Response to al-Imamiyyah: From Condemnation to Exoneration to Purification

Part Two: In this segment, the claim that the Prophet's wives committed 'evil deeds', thereby rendering them ineligible for the purification referenced in verse thirty-three of Surat al-Ahzab, will be refuted.

Al-Imamiyyah commenced by stating:

"Now to where we reached, Allah (swt) removed (intends to remove, but as explained, it is in action) the rijs from Ahlul Bayet. If we can prove that the wives of the Prophet have had evil deeds then we can prove that this verse did not include them Now let's take a look at Surat Al Tahreem 66:4 "˹It will be better˺ if you ˹wives˺ both turn to Allah in repentance, for your hearts have certainly faltered. But if you ˹continue to˺ collaborate against him"

Response: In the science of Usul al-Tafsir, determining the intended meaning of a verse typically begins with an examination of the context. This context can often be derived from the verses surrounding the one in question; however, for verses that are independent of their surroundings, one should consult the relevant ahadith. Twelver Shi'ite exegete Ja`far Subhani, in his work Introduction to the Science of Tafsir of the Quran (p.41), writes:

"There are issues in the Noble Quran, for which there can be found no explanation save in the Islamic ahadith and the conduct of the early Muslims [...] Hence without referring to these sources, any other kind of commentary and explanation about them would be equal to aspiring for the impossible. In explaining such verses, the method adopted by all the Muslims of the world from the early days of Islam until today has been the same [i.e., referring to the relevant authentic ahadith and the way of life of the Muslims]."

Subhani further elaborates on verses that are independent of their surroundings (p.71):

"Thus, the commentator of the Quran who is seeking to display the realities must refrain from explaining the verse according to the context of that which has come before and after it and must instead refer to the definite ahadith in this regard."

Subhani emphasises the importance of this principle, referring to it as a branch from the 'sixth prerequisite of tafsir' (p.62). It is possible that al-Imamiyyah may have overlooked their own principles of tafsir due to their animosity towards the Prophet's wives.

In summary, the context of the verses in Surat al-Tahrim can be traced back to the incident of `I`la, as it was a direct consequence of this event that the aforementioned verses were revealed. While al-Imamiyyah have omitted any mention of this incident or its crucial aftermath, the incident has been recounted by `A`isha (Radiya-llahu-`an-ha) and can be found in Sahih al-Bukhari, under the exegesis of this surah. She (Radiya-llahu-`an-ha) recounts:

Translation: "Allah's Messenger used to drink honey in the house of Zainab, the daughter of Jahsh, and would stay there with her. So Hafsa and I agreed secretly that, if he were to come to either of us, she would say to him: It seems you have eaten maghafir -- a plant resin that imparts an unpleasant odour -- for I smell in you the smell of maghafir. (We did so) And he replied: No, but I was drinking honey in the house of Zainab, the daughter of Jahsh, and I shall never take it again, I have taken an oath as to that, and you should not tell anybody about it."

This narration illustrates how the Prophet's great fondness for Hafsa (Radiya-llahu-`an-ha) prompted him to take an oath that prohibited him from consuming honey. As a result, in the first verse of Surat al-Tahrim, Allah reprimands His Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) for this action:

"`O Prophet! Why do you prohibit (yourself) from what Allah has made lawful to you, seeking to please your wives? And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Subsequent to this event, the Prophet enjoined Hafsa (Radiya-llahu-an-ha) not to divulge his oath to anyone. Nonetheless, Hafsa (Radiya-llahu-`an-ha) contravened this directive by confiding in `A`isha (Radiya-llahu-`an-ha), leading to the revelation of these verses:

"(It will be better) if you (wives) both turn to Allah in repentance, for your hearts have certainly faltered. But if you (continue to) collaborate against him, then (know that) Allah Himself is his Guardian. And Gabriel, the righteous believers, and the angels are (all) his supporters as well. Perhaps, if he were to divorce you (all), his Lord would replace you with better wives who are submissive (to Allah), faithful (to Him), devout, repentant, dedicated to worship and fasting—previously married or virgins."

As a result, the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) embarked on a twenty-nine-day period of seclusion from his spouses. This isolation was brought to an end when Allah revealed the verses of al-Takhyir. These verses instructed the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) to present his wives with a proposition: either divorce him in pursuit of temporal, worldly pleasures or remain married to him, seeking the blessings of the hereafter. `A`isha (Radiya-llahu-`an-ha) also recounts this incident:

Translation: "When the Messenger of Allah was ordered to give the option to his wives, he started with me, saying: I am going to mention to you something, but you shall not hasten (to give your reply) unless you consult your parents. The Prophet knew that my parents would not order me to leave him. Then he recited: Allah says: `O Prophet, say to your wives, If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release (separation). But if you should desire Allah and His Messenger and the home of the Hereafter -- then indeed, Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you a great reward -- 33:28-29. `A`isha replied: In such a matter, why would I consult my parents? Verily, I seek Allah, His Apostle and the Home of the Hereafter. Then all the other wives of the Prophet did the same as I did."

