فَنَزَلَ جَبْرَئيلُ عليه السّلام عَلى رَسُولِ اللهِ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم بِهذِهِ الْآيَة: "انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا"، قالَ: فَدَعا رَسُولُ اللهِ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم بِحَسَنٍ وَ حُسَيْنٍ وَ فاطِمَة وَ عَلِىٍّ فَضَمَّهُمْ الَيْهِ وَ نَشَرَ عَلَيْهِمُ الثَّوْبَ، وَ الْحِجابُ عَلى امِّ سَلَمَة مَضْرُوبٌ ثُمَّ قالَ: اللّهُمَّ هؤُلآءِ اهْلُ بَيْتى، اللّهُمَّ اذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيراً. قالَتْ امُّ سَلَمَة- رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْها: فَانَا مَعَهُمْ يا نَبِىَّ اللهِ؟ قالَ: انْتِ عَلى‏ مَكانِكِ وَ انَّكِ عَلى خَيْر. ^[35]

Abi Saeed al-Khodri says: ‘It was one of those days that the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, should stay with Umm Salama, Gabriel descended to the Messenger of Allah carrying the Verse of Purification with him. The Messenger of Allah called Hassan, Hussein, Fatima and Ali to him and embraced all of them. Then he spread a robe upon them while Umm Salama was [watching] behind the curtain, next the Messenger of Allah implored: “O my Creator! These are my Household, do lift them to the position of  absolute purification.”

Umm Salama says: ‘I asked: “O Messenger of Allah, am I also with them?”’ He stated: “Stay where you are, for your status is good.”

The twentieth Narrative: Mohibb ad-Din Tabari has extracted it from the “Mosnad”  of Ahmad Hanbal and from Doulabi of Umm Salama:

قالَتْ: بَيْنَما رَسُولُ اللهِ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم فى بَيْتِهِ يَوْماً اذْ قالَتِ الْخادِمُ ^[36]: انَّ عَلِيّاً وَ فاطِمَة بِالسُّدّة، قالَتْ: فَقالَ لى: قوُمى فَتَنَحِّى عَنْ اهْلِ بَيْتى، قالَتْ: فَقُمْتُ فَتَنَحَّيْتُ فِى الْبَيْتِ قَريباً فَدَخَلَ عَلِىٌّ وَ فاطِمَة وَ مَعَهُمُ الْحَسَنُ وَ الْحُسَيْنُ وَ هُما صَبيِاّنِ صَغيرانِ، فَاخَذَ الصَّبِيَّيْنِ فَوَضَعَهُما فِى حُجْرهِ وَ قَبَّلَهُما وَ اعْتَنَقَ عَليّاً بِاحْدى يَدَيْهِ وَ فاطِمَة بِالْاخُرْى وَ قَبَّلَ فاطِمَة وَ قَبَّل عَليًّا فَاغْدَقَ عَلَيْهِمْ خَميصَة سَوْداء ثُمَّ قالَ: اللّهُمَّ الَيْكَ لا الَى النّارِ انَا وَ اهْلُ بَيْتى. قالَتْ: قُلتُ: وَ انَا يا رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلىَّ اللهُ عَلَيْكَ؟ قالَ: وَ انْت. ^[37]

Umm Salama says: ‘Once when the Messenger of Allah was at my home, all of a sudden the servant came to me saying: ‘Ali and Fatima are staying at the door,’ then, the Holiness stated me: “Stand up and keep away from my Household.”

Umm Salama says: ‘I stood up and waited away from them in a corner. At that moment Ali and Fatima entered [the room] while Hassan and Hussein were following them. The boys were still little, the Holiness gave them kisses and let them sit in his laps, then he rested his hand on Ali’s shoulder and the other hand on Fatima’s. He also gave kisses to Ali and Fatima and then, spread a marked black woolen robe over them and implored: “O my Creator! Take them to Yourself but do not lead them to the Fire – my Household and I.”

Umm Salama says: ‘O Messenger of Allah, nor should He take me to the Fire?’ He stated: “You too.”

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The declarations of the Generous Messenger and Holiness Imam Mojtaba of the Purification Verse

The [documents and] witnesses concerning that the Verse of Purification is specified for ‘The Five Holy Ones’.

