WHO ARE CALLED AHALE BAIT /(PEOPLE OF THE HOUSE) OR AAL (AULAD) ?

: In Islam; Ahale bait, meaning people of the pious house of Prophet Mohammed (sav) have very important status. Some times Aal (aulad/children) word is also used. Most generally, people of house or Ahle bait is specifically known for Ali (ra), Fatemah (ra), Imam Hasan (ra) and Imam Husein (ra). This Ahale bait including Prophet Mohammed (sav) is known as the greatest five, Most noble five, Most pious five, Most dignified Five etc. Their spiritual level has been considered as supreme. Their knowledge is considered to be supreme. Even in Durud Shareef, every Muslim sends salaam to this glorious five and other aal (aulad) of Prophet Mohammed (sav). The Ahale bait and Aal words are specific for all blood related members of Prophet Mohammed (sav)s family which initiates through Prophet Mohammed (sav)s daughter Bibi Fatemah (ra) and her sons Imam Hasan(ra) and Imam Husein (ra). But these Aal and Ahle Bait word can be generalized for all spiritually elevated pious Ummah people (auliya allah/Friends of Allah) also. Hazarat Salamaan Farasi (ra) was one of the pious companions of Prophet Mohammed (sav). About this pious Salamaan Farasi (ra), Prophet said that he belonged to Ahale Bait. Salamaan Farasi (ra) was originated from Iran. He was not Arabic. Ant yet he was considered as Ahle Bait by our beloved Prophet (sav). This is very important guidance our beloved Prophet (sav) has shown as regards to Ahale Bait. It means that the word Ahale Bait implies very special elevated spiritual position obtained through love, patience, surrender and sacrifice and service for beloved Prophet Mohammed (sav). When love of a person is extremely high towards prophet Mohammed (sav), the Prophet Mohammed (sav) himself considers such person as his Ahale Bait. Prophet Mohammed (sav) did not like any kind of groupism or discrimination among the caste, sub caste, creed within Islam. So, by calling Salaman (ra) as Ahale Bait, he averted differences between the groups of Ansar and Muhajireen. The Shia group has been exposed about their misguidance or bad akidah. The Shia only considers 12 Imam who were Blood Related Family members of Prophet Mohammed as Ahale Bait and deny khilafat of first three khalifa of Islam. At the Battle of Khandak, there was a debate between Muhazireen and Ansaar about the subject in which group Hazarat Salamaan Farasi (ra) belong. Both the Muhazir and Ansaar were claiming that Salamaan (ra) belonged to them. Ansaar said that Salamaan had arrived in Madinah before the arrival of Prophet Mohammed (sav) in Madinah, so he must be considered to be from Ansaar. Muhazir said that as he migrated from Faras (Iran) to Madinah so he must be considered to be Muhazir.