In other words, this tradition and the revelation of these verses suggest that `A`isha and Hafsa (Radiya-llahu-`an-huma) had repented from their previous actions, as Allah stated in the verse:

"(It will be better) if you both turn to Allah in repentance, for your hearts have certainly faltered. But if you (continue to) collaborate against him, then (know that) Allah Himself is his Guardian. And Gabriel, the righteous believers, and the angels are (all) his supporters as well."

Consequently, Allah grants them the privilege of remaining with the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) in pursuit of the hereafter. Indeed, if the two wives had not repented from their previous behaviour, Allah would not have conferred such an advantage unto them, but would have divorced them, as stated in the subsequent verse:

"Perhaps, if he were to divorce you (all), his Lord would replace you with better wives who are submissive (to Allah), faithful (to Him), devout, repentant, dedicated to worship and fasting—previously married or virgins."

However, history will testify that `A`isha and Hafsa (Radiya-llahu-`an-huma) remained loyal spouses to the Messenger of Allah (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) until Allah decreed his departure from this world, and the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) chose them to join him in the hereafter. Consider the example of the disciple of the Prophet, `Ammar bin Yasir (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu), who reminds his peers of the notable fact that `A`isha remains the Prophet's spouse in both this realm and the hereafter, before her arrival at Jamal:

Translation: "`Ali sent `Ammar bin Yasir and al-Hassan bin `Ali who came to us at Kufa and ascended the pulpit. Al-Hassan bin `Ali was at the top of the pulpit and `Ammar was below Al-Hassan. We all gathered before them. I heard `Ammar saying: `A`isha has moved to al-Basra. By Allah! She is the wife of your Prophet in this world and in the Hereafter. But Allah has put you to test whether you obey Him (Allah) or her (`A`isha)."

Al-Imamiyyah stated:

"I believe that the main reason for why Ayat Al Tatheer came in between verses of wives of the Prophet, is that linguistically Ahlul Bayet can mean the wives, and from separating the speech of the wives and the speech directed to Ahlul Bayet, we can understand that the wives are dissociated from Ahlul Bayet and are not considered among those who have rijs kept away from them and purified"

Response: When contrasted with verse seventy-three of Surat Hud and verse ten of Surat Taha, this explanation appears inadequate in addressing the nuanced complexities of the verse. Allah, the Exalted, proclaims in these two verses:

"She said, Woe to me! Shall I give birth while I am an old woman and this, my husband, is an old man? Indeed, this is an amazing thing! They said, Are you amazed at the decree of Allah? May the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, Ahl al-Bayt. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy and Honourable."

"When he (Musa) saw a fire and said to his ahlihi (wife), Stay here; indeed, I have perceived a fire; perhaps I can bring you a torch or find at the fire some guidance."

These two verses serve as illustrations of how a prophetic household primarily consists of the spouses. On the contrary, the Quran does not present any example of a Prophet's cousin, daughter, or grandchildren being incorporated into their household(s). The Twelver Shia, however, challenge this understanding on grammatical grounds. They inquire why, if the entire verse of purification was intended for the wives, Allah would alter the pronouns from feminine in the initial segment of the verse to masculine for the purification phrase. This argument, however, only underscores their lack of familiarity with the Quran. The change in pronoun can be attributed to two reasons.

Before delving into the first reason, it is essential for the reader to familiarise themselves with the pertinent grammatical rule. In the Arabic language, when addressing a group of females, the pronoun employed will be feminine, denoted by a nun al-niswa. Conversely, when a male is included within this group of females, a masculine pronoun will be used to address them collectively, culminating in a mim al-jama`a. Upon closely examining the contextual framework of the verse, it becomes evident that Allah is directing His divine speech towards two distinct entities: the Prophet and his wives. Allah, the Exalted, proclaims:

"`O Prophet, say to your wives: If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release. But if you should desire Allah and His Messenger and the home of the Hereafter - then indeed, Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you a great reward."