The first one is the Messenger of Allah himself, for the Late Sheikh Tousi, by means of his series of documents  from the Holiness Ali bin al-Hussein Zain al-Aabedin, upon him be peace, relates a detailed narrative about the statements and sermons of the Holiness Imam Hassan Mojtaba after his peace treaty with Mua‘wiyah; among them is:

وَ قَدْ قال اللهُ تَعالى: «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً»، فَلَمّا نَزَلَتْ آيَة التَّطْهيرِ جَمَعَنا رَسُولُ اللهِ انا وَ اخى وَ امِّى وَ ابى فَجَعَلَنا وَ نَفْسَهُ فى كِساءٍ لِامِّ سَلَمَة خَيْبَرّىٍ وَ ذلِكَ فى حُجْرَتِها وَ يَوْمِها، فَقالَ: اللَّهُمَّ انَّ هؤُلآءِ اهْلُ بَيْتِى وَ هؤُلاءِ اهْلى وَ عِتْرَتى فَاذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيراً. فَقالَتْ امُّ سَلَمَة رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْها-: انَا ادْخُلُ مَعَهُمُ يا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ فَقالَ لَها رَسُولُ اللهِ: يَرحَمُكِ اللهُ انْتِ عَلى‏ خَيْرٍ وَالى‏ خَيْرٍ، وَ ما أَ رْضانى عَنْكِ وَ لكِنَّها خاصَّة لى وَ لَهُمْ، ثُمًّ مَكَثَ رَسُوُل اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم بَعْدَ ذلِكَ بَقِيَّة عُمْرِهِ حَتّى‏ قَبَضَهُ اللهُ الَيْهِ يَأْتينا فى كُلِّ يَوْمٍ عِنْدَ طُلُوعِ الْفَجْر وَ يَقُولُ: الصَّلاة يَرْحَمُكُمُ اللهُ «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا». ^[38]

After his peace treaty with Mua‘wiyah, the Holiness Imam Hassan, upon him be peace, in the presence of a group of the Muslims in the mosque says: ‘Allah has sent down the Verse of Purification only for us; the Messenger of Allah called my father, my mother, my brother and I to him and then, let us all, as well himself, squeeze under the Kheibari over-cloak – the cloak which belonged to Salama and this event happed in her room – when it was her turn [the Messenger] to be there, and he implored: “O my Creator! These are my Household, these are my family and my Household, remove any impureness away from them and do cleanse them.”’

Umm Salama said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, could I also creep under the cloak?’

The Holiness Messenger of Allah stated: “Allah may have mercy upon you, you are on the right track, you will end with the benevolence. And now, how happy I am with you, but this position, being together under the over-cloak, is specified for them and I.” The Holiness Imam Hassan continued: ‘Since that day until the end of his life, every morning, at dawn, the Messenger of Allah used to come to us and say: “Now, [it is time for the] prayer, may Allah bless you;” ^[39] and he used to recite the Verse of Purification for us.’

Well, firstly this noble narrative is the Holy Messenger’s own witnessing and secondly it denotes the comment of the Holiness Imam Hassan concerning the Verse of Purification to be for the status of ‘The Five Holy Ones’

 nd two other narratives of Sheikh Tousi in “Aamali”, with his documents leading to the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, denotes that Ali, upon him be peace, said:

قال عَلِىٌّ عليّه السّلام: كانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم يَأْتينا كٌلَّ غَداة فَيَقُولُ: الصَّلاة رَحِمَكُمُ اللهُ الصَّلاة «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهَّركُمْ تَطْهيرا.

He has brought these two narratives in ‘the Ghāyat al-Maram’, under the title of “Narrative eighteenth and nineteen”, on the page 295. ^[40] And the Late Sheikh, by means of his documents ^[41] from Abul-Hamra, and Siyu:ti ^[42] by ibn Madoweiah from Abu Saeed Khodri and Heithami ^[43] has brought it though with little differences in the statements. Therefore, we are going to mention the statement of “Aamali” that: 

شَهِدْتُ النَّبِىَّ ارْبَعينَ صَباحاً يَجِى‏ءُ الى بابِ عَلىٍّ وَ فاطِمَة فَيَأْخُذُ بِعِضادَتَىِ الْبابِ ثُمَّ يَقولُ: السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمْ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ رَحْمَة اللهِ. الصَّلاة يَرْحَمُكُمُ اللهُ "انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهَّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً".

[Abul Hamra says:] ‘I used to witness for forty days, in the morning, that the Messenger of Allah came at the door of Ali and Fatima and while resting his two hands on the either side of the door he said: “May Allah’s praise be upon you, [it is time] to pray; may Allah cast His mercy upon you!” Then, he used to recite the Verse of Purification to honour their status, and say:

انَا حَرْبٌ لِمَنْ حارَبْتُمْ انَا سِلْمٌ لِمَنْ سالَمْتُمْ.

 “I am the enemy of those who are your enemies, and I am in peace with anyone who is in peace with you.”

Siyu:ti says that Tabrani has extracted it from Abu-al-Hamra:

قالَ: رَأَيْتُ رَسُولَ- اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم يَأْتى بابَ عَلِىٍّ وَ فاطِمَة سِتَّة أَشْهُرٍ فَيَقُوُل: "انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا." ^[44]

[Abu-al-Hamra says:] ‘I witnessed that the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, came to Ali and Fatima’s house for six months and said: “Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to purify you.”

