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AHLUL
BAIT
WHO ARE AHLUL-BAIT ?
The Ahl-ul Bait, are
those glowing personalities, endeared and respected by every Muslim
alike who loves the Almighty’s final Messenger to mankind and sincerely
believes in his mission. The Muslims have known this lofty term, this
guiding star on the horizon of Islam, ever since the Glorious Quran
pronounced this blessed epithet, to address the family of our Prophet in
the following terms:
“Allah desires only
to keep away unclean liness from you people of the House (Ahlul-Bait)
and make you pure as pure can be.”
Holy Qur’an (33.33)
The revelation had a
significant impact on the Muslim nation in shaping its history and
moulding its culture. All Islamic Scholars and researchers unanimously
agree with this view. No one can dispute the fact that Qur’an does not
define the leadership of the Muslim nation after the Prophet, for
Almighty Allah does not leave people without guidance.
Besides granting this
exclusive elite the attribute of purity from sins and errors, several
other verses of Qur’an describe them in the most eloquent terms. They
emphasize their superiority over the rest of the Muslims and present
them as paragons of virtue to be emulated by all alike in order that
Muslims measure according to the Quranic pholosophy of life.
Their close proximity
to the Prophet together with their vast knowledge, piety, morals, high
ideals, steadfastness in defending the rights of the oppressed, and
fighting tyranny and despotism of knowledge, and at times by sword if
the circumstances compelled, have made ahl ul-Bait a unique group. All
Muslim scholars are unanimous that besides Prophet Muhammad (SAW), his
daughter Fatima, her husband Ali, and their two sons Hasan & Hussain (A.S.),
were the ones whom Allah kept pure from errors and sins.
Allah has made love
and respect toward them obligatory and has described it as a token of
thanks from Muslim nation towards their beloved Prophet (SAW) for his
efforts in enlightening them with the message of Islam : Ahl-ul-Bait,
presented by Ahl ul-Bait (A.S.) World Assembly, Tehran, Iran 1992.
pp.11-12
“Say (O’ Mohammad,
unto mankind) : I do not ask of you any reward for this; but love for my
near kin’s; and whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein.”
(Holy Qur-an(42.23)
Another indication of
their honoured status is the obligatory blessings SALAWAT, ordained by
Allah for the Prophet and his Household during fives daily prayers a
Muslim to perform:
“Surely Allah and
his angels bless the Prophet; O you who believe! Call for (divine(
blessings on him with a (worthy) salutation.”
Holy
Qur’an (33-56)
The Messenger of
Allah expounding the meaning of the word ‘salutation’ as mentioned in
the qur’an instructed the Muslims
“Say: O Allah, shower your blessings on Muhammad and the (pure) progeny
of Muhammad as you had showered your blessings on Abraham and the
progeny of Abraham; You are the Praiseworthy, the Glorious.”
The Qur’an emphasizes
the lofty position and significance of the Ahlu-Bait so as to make the
Muslim nation follow their perfect example, look for guidance towards
them and acknowledge their leadership, after Prophet Mohammad (SAW).
THE QURAN IN THE SCHOOL OF AHLU-BAIT
A STUDY OF THE
NARATIVE AND TRADITIONS THAT HAVE REACHED US ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE
Ahlul-Bait and a glance at their lives and works, reveals that the
message of the Holy Qur’an and the safeguarding of its letter and
spirit, was the prime concern of these luminaries.
Imam Ja’fer al-Sadiq,
the sixth Imam of the Prophet’s infallible households, quotes his
grandfather, the Messenger of Allah (SAW) as saying:
“Whoever memorizes
the Qur’an and practices its teaching, will be among the ranks of the
honourable and righteous”.
Ahlul-Bait in Quran, Al Balagh
Foundation, p. 35
Narrated the Fourth
Imam Ali bin Hussain (A.S.) : the Messenger of Allah (SAW) said :
“Whoever is given the qur’an by Allah,but thinks that someone else
is given a better thing than he is, would be belittling the great
and magnifying the little”.
The Fifth Imam
Mohammad Al-Baquir (A.S.) is quoted to have said : the Messenger of
Allah (SAW) said : “O readers of Qur’an, fear Allah for having charged
you with
His Book, as I am
responsible and you are responsible. mosque where local people donot
pray in it; a learned man among ignorant; and the Scripture (the Qur’an)
which is covered with dust as nobody reads it”.
He (A.S.) also said :
“The Qur’an is alive, it never dies. It goes on as the night and the day
go on, and as the sum and the moon go on.
The life of Imams of
the Athnai Ashari sect rests on the verses related to belief in the
oneness of God, the prophethood of the Holy Prophet and good deeds.