Upon this verbal debate, Prophet (sav) smiled and told lovingly that Salamaan (ra) was from Ahale Bait (from people of house of the Prophet). Nabi always said the truth. Similarly, the verse number 6 of Surah Ahzaab in quran states that Nabi is near to the believers than their own souls and his wives are mothers for the believers Now study and deep think about this ayat of Quraan. Prophet Mohammed (sav) s pious wives are considered as mothers of all believers in Islam even though so many believers have not taken birth from them ( so many believers are not blood related sons/daughters) and yet quran says that all believers in Islam are children (aulad) of Prophet Mohammed (sav)s wives. This clearly states that such nearness like son-mother relation has been established due to believers intense love and Imaan. So, Aal and Ahale Bait words can be generalized to all pious friends of Allah whch include Siddiqin, Saalehin and Shohadas in Islam. Quran also use the word Aal for the followers/companions.; as for example; Aale Musa (Musa and his followers/companions), Aale Firaun (Firaun and his companions etc), Aale Imran, Aale Ibrahim and like that. If we look at the dua made by Prophet Mohammed (sav) at the event of Kisa Dua with Yemeni cloth Sheet jointly placed over head of Ali (ra), Hasan(ra), Husein (ra), Fatema (ra) and Prophet Mohammed (sav) during which he made dua to Allah by putting Yemeni big cloth sheet on the head of these pious four and also upon himself by picking cloth sheet in both hands and made dua Ya Allah these are my Ahale Bait. I love them and their children. You also love them and love those who love them Ya Allah show your enmity toward those who show enmity towards them. Ya Allah purify them as most pure Thus Hazarat Ali (ra), Imam Hasan (ra), Imam Husein (ra), Bibi Fatemah zahara (ra) including Prophet (sav) himself declared as Ahale Bait. Look at the dua made by Prophet Mohammed (sav) during the incident of Kisa. The Muslim Ummah must love these Ahale Bait as beloved Prophet asked Ummah to love these Ahale bait. It is important to love them. In quran, there is verse in which prophet was asked by Allah to say I do not want any Ujarat (reward/Money) for bringing this Islam except love to those who are my close ones/near ones). So, importance of love of Ummah to pious Ahale Bait has been mentioned. There was a message of love and not the message of discrimination. There are no differences of High-low, superior-inferior in between groups or castes within Islamic Ummah. Islam has provided equality and freedom of expression with each others respect and equal justice system under shariat law to every body within Ummah (followers of Islam). Some shariat laws about Zakaat are exclusive only to show greatness based on taqwa as leaders of Islam are great in taqwa. Spiritually elevated people will not prefer to take zakaat. There is no discrimination in Islam among Ummah people as regards punishment in sharia law. The level of a person is based on taqwa (love, fear of Allah, obedience and sacrifice) for the sake of Allah and His Prophet Mohammed (sav). Nearness to Allah and his rasul (sav) based on this taqwa is purely a spiritual status. Ahle Bait got the highest spiritual state by dua of Prophet Mohammed (sav).

So, nearness is based on spiritual elevation. Salaman (ra)s Ahale Bait reward given by Prophet Mohammed (sav) was based on this taqwa. Prophet (sav) finished the differences of both groups by revealing this fact. Hadis Qudasi about friends of Allah is Allah says that he is at war with those who show enmity towards his friends is very much similar to the one Prophet (sav) made dua for Ahale Bait during Kisa event. So, in general, Auliya Allah of Islam may be included in Ahale Bait. General Status may be classified as Musalman, Mumeen (true believer) and Auliya Allah (friends of Allah). In durud-e-Ibrahim, which is recited in salaat (daily five time prayers in the mosques), the word Aal-e-Ibrahim is used. The translation of this durud is as this: O my Allah, send durud(blessing) upon our leader Mohammed and his Aal like the same as you bestowed upon Ibrahim and his Aal. Surely you are bearer and accepter. O my Allah, give barakaat (divine prosperity) to our leader Mohammed and his Aal like the barakaat (divine prosperity) you bestowed upon Ibrahim and His Aal. Surely you are bearer and accepter. We know that beloved Prophet Mohammed (sav) is a blood related to Prophet Ibrahim (AS), then why Prophet Mohammed (sav)s Aal has been separately and distinctly described in durud-e-Ibrahim? The reason is that, here, Aal is meant for all mumeen (high level believers/followers) of Islam. Yazid bin Muawiyah and his army fought and showed tremendous cruelty against pious Ahale Bait and became among the people of hell fire. So, Muslim Ummah are requested to see in a broad view the meaning of Ahle Bait and Aal. It must be noted that Prophet Mohammed (sav) did not select or suggest any name to make khalifa (his deputy) after him. He left this to be elected by Ummah and Ummah leaders. If selection of Khalifa was to be made, Prophet Mohammed (sav) should have selected or suggested name as he was the best selector. But he wanted to introduce the democratic system in Islamic state governance. He liked freedom of a person; so he was used to free the slaves. Hazarat Bilal (ra) and Hazarat Salaman (ra) were freed by him from slavery. How can he like dictatorship or kingship in his Islamic state? So, election (democracy) was introduced by Prophet Mohammed (sav) in the world for the first time. So, freedom and equality are the basic fundamentals of Islam.