And Siyu:ti says: ‘And ibn Jarir and ibn Mardoweia have extracted from Abi al-Hamra:

قالَ: حَفِظْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم ثَمانيَة اشْهُرٍ بِالْمَدِينَة، لَيْسَ مَرَّة يَخْرُجُ الى صَلاة الْغَداة الّا اتى الى بابِ عَلِىٍّ- رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ- فَوَضعَ يَدَهُ عَلى جَنْبَتَىِ الْبابِ ثُمَّ قالَ: الصَّلاة الصَّلاة، «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ البَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا». ^[45]

Abu al-Hamra says: ‘I remember the Messenger of Allah that for eight continual months when he was going to the mosque to pray in the morning he went to Ali’s house and while putting his hands on the either side of the front door he called: ‘Prayer, prayer,’ and then, he recited the Verse of Purification to honour their dignity.’

And Siyu:ti,^[46] by extracting ibn Mardoyeh from ibn Abbas, and Tha’labi ^[47] by extracting of his own from Abul Hamra and Kharazmi ^[48] by extracting of his own, with little differences in phrases,  relate from Khodri (and now we are to bring the first wordings), he said:

قالَ: شَهِدْنا رَسُولَ اللهِ صلّى الله عليه و آله و سلّم تِسْعَة اشْهُرٍ يَأْتى كُلَّ يَوْمٍ بابَ عَلِىِّ بْنِ ابيطالِبٍ- رَضِىَ اللهُ عَنْهُ- عِنْدَ وَقْتِ كُلِّ صَلاة فَيَقُولُ: السَّلامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَ رَحْمَة اللهِ وَ بَرَكاتُهُ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا». الصَّلاة رَحِمَكُمُ اللهُ- كُلَّ يَوْمِ خَمْسَ مَرّات.

[Ibn Abbas, Abu-al-Hamra and Abu Saeed Khodri] say: ‘We bore witnessing that the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, for nine continual months when he was going to the mosque to pray every time, he went to Ali bin Abī Tālib’s house and said: “May Allah’s peace, His mercy and His blessing be upon you the Household,” and then, he recited the Verse of Purification to honour them. Soon after, he said: “[It is time to] pray, may Allah cast His mercy upon you.” And every day, the Messenger of Allah repeated it five times before the prayer times.

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The argument of the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, about the Purification Verse to be of his

The second is the declaration of the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, concerning himself about the Verse of Purification, and this statement has bee occurred in several occasions.

First: when the Messenger of Allah, Bless be to him and his Descendants, passed away, Abu Bakr and Omar went to the Holiness, [Ali’s] house and commanded the Holiness to pay homage, but after the Holiness refusing it, they went to the mosque and addressed a few words in the presence of the Muslims – they also referred to the Verse of Purification and declared it for their own benefit.

Thus, by his own series of documents, Sheikh Tousi relates this narrative in “Aamali” from Imam Reza, upon him be peace – he quotes his father and goes on [mentioning] his grandfathers one after another until he approaches the Holiness Saj’jad Ali bin al-Hussein, upon him be peace:   

 قالَ: لَمّا اتى‏ ابو بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرُ الى‏ مَنْزِلِ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ عليّه السّلام وَ خاطَباهُ فِى الْبَيْعَة وَ خَرَجا مِنْ عِنْدِهِ خَرَجَ امِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ عليّه السّلام الَى الْمَسْجِدِ فَحَمِدَ اللهَ وَ أَثْنى‏ عَلَيْهِ مِمَّا اصْطَنَعَ عِنْدَهُمْ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ اذْ بَعَثَ فيِهِمْ رَسُولًا مِنْهُمْ وَ اذْهَبَ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهَّرَهُمْ تَطْهيراً. ثُمَّ قالَ: انَّ فُلاناً وَ فُلاناً اتَيانِى وَ طالَبانِى لِلْبَيْعَة لِمَنْ سَبِيلُهُ انْ يُبَايِعَنى، انَا ابْنُ عَمِّ النَّبِىِّ وَ ابُو ابْنَيْهِ وَ الصِّدِّيقُ الْاكْبَرْ وَ اخُو رَسُولِ اللهِ، لا يَقُولُها احَدٌ غَيْرِى الّا كاذِبٌ، وَ اسْلَمْتُ وَ صَلَّيْتُ، وَ انَا وَصِيُّهُ وَ زَوْجُ ابْنَتِهِ سَيَّدَة نِساءِ الْعالَمينَ فاطِمَة بِنْتِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ ابُو الْحَسَنِ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ سِبْطَىْ رَسُولِ اللهِ وَ نَحْنُ اهْلُ بَيْتِ الرَّحْمَة، بنا هَداكُمُ اللهُ وَ بِنَا اسْتَنْقَذَكُمْ مِنَ الضَّلالَة، وَ انَا صاحِبُ يَوْمِ الرُّوحِ وَ فِىَّ سَنَة سُورَة مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ، وِ انَا الْوَصِىُّ عَلَى اْلَامْواتِ مِنْ اهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ انَا ثِقَتُهُ عَلىَ اْلَاحْياءِ مِنْ امَّتِهِ فَاتَّقُوا اللهَ يُثَبِّتْ اقْدامَكُمْ وَ يُتِمَّ نِعْمَتَهُ عَلَيْكُمْ. ثُمَّ رَجَعَ الى‏ بَيْتِه. ^[49]