The initial address of Allah is directed towards the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam). Subsequently, the discourse shifts its focus to the wives of the Prophet, as they are enjoined to adhere to a set of divinely ordained legal obligations, thereby prompting a transition in pronoun usage to the feminine form. Allah, the Exalted, declares:

"O wives of the Prophet, whoever of you should commit a clear immorality - for her, the punishment would be doubled twofold, and ever is that, for Allah, easy. And whoever of you devoutly obeys Allah and His Messenger and does righteousness - We will give her her reward twice; and We have prepared for her a noble provision. O wives of the Prophet, you are not like anyone among women. If you fear Allah, then do not be soft in speech [to men], lest he in whose heart is disease should covet, but speak with appropriate speech. And abide in your houses and do not display yourselves as [was] the display of the former times of ignorance. And establish prayer and give zakat and obey Allah and His Messenger."

Allah concludes the discourse by addressing the members of the household collectively, encompassing both the Prophet (salla-llahu-`alayhi-wa-sallam) and his wives. The pronoun undergoes a transition from feminine to masculine due to the incorporation of the Prophet in the address, in accordance with the aforementioned, pertinent grammatical rule. The Almighty proclaims:

"Allah intends only to remove from you the impurity [of sin], `O Ahl al-Bayt, and to purify you with [extensive] purification."

It is also crucial to highlight that the term 'ahl' is inherently masculine. Consequently, using a feminine pronoun in conjunction with a masculine term would result in a grammatical inconsistency, which is incompatible with the perfection of Allah's speech. The classical Arab lexicographer, ibn Manzur, transmits in Lisan al-`Arab:

Translation: "Sibawaih said the plural of ahl is`ahlun, and al-Khalil was asked: Why did they make taskin (place sukun) on the letter ha (of the word ahl) and did not make tahrik (place harakat) on it like the word `ardin, he replied: It is because the word ahl is masculine."

In examining verses where Allah utilises the term 'Ahl al-Bayt' in reference to the spouses of other Prophets, a consistent pattern can be seen. For instance, in verse seventy-three of Surat Hud, previously mentioned, Allah employs the identical masculine pronoun 'alaykum' in addressing the wife of Ibrahim (`alayhi-al-salam). Similarly, in verse ten of Surat Taha, also previously cited, Allah employs the congruent masculine pronoun 'umkuthu', followed by another masculine pronoun '`atikum', in addressing the wife of Musa (`alayhi-al-salam). Twelver Shi'ite exegetes confer parallel explanations for these verses. Abu `Ali al-Tabrisi elucidates:

Translation: "There was no one accompanying Musa except his wife and Allah called her his ahl, so she was addressed in the plural, this is his saying 'umkuthu' and '`atikum'."

The Twelver Shi'ite linguist and scholar, Fakhr al-Din al-Tarihi, stated in his Majma` al-Bahrain:

Translation: "His saying: He said to his ahl: umkuthu. Some of the commentators of al-Mughni stated that a woman can be addressed in the masculine plural, like when a man says about his ahl: They did so and so (masculine plural)."

Undoubtedly, certain Twelver Shia adherents may emulate the footsteps of their predecessors and endeavour to misrepresent this coherent interpretation that aligns with the grammatical sophistication of Allah's revelation. In such cases, it is advisable for them to revisit the words of Ja`far Subhani pertaining to the importance of contextual framework in Usul al-Tafsir, mentioned earlier.

al-Imamiyyah stated:

"For those who want to argue from Hadith, http://kingoflinks.net/AhlAlBait/1Ttheer/Main58.htm this link presents over 500 sources from Sunni hadith that says that the Ayat was revealed for the five under the Kisa who are: The Prophet (sawa), Imam Ali (as), Sayyida Fatima (sa) and Al Hassan (as) and Al Hussain (as)."

Response: There is an absence of any credible evidence from which one could deduce that the people of the cloak were the cause of revelation for this verse, or sabab al-nuzul. The reports conveyed through sound isnads suggest that the inclusion of the people of the cloak within this verse only transpired as a result of the Prophet's subsequent invocation to Allah, following the initial revelation of the verse, intended for the wives. Dr. `Ali al-Sallabi articulates this in his work, `Ali ibn Abi Talib: His Life and Times (2/366):

"The supplication of the Prophet settles the matter. If there was any indication in the verse of purification that purification of the people of the cloak had already taken place, the Messenger of Allah would not have covered them with the cloak and prayed for them by saying: `O Allah, these are the people of my household, remove from them al-rijs. This is clear evidence that the verse was originally revealed concerning the wives of the Prophet, and the Messenger of Allah wanted the people of the cloak to be included in this divine revelation, so he gathered them and covered them with the cloak and prayed for them, and Allah accepted his supplication for them and purified them as He purified the wives of the Prophet, as indicated by the text of the verse."