EXTRACTS FROM AL-QURAN
And convey good news to those who believe,
and do good deeds, that they shall have gardens in which rivers flow;
whenever they will be given a portion of fruit thereof, they shall say :
This is what was given the like of it, and in them, they shall abide.
1.2.25
Surely those who believe and those who are
Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabian whoever believes in Allah and
the last day and does good, they shall have their from their Lord, and
there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.
1.2.62
And (as for) those who believe and do good
deeds, these are the dwellers of the garden; in it they shall abide.
1.2.82
Surely they who believe and do good deeds
and keep up prayers and pay the poor rate they shall have their rewards
from their Lord, and they shall have no fear nor they shall grieve.
3.2.277
And as to those who believe and do good
deeds, He will pay them fully their rewards and Allah does not love the
unjust (cruels).
3. 3. 57
And (as for) those who believe and do good
deeds, We will make them enter gardens beneath which rivers flow; they
shall have there in pure mates, and we shall make them enter a dense
shad. 5.
4. 57
And ( as for ) those who believe and do
good, We will make them into gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide
therein for ever, (it is) a promise of Allah, true (indeed); and who is
truer of words than Allah ?
5. 4. 122
Then as for those who believe and do
good, He will pay them fully their rewards and give them more out of his
grace; and as for those who disdain and are proud, He will chastise them
with a painful chastisement.
5. 4. 173
Allah has promised to those who believe &
do good deeds (that) they shall have forgiveness and mighty (hefty)
reward.
6. 5. 9
Surely those who believe and those who are
Jews and Sebians and the Christians whoever believes in Allah and the
last day( the day of judgment) and does good- they shall have no fear
nor shall they grieve.
6. 5. 69
And for those who believe and do good
there is no blame for what they eat, when they are careful (of their
duty) and believe and do good deeds, then they are careful (of their
duty) and believe, they are (careful of their duty) and do good (to
others) and Allah loves those who do good (to others).
7. 5. 93
And as for those who believe and do good,
We donot impose on any soul a duty except to the extent of his ability-
they are the dwellers of the Garden (heaven), in it they shall abide.
8.7.42
To him you return, of all (of you); the
promise of Allah, in truth; surely He begins the creation in the first
instance, then he reproduces it, that he may with justice recompense
those who believe and do good; and (as for) those who disbelieve, they
shall have a drink of hot water and painful punishment because they
disbelieved. 11. 10. 5
Surely as for those who believe and do
good, their lord will guide them by their faith; there shall flow from
beneath them rivers in gardens of bliss.
11.
10. 9
Those who a re patient and do good they
shall have forgiveness and a great reward.
12. 11. 11
Surely ( as to ) those who believe and do
good and humble themselves to their Lord, these are the dwellers of the
Paradise, in it they will abide.
12.
11. 23
And those who believe and do good are made
to enter gardens, beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them by their
Lord’s permission; Their greetings therein, Peace.
13. 14. 23
Surely this Quran guides to him who is
most upright and gives good news to the believers who do good that they
shall have great reward.
15. 17. 9
Surely (as for) those who believe and do
good We donot waste the reward of him who does good work (deed).
15. 18. 30
And as for him who believes and does good,
he shall have goodly reward (Paradise)
Surely (as for) those who believe and do
good deeds, their place of entertainment shall be the garden (Al Firdos)
Paradise. 16.
18. 107
Except those who believe in God and his
messenger and work righteousness. Such will enter Paradise and they will
not be wronged in aught.
16. 19.60
Surely (as for) those who believe and do
good deeds, for them Allah will bestow love for them.
16. 19. 96
And whoever comes to Him a believer (and)
he has done good deeds indeed, he who shall have the higher ranks.
16. 20.
75
And most surely I am most forgiving to him
who repents and believes and does good, then continues to follow the
right path.
16. 20. 82
And whoever does good works and he is
believer, he shall have no fear of injustice nor of the withholding of
his due.
16.20.112
Therefore whop shall good deeds and he is
a believer, there shall be no denying of his exertion, and surely We
will write (it) down for him.
17.21.94
Surely Allah will cause those who believe
and do good deeds to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow; surely
Allah does what He pleases.
17.22.14
Surely Allah will make those who believe
and do good deeds enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, they shall be
adorned therein with bracelets of gold and (with) pearls, and their
garments therein shall be of silk.
17.22.23
So those who believe in God and do
righteous deeds, for them is forgiveness i.e. Paradise.17.22.50
The kingdom on that day shall be
Allah’s.He will judge between them, so those who believe and do good
will be in gardens of bliss.
17.22.56
Allah has promised to those of you who
believe and do good that He will most certainly make them rulers on the
earth as He has made rulers those before them, and that He will most
certainly establish for them their religion which he has chosen for
them and that he will most certainly, after their fear, protect them in
exchange; they shall serve Me, not associating ought with me; and who
ever is ungrateful after this, those are the transgressors.