[The Holiness Imam Saj’jad] said: ‘When Abu Bakr and Omar went to the house of the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, they ordered him to pay homage, the Holiness did not accept it. Then when they left the house, the Holiness went to the mosque and after praising Allah for His favours towards the Household and raising a Messenger from among them, and also keeping them away from any impurities, as well making them pure and clean, he went on saying: ‘Such and such persons came to me and asked me to swear allegiance: paying homage to such a person that his duty is to pay homage to me!

I am the cousin of the Messenger of Allah and the father of his two sons, I am the greatest truthful and pious and I am the brother of the Messenger of Allah. No one but I can claim this except he must be a liar. I am the first one who has embraced the Islam and has prayed. I am the Successor of the Messenger and so am I the husband of his daughter, the Mistress of the ladies in paradise – Fatima. And I am the father of Hassan and Hussein the two children of the Messenger of Allah. We are the Household of compassion; Allah guided you through us and saved you from perversion. I am the owner of the “Day of Spirit”, and “the Year” which has been mentioned in a chapter of the Qur’an is within me. ^[50] And I am his successor to the dead from his Household, and so am I his trusty friend to his alive nation. So follow the piety for Allah strengthens you steps and increases His blessing towards you. He ended up his say and returned home. 

The second declaration of the Commander of the believers is referring to the Verse of

Purification against Abu Bakr about the usurping of the Fadak

By means of his documents in his commentary,  Ali bin Ibrahim relates it in a narrative from the Holiness Imam Sādiq, upon him be peace, that:

قالَ: قالَ اميرُ الْمُؤْمِنينَ عليّه السّلام لِابى بَكْرٍ: يا ابا بَكْرٍ تَقْرَأ الْكِتابَ؟ قالَ: نَعَمْ، قالَ: فَاخْبِرْنى عَنْ قَوْلِ اللهِ تَعالي: "انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا" فيمَنْ نَزَلَتْ، فينا أَمْ فى غَيْرِنا؟ قالَ: بَلْ فيكُم. ^[51]

 When the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, was angry about the event of Fadak and was taking it to task, said to Abu Bakr: “Do you ever recite the Book of Allah?” He answered, ‘Yes, I do.’ The Holiness stated: “So, let me know about whom the Verse of Purification has been sent down, is it sent down for us or anyone else?” He answered: ‘It is sent down about you.’   

The third declaration of the Commander of the believers concerning the Verse of Purification in the Council Assembly

By his chains of documents, in “Aamali”, Sheikh Sadough relates from Aamir ibn Wasila that he said:

قالَ: كُنْتُ فِى الْبَيْتِ يَوْمَ الشُّورى فَسَمِعْتُ عَليّاً عليّه السّلام وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ: اسْتَخْلَفَ النّاسُ ابا بَكْر وَ انَا وَ اللهِ احَقُّ بِالْامْرِ وَ اوْلى‏ بِهِ مِنْهُ، وَ اسْتَخْلَفَ عُمَرَوَ انَا وَ اللهِ احَقُّ بِالْامْرِ وَ اوْلى‏ مِنْهُ الّا انَّ عَمَرَ جَعَلَنى مَعَ خَمْسَة انَا سادِسُهُمْ لا يَعْرِفُ عَلَىَّ فَضْلًا، وَ لَوْ أَشاءُ لَاحْتَجَجْتُ بِما لا يَسْتَطيعُ عَرَبِيُّهُمِ وَ لا عَجَمِيُّهُمُ الْمُعاهِدُ مِنْهُمْ وَ الْمُشْرِكُ تَغْييرَ ذلِكَ، ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ عليّه السّلام مَا احْتَجَ‏بهِ عَلى‏ اهْلِ الشُّورى‏، فَقال فى ذلِكَ: نَشَدْتُكُمْ بِاللهِ هَلْ فيكُمْ احَدٌ انْزَلَ اللهُ فيهِ آيَة التَّطْهير عَلى‏ رَسُولِ اللهِ «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهَّركُمْ تَطْهيراً»؟ فَاخَذَ رَسْولَ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم كِساءً خَيْبَرِيّاً فَضَمَّنى فيهِ وَ فاطِمَة وَ الْحَسَنَ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ ثُمَّ قالَ: يا رَبِّ انَّ هؤُلآءِ اهْلُ بَيْتى فَاذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيراً؟ قالُوا: اللّهُمَّ لا قالَ: كُنْتُ فِى الْبَيْتِ يَوْمَ الشُّورى فَسَمِعْتُ عَليّاً عليّه السّلام وَ هُوَ يَقُولُ: اسْتَخْلَفَ النّاسُ ابا بَكْر وَ انَا وَ اللهِ احَقُّ بِالْامْرِ وَ اوْلى‏ بِهِ مِنْهُ، وَ اسْتَخْلَفَ عُمَرَوَ انَا وَ اللهِ احَقُّ بِالْامْرِ وَ اوْلى‏ مِنْهُ الّا انَّ عَمَرَ جَعَلَنى مَعَ خَمْسَة انَا سادِسُهُمْ لا يَعْرِفُ عَلَىَّ فَضْلًا، وَ لَوْ أَشاءُ لَاحْتَجَجْتُ بِما لا يَسْتَطيعُ عَرَبِيُّهُمِ وَ لا عَجَمِيُّهُمُ الْمُعاهِدُ مِنْهُمْ وَ الْمُشْرِكُ تَغْييرَ ذلِكَ، ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ عليّه السّلام مَا احْتَجَ‏بهِ عَلى‏ اهْلِ الشُّورى‏، فَقال فى ذلِكَ: نَشَدْتُكُمْ بِاللهِ هَلْ فيكُمْ احَدٌ انْزَلَ اللهُ فيهِ آيَة التَّطْهير عَلى‏ رَسُولِ اللهِ «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهَّركُمْ تَطْهيراً»؟ فَاخَذَ رَسْولَ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم كِساءً خَيْبَرِيّاً فَضَمَّنى فيهِ وَ فاطِمَة وَ الْحَسَنَ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ ثُمَّ قالَ: يا رَبِّ انَّ هؤُلآءِ اهْلُ بَيْتى فَاذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيراً؟ قالُوا: اللّهُمَّ لا. ^[52]

