'What's so special about Ahl al-Bayt anyway?'

Why the Companions and the Salaf would honour the descendants of the Prophet.

Certain days have an honour that other days do not carry. The day of Jumua is known as the master of days. It is not treated as any other day, hence ghusl is a sunnah, Jumua is fard and worship is encouraged.

Certain months have an honour that other months do not carry. The month of Ramadan was honoured with the revelation of the Quran. It is not treated as any other month, hence fasting is fard, prayer at night is a sunnah and worship is encouraged.

Certain places have an honour that other places do not carry. The city of Makkah is known as the noble city. It is not treated like any other city. Hence facing the Kabah therein is fard, Umrah to it is a sunnah and worship therein is multiplied.

Certain people have an honour that other people do not carry. Elders are respected because of their age, scholars are respected because of their knowledge, huffaz are respected because of their hifz of the Quran. They are not treated in the same way as everyone else. Hence respecting and honouring them is essential and kindness to them is encouraged.

Even amongst the Companions there were those who had an honour above others. The veterans of Badr were not treated the same way as the Arabs who became Muslims after the conquest of Makkah.

Times, places and people all have different levels of honour depending on a merit that they possess which Allah has honoured. Likewise just as all Muslims are equal but certain groups (scholars, huffaz, mothers) have an honour that grants them a distinction above others, likewise the Ahl al-Bayt (the Family of the Prophet) have a distinction above others which does not negate the fairness of Allah’s justice but indicates to the sanctity of His Prophet ﷺ.

The Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet which includes his descendants who trace their lineage back to Imam al-Hasan or Imam al-Husayn have a distinction and an honour, not because of their knowledge (which may be less than a scholar), or their actions, (which may be less than a saint) but because of the Messenger of Allah himself. Therefore it becomes incumbent upon us to show honour, respect and love towards anyone who has attributed to the family of the Prophet, whether they are rich or poor, learned or not, pious or otherwise. Not because of any action of theirs but because of the Prophet ﷺ.

This is something which would be taken very seriously in the past. Here are three hadith which show how the Prophet taught the Ummah to honour his Ahl al-Bayt.

It is reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,

I am leaving within you that which if you hold on to it you will not go astray after me. The Book of Allah and my descendants, my family [itrati wa ahlu bayti]. They will not separate until they meet me at the Reservoir. Therefore look at how you are with them after me.¹

My intercession is for my nation and those who love my Ahl al-Bayt.²

Whoever does a good turn to anyone from my Ahl al-Bayt then I will repay him on the Day of Standing.³

How Sayyidina Umar would honour the Ahl al-Bayt

Sayyidina Umar is the epitome of justice and fairness. Yet despite this, he understands the essence of piety is in veneration and that specifically is the veneration of the Prophet ﷺ.

Once Abd’Allah ibn Umar came to his father Sayyidina Umar to ask him why he would allocate al-Hasan and al-Husayn more of a financial grant than himself.

‘Why have these two young men been preferred over me? When you know of my precedence in Islam and of my hijrah.’

Sayyidina Umar, may Allah be pleased with him said, ‘Woe to you O Abdullah, bring me a grandfather like their grandfather (the Prophet ﷺ), a father like their father (Sayyidina Ali), a mother like their mother (Sayyida Zahra), and a grandmother like their grandmother (Sayyida Khadija).’

The relationship with the Prophet was what concerned Umar as the primary distinction of honour which he respected out of veneration of the Prophet that shows the extent of his love and faith in the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

Zaid bin Thabit and Abd Allah ibn Abbas

It is also related that once the Companion Zaid bin Thabit (who was one of the most learned companions and grew up in the house of the Prophet was leaving a funeral on his mule, when Abd Allah ibn Abbas (the cousin of the Prophet) grabbed the stirrup of of his mule, in order to help him. ‘Leave the stirrup O cousin of the Prophet,’ said Zaid bin Thabit. ‘This is how we have been ordered to treat our scholars,’ said Abd Allah ibn Abbas. Zaid bin Thabit jumped down from his mule and kissed the hand of Abd Allah ibn Abbas and said, ‘This is how we have been ordered to treat the Ahl al-Bayt of our Prophet.’⁴

This honouring was not limited to the time of the Companions and to the immediate household of the Prophet but was extended throughout the generations to the descendants of the Prophet.

In a further hadith the Prophet of Allah said,

There are four for whom I will intercede on the Day of Standing, the one who honours my progeny, the one who fulfils their needs, the one strives for them in their affairs when they are in need, and the one who loves them with his heart and tongue.⁵

Abdallah ibn al-Mubarak and the Shareefa

Abd’Allah ibn al-Mubarak is from our great scholars and saints and from the Salaf. One year Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak was on his way for the Hajj. When he reached Iraq he proceeded to the camel market to buy provisions there. On his way there he found a woman who was rummaging through the bins looking for something. Eventually she found the carrion of a duck and began to pluck the feathers from it. The Shaykh asked her as to why she was plucking the duck. The woman at first refused until finally upon the insistence of the Shaykh she said, ‘I am a Sharifa. My husband has died and has left me and my daughters without provision. We have not eaten for days. In such a state this duck is halal for us to eat.’ Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak took out all of the money that he had saved for the Hajj and gave it to the woman and told her to go and provide decent food for her family. He then returned home not going for the Hajj that year.