From the evidence suggesting that this verse was initially revealed solely for the Prophet's wives is the statement from the chief of the exegetes, the esteemed companion, `Abdullah ibn `Abbas (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu):

Translation: "Allah only wishes to remove al-rijs from you, `O members of the household, and to purify you completely. It was revealed for the wives of the Prophet, exclusively." [It was declared 'Hasan' by Hafiz Zubair `Alizai and Shaikh Shu`aib al-Arna`ut concurred]

Al-Imamiyyah stated:

"Also we can see in some of the hadiths a continuation where the Prophet (sawa) disassociates Umm Salama (ra) from the five, meaning that she isn’t whom the Ayah is revealed for, and thus the Wives aren’t included."

Response: Firstly, it is imperative to understand that the event of the cloak was not an isolated occurrence confined to the residence of `Umm Salama (Radiya-llahu-`an-ha). The incident also manifested at the home of `A`isha (Radiya-llahu-`an-ha), as documented in Sahih Muslim. On that particular occasion, the Prophet (salla-llahu-alayhi-wa-sallam) did not exhibit any dissociation from his wives. Secondly, there are two prevailing perspectives concerning the Prophet's reluctance in including `Umm Salama (Radiya-llahu-`an-ha) beneath the cloak.

The first perspective posits that, considering the contextual framework of the verse, the inclusion of the wives was already evident. This rationale would elucidate the Prophet's response to Umm Salama (Radiya-llahu-an-ha): "you are upon khair." The second perspective emphasises that `Ali (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu), who was not a mahram to the Prophet's wife, was also beneath the cloak, rendering `Umm Salama's admittance beneath the cloak inappropriate.

The subsequent narration may serve to explicate that exclusion from the cloak does not inherently signify exclusion from the Ahl al-Bayt. Wathila bin al-Asqa (Radiya-llahu-an-hu) reported:

Translation: "I asked about `Ali in his house and was told: He has already left to see the Messenger of Allah. When he arrived, the Messenger of Allah entered, and I entered. The Messenger of Allah sat upon the bed, Fatima sat to his right, `Ali to his left, and al-Hassan and al-Husayn in front of him. Then he said: Allah intends only to remove from you al-rijs, `O people of the household, and to purify you with purification. `O Allah! These are my household. Wathila said: I said from one direction of the house, And am I, `O Messenger of Allah, from your household? He replied: And you are from my household. Wathila said: It is for whoever hopes for what I hope for." [It was declared 'Sahih' by Shaikh Shu`aib al-Arna`ut]

It is plausible that al-Imamiyyah might now request Ahl al-Sunna to consider incorporating Wathila bin al-`Asqa (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu) into the ranks of the Ahl al-Bayt.

Al-Imamiyyah stated:

"We also see this Hadith from Bukhari in which Aisha says “ Aisha said from behind a screen, "Allah did not reveal anything from the Qur'an about us except what was connected with the declaration of my innocence (of the slander). https://sunnah.com/bukhari/65/349"

Response: It appears the opponents have intentionally obscured a crucial segment of the text, as this would have elucidated `A`isha's reaction in this particular instance. The complete translation is as follows:

Translation: "Marwan had been appointed as the governor of Hijaz by Mu`awiya. He delivered a sermon and mentioned Yazid ibn Mu`awiya so that the people might take the oath of allegiance to him as the successor of his father. Then `Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Bakr told him something whereupon Marwan ordered that he be arrested. But `Abd al-Rahman entered the house of `A`isha such that they could not arrest him. Marwan said: It is he (`Abd al-Rahman) about whom Allah revealed this verse: And the one who says to his parents, Fie on you! Do you hold out the promise to me? To this, `A`isha said from behind a screen: Allah did not reveal anything from the Quran about us except that which was connected with the declaration of my innocence."

This narration begins by portraying Marwan bin al-Hakam in a disagreement with Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Bakr (Radiya-llahu-`an-hu). In the course of the dispute, Marwan utilises an equivocal verse from the Quran, asserting that it pertains exclusively to `Abd al-Rahman. Notably, what al-Imamiyyah has neglected to include in their translation is the specific verse initially employed by Marwan, which prompted this response from `A`isha (Radiya-llahu-an-ha). The verse, from Surat al-Ahqaf, characterises offspring who exhibit disobedience towards their parents. It is within this context that `A`isha (Radiya-llahu-`an-ha) reproaches Marwan for misappropriating the verse and replies that no such verse was revealed about Abu Bakr's offspring in this manner. Nevertheless, al-Imamiyyah's questionable interpretation would still be insufficient, as there are other verses in the Quran that address `A`isha (Radiya-llahu-`an-ha), such as the previously mentioned verses of al-Takhyir.

End.