[Aamir ibn Wasila] says: ‘After the Council of Omar, I was at the same home and heard that the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, say: “The people assigned Abu Bakr for their Caliph while, by Allah, I deserved it to take the government, and I was worthier than he is for the Caliphate. Then, Abu Bakr assigned Omar as the Caliph, and by Allah, I was more deserving and worthier than he was for the Caliphate.

Be alert! In this Council, Omar has assigned me among five people – and I am the sixth of them; while my superiority and privilege is not unknown to anyone. ^[53]And if I want to bring an action against it, I argue that never an Arab or none-Arab – whether be believer or disbeliever – to bring a change to it.”

Then, the Holiness argues with the people of the Council and he says: ‘Tell me, for Allah’s sake, is there anyone among you, except me, that the Verse of Purification to be sent down for him, and then the Messenger to embrace him and to bring Fatima, Hassan and Hussein together and spread his Kheibari over-cloak over them all and saying: “O my Creator, these are my Household, do remove any impurity and abomination from them and keep them cleanse and faultless?”

The people of the Council answered: ‘No, never’.

And also, Sheikh Tousi, by means of his own documents in “Aamali” relates from Abuzar Ghaf‘fari saying:

انَّ عَليّاً وَ عُثْمانَ وَ طَلْحَة وَ الزُّبَيْرَ وَ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمنِ بْنَ عَوْفٍ وَ سَعْدَ بْنَ ابى وَقّاصٍ امَرَهُمْ عُمَرُ بْنُ الْخَطّابِ انْ يَدْخُلُوا بَيْتاً وَ يَغْلِقُوا عَلَيْهِمْ بابَهُ وَ يَتَشاوَرُوا فى امْرِهِمْ بَيْنَهُمْ ثَلاثَة ايَّامٍ، فَانْ تَوافَقَ خَمْسَة عَلى قَوْلٍ واحِدٍ وَ ابى رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ قُتِلَ ذلِكَ الرَّجُلُ، وَ انْ تَوافَقَ ارْبَعَة وَ ابَى اثْنانِ قُتِلَ الْإثْنانِ. فَلَمَّا تَوافَقُوا جَميعاً عَلى رَأْىٍ واحِدٍ قالَ لَهُمْ عَلِىُّ بْنُ ابيطالِبٍ عليّه السّلام: انّى احِبُّ انْ تَسْمَعُوا مِنِّى ما اقُولُ لَكُمْ فَانْ يَكُنْ حَقّاً فَاقْبَلُوهُ وَ انْ يَكُنْ باطِلًا فَانْكِرُوهُ، قالُوا: قُلْ، فَذَكَرَ فضائِلَهُ عَنِ اللهِ سُبْحانَهُ وَ عَنْ رَسُولِهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم وَ هُمْ يُوافِقُونُهُ وَ يُصَدِّقونَهُ فيما قالَ، وَ كانَ فيما قالَ عليّه السّلام: فَهَلْ فيكُمْ احَدٌ انْزَلَ اللهُ فيهِ آيَة التَّطْهير حَيْثُ يَقُوُل اللهُ تَعالى: " انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وُ يَطِّهَرُكْم تَطْهيراً" غَيرى وَ زَوْجَتى وَ ابْنَىَّ؟ قالُوا: لا. ^[54]