When the time came for the people of his town to return from the Hajj, he went out to meet them. However, every time he would approach one of his friends and say, ‘May Allah accept your Hajj and thank you for your efforts,’ they would reply to him, ‘and may Allah accept your hajj.’ The shaykh would say to them, ‘But I did not go for the Hajj this year…’ and they would reply, ‘Subhanallah, did we not meet at Mina?’ or ‘did we not meet at such and such a place?’

That night the Imam went to sleep, and in his sleep he saw the Prophet of Allah ﷺ. The Prophet said to him, Do not be astonished at people congratulating you on the Hajj. You helped someone in need and enriched someone who was weak. So I asked Allah the Exalted and He created an angel in your form who will perform the Hajj ever year on your behalf whether you choose to go for the Hajj or do not go.’ Shaykh Abdullah ibn al-Mubarak received this honour for helping and honouring the progeny of the Prophet.⁶

Honouring the descendants does not come down to their actions but it comes back round to the love of the Prophet. Imagine how harsh and judgemental you would be if the neighbour’s son was found drinking in a bar, (never liked him anyway, he should get what he deserves) but how compassionate and understanding you would be if it was your own son who was found in that situation. The difference in response is because of the difference in the relationship. One is the neighbour’s son and the other is your son. In Iman, greater than the love of one’s own son is the love of the Prophet’s descendants because of the Prophet himself. And this is the same reason why we honour the Companions. Not because of their worship, knowledge or sacrifices (as great as these were) but because they are companions of whom? of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. This is also why we love Arabs, not because of their actions but because the Prophet of Allah was Arab. And this is the reason why Allah loves this Ummah, more than he loves the Ummah of Musa or Isa, because they are the Ummah of Muhammad.

The opposite of this is intentionally causing harm to the Ahl al-Bayt or not giving due respect is something that the pious would strongly avoid. Realising that this relationship is a lineage that connects back to the Prophet ﷺ.

Never harm the Prophet ﷺ

Imam Yusuf Nabahani quotes from Imam Abdul Wahhab Sharani that once a man from the righteous hit a Sharif (a descendent of the Prophet). That night he saw the Prophet ﷺ in his dream. The Prophet turned away from him. The man asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is my sin?’ The Prophet replied, ‘You hit me while I am your intercessor on the Day of Judgement?!’ He then said, ‘O Messenger of Allah I do not remember hitting.’ The Prophet replied, ‘Did you not hit my son?’ He said ‘Yes.’ The Prophet ﷺ said ‘Your strike landed on this arm of mine.’ The Prophet then showed him his arm which had become swollen as though a wasp had stung it. We ask Allah for safety.

The point of all of this is for us to understand that the Ahl al-Bayt have a distinction without a doubt. Our religious duty to the Ahl al-Bayt is to love, honour, respect and serve because this is the veneration of the Prophet of Allah. Through this the believer receives blessings of forgiveness and intercession.

In which case, the Ahl al-Bayt have a responsibility to behave in a manner which would bring happiness to their greatest grandfather, and to be the first in works of righteousness and in serving the Ummah but

At times part of that service may be in helping Ahl al-Bayt upon works of piety or advising them when they are in error. Imam Abd Allah ibn Alawi al-Haddad has mentioned in his famous Qasida on the Ahl al-Bayt

Do not be deluded by your lineage, and do not be content with saying ‘My father was,’

Follow in guidance the best of Prophets, Ahmad the Guide to the Sunan

For he is the seal to all the Prophets, and the Imam of the obedient.

In concluding, the quality of our faith is not only measured in actions (shaytan also had actions)! but particularly in the veneration of the Prophet which is truly tested in the respect and love for the Ahl al-Bayt. One can become deluded by his actions and become vain, or think that he has love for the Prophet but only to find that there are ulterior motives and conditions to that love. Love for Ahl al-Bayt is a proof of a sincere love for the Prophet that is not spoiled by one’s own ego. This love therefore becomes a reflection of the quality of faith.

1. Tirmidhi has related and has declared it sound (Hasan). Hakim also related from Zaid bin Arqam.

2. Recorded by Al-Khatıb his Tarikh from Sayyidina Ali

3. Ibn Asakir related from Sayyidina Ali

4. Recorded in Kanz ul-Ummal.

5. Recorded by Daylami from Imam Ali.

6. Shaykh al-Akbar Muhyidīn ibn al-Arabi has related in his book Musamarat al-Akhyar with a chain of transmission to Abdallah ibn al-Mubarak. Ibn al-Jawzi has related this also in his book Sifat ul-Safwa.