Mouood Mouood English Edition
The cause of the revelation of this verse was that one day Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Husayn (when children yet) became ill. The Prophet (S), with some of his companions, visited them and asked Imam Ali (a.s.) to vow a fasting for Allah. He vowed to fast for three days when his two sons would recover. Fatimah (s.a.) and her servant Fiddha vowed to do the same. When Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Husayn (a.s.) restored to health, the all fasted. Imam Ali (a.s.) had no money to buy food for their iftar.11 He borrowed some barley. Fatimah (s.a.) milled and baked some of that barley for the iftar of the first day of their fasting. When it was time for iftar, a poor man knocked the door asking for some food. All members of the family gave their shares to the poor man and spent their night with no food. On the second day and at the time of iftar, an orphan knocked the door asking for some food. They all gave him their shares of food and spent the second night having nothing save water. On the third day, Fatimah (s.a.) milled and baked the rest of barley. At the time of iftar, a captive knocked the door asking for some food, and they did the same as they did on the two previous days. On the fourth day, the Prophet (S) came to them and saw them very weak and suffering hunger. He said painfully, ‘O my Lord! The people of the house of Muhammad are starving.’
At those moments, Gabriel came down to the Prophet (S) carrying with him these verses as reward from the Generous Giver for these great people.
“Therefore Allah will guard them from the evil of that day and cause them to meet with ease and happiness. And reward them, because they were patient, with garden and silk. Reclining therein on raised couches, they shall find therein neither (the severe heat of) the sun nor bitter cold.” 76:11-13
The Verse of Tat’hir
From the Qur’anic verses that have been revealed about the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) is the verse of Tat’hir (purification). Allah has said, “Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you a (thorough) purifying.” 33:33
All commentators say that this verse was revealed about the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) who were the five persons of the kisa’ (garment)12. They said it was revealed about the messenger of Allah, Imam Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn (peace be on them) only, and no anyone of the Prophet’s wives or companions other than these five persons.
Umm Salama, the Prophet’s wife said, “This verse was revealed in my house when there were in the house Fatimah, Ali, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn.
The messenger of Allah (S) covered them with a garment that was on him and said, ‘O Allah, these are the people of my house. Keep uncleanness away from them and purify them a thorough purification!’
I said, ‘Am I with you, O messenger of Allah?’ I lifted the garment to enter with them, but the messenger of Allah kindly drew the garment and said to me, ‘You are too good.”13
Ibn Abbas said, “I saw the messenger of Allah (S) everyday for seven months come to the door (house) of Ali bin Abi Talib at the time of prayer saying, ‘Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be on you, the people of the house. Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you a (thorough) purifying. Prayer! May Allah have mercy on You.’ He did that five times every day.”14
Anas bin Malik said, “The Prophet (S) came to the door (house) of Fatimah (everyday) for six months when he went to offer the Fajr (dawn) Prayer (in the mosque) saying, ‘Prayer, O people of the house! Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you a (thorough) purifying.”15
Abu Barza said, “I offered prayers with the messenger of Allah for seven months. Whenever he went out of his house, he came to the door of Fatimah and said, ‘Peace be on you. Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you a (thorough) purifying.”16
Imam al-Hasan, in one of his sermons, said, ‘I am from the people of the house whom Gabriel came down to and came up from, and I am from the people of the house whom Allah has kept uncleanness away from and purified a thorough purification.’17
There are many traditions transmitted from the pure progeny of the Prophet (S) showing that the verse concerned them only and no anyone other than them. We have mentioned some important studies on the verse in the first chapter of our book “the Life of Imam al-Husayn bin Ali”.
The Verse of Mubahalah
One of the verses that Allah had revealed about the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) was the verse of mubahalah which recites: “But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons and our women and your women and ourselves and yourselves, then let us be earnest in prayer, and invoke the curse of Allah on the liars.” 3:61
All commentators and narrators of Hadith say that this verse was revealed about the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.).18 What is meant by (our sons) is Imam al-Hasan and Imam al-Husayn (a.s.), (our women) is Fatimah (s.a.), and (ourselves) is Imam Ali (a.s.).
The verse was revealed on a very important historical event that took place between the Prophet (S) and the Christian clergymen. Once, a delegation of the chiefs of the Christians came to the Prophet (S) to argue with him on Islam. After a long argument, they agreed to pray Allah earnestly and invoke His curse to be on those who lie. They assigned a time for mubahala (mutual imprecation) and when the time came, the Prophet (S) chose for mubahala the best ones of all the creatures of Allah. They were his family; his dear daughter Fatimah (s.a.), his cousin and son-in-law Ali (a.s.), and his two grandsons al-Hasan and al-Husayn (a.s.).
The Prophet (S) with his family came to the place of mubahala, and the delegation of the Christians, headed by as-Sayyid and al-Aaqib and accompanied with horsemen from bani al-Harth, came in a wonderful procession. Masses of people crowded in the place waiting for the important event.
When the Christians saw the Prophet (S) with his family who were highly glorified and revered by all people, their hearts were filled with fear and horror. The Prophet (S) knelt submissively before Allah the Almighty getting ready for the mubahala. As-Sayyid and al-Aaqib approached him saying, ‘O Abul Qassim, by whom do you imprecate us?’
The Prophet (S) said, ‘I imprecate you by the best ones of the people of the earth and the most preferred by Allah.’ He pointed to Imam Ali, his wife Fatimah, and his two sons al-Hasan and al-Husayn (peace be on them).
They said to him, ‘Why do you not imprecate us by the notable and important people who have believed and followed you?’
The Prophet (S) confirmed to them that his family members were the best ones of all, saying, ‘Yes, I imprecate you by these ones who are the best of the people of the earth and the most preferred to all creatures.’
Horror and fear occupied the Christians’ hearts and they hastened towards their chief the bishop who said to them, ‘I see faces that if someone asks Allah by them to remove a mountain from its place, He will do.’