 [Abuzar Ghaf‘fari] says: ‘Omar bin al-Khat‘tab announced that, after his death, six people: Ali bin Abī Tālib, Othman, Talha, Zubair, Sa‘d bin Abi Wagh‘ghas and Abdur Rahman bin Auf to go in a peaceful room and locked the door, then consult about the case of Caliphate.’ He pointed out that their gathering should be for three days then, if the verdicts of five were the same but one disagreed them, they behead him. And if the verdicts of four were the same but two disagreed them, they behead those two. And if the verdicts of three of them were for a certain man and the other three’s opinions were another one, then the opinions of those three that Abdur Rahman bin Auf is in it, is right.

And then when all the five agreed on a certain one, the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, told them: “I would like you to listen what I am telling you, then, if what I say is right do accept it but if it is wrong, reject it.” They said: ‘Tell us.’ The Holiness explained in details all about his virtues within the Verses of the Qur’an sent down in his status and dignity, and also of his superiorities stated by the Messenger of Allah. All of them agreed with him and accepted what he said.

A part of the Holiness’ statement was of his virtues when he said: “Is there anyone among you, except me, my wife and my two sons that the Verse of Purification to be sent down for him?” They answered: ‘No, never’.  

And also Sheikh Tousi, in “Amali”, relates another similar narrative, of course, not with his own documents, but by the documents of Abul Aswad Doueli. ^[55]

The fourth argumentation of the Commander of the believers concerning the Verse of Purification in the Mosque of the Messenger

Hamwini, by means of his series of documents in “Al-Faraeed al-Samteen on the Virtues of al-Mortaza and al-Batool and the Sons” relates from Salim bin Ghais that he said: ‘I saw that Ali bin Abī Tālib, upon him be peace, was in the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah, it was at the time of Othman and some people were sitting in the Mosque and discussing about the knowledge and jurisprudence. They were talking about the Quraish, and their virtues, their background, their immigration and whatever the Messenger of Allah had thought and told them. The Commander of the believers was sitting quiet and saying nothing – and none of his relatives or companions said a word. Meanwhile, some of them turned to the Commander of the believers and said: ‘O Abu al-Hassan, why do you not say a word?’

The Holiness answered: “[I heard that] both tribes of the Supporters and Immigrants said something here, they declared some facts and spoke about the virtues of some people. But now, o the company of the Quraish, and the Supporters, I have a question to ask you, that is, by what means has Allah honoured you this grace and nobility ? Has He honoured it to you because of yourselves, your folk, your clan, your household or anyone else?”

All of them answered: ‘None, but Allah has honoured us this boon by Muhammad and his Household – thus, it was not by our own household, clan or next of kin.’

The Holiness stated: “You said the right thing. Now, you the Quraish and the Supporters, do you know that whatever Allah has given you of the worldly benefit and the enjoyment of the Hereafter is through us, the Household, but not anyone else?”

Next, the Holiness went on mentioning of his virtues one by one and stating the Verses of the Qur’an which had been sent down for his status and dignity, then, he said:

ايُّهَا النّاسُ ا تَعْلَمُونَ انَّ اللهَ انْزَلَ فى كتابِهِ: "انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً"  فَجَمَعَنى وَ فاطِمَة وَ ابْنَىَّ حَسَناً وَ الْحُسَيْنَ ثُمَّ الْقى‏ عَلَيْنا كِساءً وَ قالَ: اللّهُمَّ هؤُلآءِ اهْلُ بَيْتى وَ لُحْمَتى يُؤْلِمُنى ما يُؤْلِمُهُمْ، وَ يَجْرَحُنى ما يَجْرَحُهُمْ ^[56] فَاذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيراً، فَقالَتْ: امُّ سَلَمَة: وَ انَا يا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ فَقالَ: انْتِ الى‏ خَيْرٍ، فِىِّ وَ فِى اخى عَلِّى بْنِ ابيطالِبٍ وَ فِى ابْنَىَّ وَ فى تِسْعَة مِنْ وُلْدِ ابْنِىَ الْحُسَيْنِ خاصَّة لَيْسَ مَعَنا فيها احَدٌ غَيْرُنا؟ فَقالُوا كُلُّهُمْ: نَشْهَدُ انَّ امَّ سَلَمَة حَدَّثتَنْا بِذلِكَ فَسَألْنا رَسُولَ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم فحدثنا كَما حَدَّثَتْنا امُّ سَلَمَة.

[The Holiness, to the gathering, said] “O people, do you know that Allah has sent down the Verse of Purification for our sake, that is: Allah only desires to put away any impurity from you, the Household, and to purify you?

