Virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Allah (s.w.t.) Says: 

سُوۡرَةُ الشّوریٰ

... قُل لَّآ أَسۡـَٔلُكُمۡ عَلَيۡهِ أَجۡرًا إِلَّا ٱلۡمَوَدَّةَ فِى ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ‌ۗ ... (٢٣) 

... Say, “No reward do I ask of you for this except the love of those near of kin.” ... (Surah ash-Shura’:23) 

Imam Sa’id ibn Manwsur (r.a.), in his Sunan, narrated from Sayyidina Sa’id ibn Jubayr (r.a.), “In this verse. ‘those near of kin’ refers to the relatives of the Prophet (s.a.w.).  This is also recorded in Jami’ al-Bayan, Zakhayr al-‘Uqbah, Durr al-Mantsur, and Swahih al-Bukhari.  This means love for the family of the Prophet (s.a.w.) is fardh, obligatory. upon every Muslim. 

Sayyidina Muththalib ibn Rabi’ah (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said to Sayyidina ‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muththalib (r.a.), “By Allah, faith will not enter the heart of a Muslim until he loves you for Allah (s.w.t.) and for my relationship.”  This is recorded in Musnad Ahmad, Sunan at-Tirmidzi, Sunan an-Nisa’i, and Mustadrak al-Hakim.  The love of the Prophet (s.a.w.) and his family is a requirement of faith.  Essentially, we love them first for their relationship with Allah (s.w.t.), their piety, and then for their relationship with the Prophet (s.a.w.).  In a situation where a person is of the family of the Prophet (s.a.w.), but shows none of the signs of piety and adherence to the religion, then this ceases to be a requirement. 

Similarly, Imam ‘Asakir ad-Din Abu al-Husayn Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj (r.a.), Imam Abu ‘Isa Muhammad ibn ‘Isa as-Sulami at-Tirmidzi (r.a.), and Imam Abu ‘Abd ar-Rahman Ahmad ibn Shu’ayb an-Nisa’i (r.a.), all recorded that Sayyidina Zayd ibn Arqam (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “I remind you of Allah, about my Ahl al-Bayt.” 

Sayyidina ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Love Allah because of what He Gave you from His Blessings, love me because of the Love of Allah and love my Ahl al-Bayt because of my Love.”  This is recorded in Sunan at-Tirmidzi as hasan; in Mustadrak al-Hakim’ in Imam Abu al-Qasim Sulayman ibn Ayyub ath-Thabarani’s (r.a.) al-Kabir, and in Imam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Husayn al-Bayhaqi’s (r.a.) in Shu’ab al-Iman. 

Sayyidina ibn ‘Abbas (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “O Children of ‘Abd al-Muththalib, I asked Allah three things for you: that He Keep your hearts steadfast; that He Teach the religion to those among you who are ignorant and Guides those astray; and that He Make you kind, generous and affectionate to one another.  So, if a man prays, standing between the Rukn and Maqam, and fasts but dies with malice for the Family of Muhammad, he has entered Hell.”  This is found in Imam ath-Thabarani’s (r.a.) al-Kabir, and Mustadrak al-Hakim. 

Sayyidina Zayd ibn Arqam (r.a.) narrated that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Verily, I am leaving you that which, if you firmly hold to, you will not go astray after me: The Book of Allah and my family.  These two will not be separated until they meet me at the Fountain, so look to how you deal with them after me.”  This classified as hasan in Sunan at-Tirmidzi, and is recorded in Mustadrak al-Hakim.  The “Fountain” here, refers to the Fountain of Kawtsar, which the believers drink from on the Day of Judgement, before entering Paradise. 

Sayyidina Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (r.a.) narrated, “We would recognise the hypocrites by their malice for ‘Ali.”  This was recorded by Imam at-Tirmidzi (r.a.), and Imam Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Hanbal (r.a.). 

Imam ath-Thabarani (r.a.) recorded this in both his al-Kabir and al-Awsath, that Sayyidina Hasan ibn ‘Ali (r.a.) said to Mu’awiyah ibn Hudayj, the eventual murderer of Sayyidina Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr (r.a.), the son of Sayyidina Abu Bakr ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utsman asw-Swiddiq (r.a.), “O Mu’awiyah ibn Hudayj, guard yourself from having malice for us because undoubtedly the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, ‘No one has malice for us and no one is envious of us except on the Day of Qiyamah, he will be kept away from the Fountain by whips of fire.’” 

Sayyidina ‘Ali ibn Abu Thalib (k.w.) said that the Prophet (s.a.w.) said, “Teach your children three things; Love of your prophet; love of his Ahl al-Bayt and the recitation of the Qur’an.  Verily, the learned of the Qur’an will be with the prophets and the saints in the Shade of Allah’s Mercy on the Day when there will be no shade but His.”  This is recorded in Kanz al-Ummal.