18.24.55
Except those who repent and believe and
does good deeds, so those are they whom Allah changes the evil deeds to
good ones and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
19.25.70
And whoever repents and does good, he
surely turns to Allah a (goodly) turning.
19.25.71
Except those who believe and do good and
remembered Allah more, and defend themselves after they are oppressed;
and they who act unjustly shall know to that final place of turning
then shall turn back.
19.26.227
And those given the knowledge said: Woe to
you! Allah’s reward is better for him who believes and does good, and
none is made to receive except that tolerant.
20.28.80
AND (as for)those who believe and do good,
We will most certainly do away with their evil deeds and we will most
certainly reward them the best of what they did.
20.29.7
And (as for) those who believe and do
good, We will most surely cause them to enter with the righteous (in
Paradise).
20.29.09
And (as for) those who believe and do
good, we will certainly give them abode in the high places in Paradise
beneath which rivers flow, abiding therein, how good the reward of the
workers.
21.29.58
Then as to those who believed and did
good, they shall be made happy in the Paradise.
21.30.15
Whoever disbelieves will suffer from his
disbelieve, and who so ever does righteous good deeds then such will
prepare good place (in Paradise) for themselves (and will be saved by
Allah from his torment).
21.30.44
That he may reward those who believe and
do good out of his grace; surely He does not love the unbelievers.
21.30.45
As for those who believe and do good, they
shall surely have gardens of bliss.
21.31.8
Abiding in them; the promise of Allah (a)
true promise, and He is the Mighty, the wise.
21.31.9
As for those who believe and do good, the
gardens are their abiding place, an entertainment for what they did,
21.32.19
That He may reward those who believe and
do good; it is for those whom is forgiveness and honorable sustenance.
22.34.4
And not your wealth nor your children, are
the things which bring you near us in station, but whoever believes and
does good, these it is for whom is a double reward for what they do, and
they shall be secure in the highest places.
22.34.37
(AS FOR) those who disbelieve, they shall
have a severe punishment, and (as for) those who believe and do good,
they shall have forgiveness and a great reward.
22.35.7
Whoever does evil, he shall not be
recompensed (with ought) but the like of it, and whoever does good,
whether male or female,, and he is a believer, they shall enter the
garden, in which they shall be given sustenance with out measures.
24.40.40
And the blind and the seeing are not
alike, nor those who believe and do good and the evil doer, little is it
that you are mindful’ 24.40.58
As for those who believe and do good, they
shall surely have reward never to be shut off.
24.41.8
You will see the unjust fearing on account
of what they have earned, and it must befall them, and those who believe
and do good shall be in the meadows of gardens, they shall have from
their Lord what they like.
25.42.22
That is of which Allah gives the good news
to his servants (to) those who believe and do good deeds. Say: I donot
ask for any reward for it but love for my near relatives and whoever
earn good, We give him more of good therein; Allah is forgiving
Grateful.
25.42.23
And he answers (the innovation of) those
who believe (in the oneness of God) and do righteous good deeds, and
give them increased bounty. And as for the unbelievers, their will be a
severe torment.
25.42.26
Nay! Do those who have earned evil deeds
think that We will make them like those who believed and did good- that
their life and their deaths shall equal? Evil it is that they judge.
25.45.21
And as to those who believed and did good
, their Lord will make them enter into His mercy, that will be the
manifest achievement.
25.45.30
And ( as for) those who believe and do
good, and believe in what have been revealed to Mohammad- it is the very
Truth from His Lord, and improve their condition.
26.47.2
Surely Allah will make those who believe
and do good enter gardens beneath which rivers flow and those who
disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as beasts eat, and the fire is their
abode.
26.47.12
Allah has promised those among them who
believe and do good, for given ness and great reward.
26.48.29
(And remember) the Day He will gather you
(all) on the day of Judgment- that will be the Day of mutual loss and
gain. And whoever believes in Allah and performs righteous good deeds.
He will expiate from him his sins, and will admit him to Gardens under
which rivers flow (Paradise) to dwell therein for ever, that will be the
great success.
28.67.9
An Apostle who recites to you the
clear-communication of Allah so that He may bring forth those who
believe and do good deeds from darkness into light and whoever believes
in.
28.65.11
Except those who believe and do good, for
them is a reward that shall never be cut off.
3.84.25
Surely ( as for ) those who believe and do
good, they shall have garden beneath which rivers flow, that is the
great achievement.
30.85.11
Except those, who believe and do good, so
they shall have a reward never to be cut off.
30.95.6
(As for) those who believe and do good,
surely they are the best of men.
30.98.7
Except those who believe and do good, and
enjoin on each other patience.
30.104. |