And the Messenger invited me, Fatima and my both sons, Hassan and Hussein to him, and then, he spread an over-cloak upon us all and had the honour to implore: “O my Creator, this is my Household, these are parts of my flesh, it will injure me whatever injures them. O Allah, keep away any impurities and devil from them, save them pure and cleanse.”

Then, Umm Salama asked: ‘O Messenger of Allah, am I also the same as they are?’ He stated: “You have a happy ending.

This case is only for me, and my brother, Ali bin Abī Tālib, and the two sons of mine and also nine children of my child Hussein. Thus, no one has part in this purification and the exclusion of the impurity.”

Those people said: ‘Yes, all of us bear witness that Umm Salama told this story to us, and later on, we asked the Messenger of Allah, he too explained it in the same way that Umm Slama had explained it.’ ^[57]

Anyhow, this narrative is lengthy but we only explained the part which is related to the Verse of Purification, and also the status of its revelation for the sake of the Household.

Al‘lama Najm ad-Din Sharif Askari says: ‘This narrative, which is known as “adjuration” among the scholars, most of the learned of the Shiite and Sunnite have extracted it. Among them is Hamwini Shafiee in the “al-Faraeed al-Samteen”, and Kharazmi Hanafi in “Managhib”, page 217, with little differences in words and sentences, and Sheikh Solomon Ghandouzi Hanafi in “Yanabi Al-Mawadda”, page 114, who has brought parts of it. And also the writer of “Al-Managhib al_Fakhira”, and ibn Hajar Heithami in “As-Sawaeegh al-Moharragha”, page 77, who has also used some parts of it. And among the Imamate Scholars is Sayyid Hashim Bahrani in “the Ghāyat al-Maram”, page 67; and also in his small book, which is known as “Al-Managhib”, and the appendixes that we have added to it, and also have mentioned the narratives’ references and preparations; it has been published as “Ali and the Traditions” in Baghdad. ^[58]

The fifth argumentation of the Commander of the believers ,Upon him be peace, concerning the Verse of Purification before beginning the event of Siffin

As Mua‘wiyah wrote a long letter to the Commander of the believers, upon him be peace, and sent it to the Holiness by Abu Darda and Abu Horaira, and it read as: “If you have not taken part in killing Othman, do introduce his murders to me so that to kill them. In that case, I will trust the government to you and then, all my relatives, and all the people of Sham as well as I myself will swear allegiance to your Caliphate.” ^[59]

After answering Abu Huraira and Abu Darda clearly and in details, the Holiness pointed out the problem of Mua‘wiyah’s treachery that: ‘the people have sworn allegiance to my Caliphate, therefore, it is my task to judge the murderers of Othman so what is your occupation in this case?! You are neither a Caliph for the nation nor the guardian for his death nor his heir. Now, as the vengeance for bloodshed, you are raising sedition, and in this way, you have become the cause of discord and separation among the Muslims. It is you who must swear allegiance with me, and your opposing it is against the law – illegitimate. ‘

Then, the Holiness, in the presence of Abu Huraira and Abu Darda, and also the Immigrants and the Supporters makes a lengthy speech. Through his lecture, he points to his bright previous records in Islam and explains his certain right in the religion. In the mean time, he refers to the Verses of the Qur’an revealed for his honour as well the statements of the Messenger of Allah concerning his virtues and priorities.  

Among them is the citation of the Holiness about the Verse of Purification when he says:

ايُّهَا النّاسُ ا تَعْلَمُونَ انَّ اللهَ تَبارَكَ وَ تَعالى‏ انْزَلَ فى كِتابِهِ: «انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهَّرَكُمْ تَطْهيراً»، فَجَمَعَنى رَسُولُ اللهِ وَ فاطِمَة وَ الْحَسَنَ وَ الْحُسَيْنَ فى كِساءٍ وَ قالَ: اللّهُمَّ هؤُلآءِ عِتْرَتى وَ خاصَّتى وَ اهْلُ بَيْتى فَاذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَ طَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهيراً، فَقالَتْ امُّ- سَلَمَة: وَ انَا؟ فَقالَ: انَّكِ عَلى   ‏خَيْرٍ وَ انَّما انْزِلَتْ فِىَّ وِ فى اخى عَلِىٍّ وَ ابْنَتى فاطِمَة وَ ابْنَىَّ الْحَسَنِ و الْحُسَيْنِ- صَلَواتُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِمْ- خاصَّة لَيْسَ مَعَنا غَيْرُنا وَ فى تِسْعَة مِنْ وُلْدِ الْحُسَيْنِ مِنْ بَعْدى. فَقامَ كُلُّهُمْ فَقالُوا: نَشْهَدُ انَّ امَّ سَلَمَة حَدَّثَتْنا بذلِكَ، فَسَألنا عَنْ ذلِكَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صلّى الله عليّه و آله و سلّم فَحَدَّثَنا بِهِ كَما حَدَّثَتْنا امُّ سَلَمَة. ^[60]

[The Commander of the believers said:] ‘O people! Do you know that Allah sent down the Verse of Purification in His Book, and also the Messenger of Allah gathered us: Fatima, Hassan, Hussein and I under an over-cloak close to him and then, said: “O Allah! These is my family, my Sacred and my Household, take any impurity away from them and keep them cleanse.”

At that moment, Umm Salama asked: ‘Am I also with them?’

The Holiness stated: “Your destiny is alright, but this specialty is for me, my brother Ali, my daughter Fatima, for my two sons: Hassan and Hussein. No one has part in this specialty, and it is for nine of Hussein’s children who will come after me.”

All the people present there stood up saying: ‘We bear witness that we all heard it from Umm Salama, then when we enquired it from the Messenger of Allah, he confirmed it and told us the same thing that Umm Salama had said.’

And in this connection, the Commander of the believers, Upon him be peace, has another argumentation who by referring to the Verse of Purification makes his speech, but as it a bit lengthy, we are just to mention the translation of it.

In the book of “The Proud Virtues of the Pure Household”, the narrator, by means of his documents, relates from Sharik bin Abdullah A‘war saying that: ‘One day, I saw that the Commander of the believers, Upon him be peace, was standing and the companions of the Messenger of Allah were all sitting and Holiness was saying: “I administrate you to swear Allah, Who is the Greatest, is there among you a brother for the Messenger of Allah except I am?” They answered: ‘No.’

He stated: “I administrate you to swear Allah if there is a believer among you before I believed.” They said: ‘No.’

He stated: “Tell me for Allah’s sake. Apart from me, is there anyone among you to pray towards two directions of the prayer, and also to pay homage twice?” They answered: ‘No.’

He stated: “I administrate you to swear Allah, is there anyone among you to have a wife like my wife: the essence of Mostafa, the source of Honour and Nobility, higher than Maryam in status, Fatima Az-Zahra, the crown of the paradise’ ladies?’ They said: ‘No.’

He stated: “I administrate you to swear Allah that if there is anyone among you to have two sons like my sons: Hassan and Hussein, the two Masters of the youths of paradise?” They answered: ‘No.’

“I administrate you to swear Allah, is there anyone among you whose origin to be closer to the Messenger of Allah than mine is?” They said: ‘No.’

He stated: “I administrate you to swear Allah that if there is anyone among you, except I, to perform the final ritual- ablution of the Messenger of Allah?” They answered: ‘No.’

He stated: “I administrate you to swear Allah, is there anyone among you, except I, to close the Messenger’s eyes at his death?” They said: ‘No.’

He stated: “I administrate you to swear Allah that if there is anyone among you, except I, to sacrifice his life for the sake of the Messenger and to sleep in his bed at that perilous night of “Over Night Stay”: to sacrifice his soul, blood and life in the way of the Messenger?” They answered: ‘No.’

He stated: “I administrate you to swear Allah, is there anyone among you, except I, that in the battle-field Gabriel to stand on his right and Michel on his left?” They said: ‘No.’

He stated: “I administrate you to swear Allah that if there is anyone among you, except I, that Allah would command for his friendship, as He has stated:

قُلْ لا اسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ اجْراً الَّا الْمَوَدَّة فى الْقُرْبى.

‘… say, ‘I do not ask you any wage for this but affection towards [my] relatives, (the Household)?” They answered: ‘No.’

He stated: “I administrate you to swear Allah is there anyone among you, except my Household and I, whom Allah has purified in His Book?” As He states:

انَّما يُريدُ اللهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَ يُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهيرا.

They answered: ‘No.’

He stated: “I administrate you to swear Allah, is there anyone among you except I, whom, on the Day of Ghadir Khum, the Messenger of Allah held on his hand and said:

مَنْ كُنْتُ مَوْلاهُ فَعَلِىٌّ مَوْلاهُ، اللّهُمَّ وَالِ مَنْ وَالاهُ وَ عادِ مَنْ عاداه. 

‘… whomsoever I am Master so Ali is his Master; o my Allah, and care for those who adore him and be opponent to them who are his enemies?”’

He stated: “I administrate you to swear Allah, is there anyone among you, except I, to have three shares: one share for being the relative of the Messenger, one share for having special status for the Messenger and one share for his immigrating?” They answered: ‘No.’

“I administrate you to swear Allah, is there anyone among you, except I, that Allah and the Messenger let his front-door be open to the Mosque – while all the doors to the mosque were closed? It was so that once my uncle stood up and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, you closed all the doors to the Mosque but let the door of Ali’s house be opened?’ The Messenger of Allah answered: “By Allah, I did not honour Ali and nor did I locate him in the Mosque. It was Allah Who gave him dignity and drew you out of the Mosque?”

All of them said: ‘O Ali, you are telling the truth.’

The Holiness said: “O my Creator! Bear witness for You are enough as the Witness.” ^[61]

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