In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate
Allah only intends to keep the causes of evil away from you and purify you completely, O members of the Prophet’s family! (Qur’an 33:33)
My first source to know the members of the Prophet’s Household (Ahl Al-Bayt) began at home, i.e. in the house where I was raised. I grew up in a family where my father, Allah may have mercy on him, was deeply devoted to praying the dawn (Fajr) prayer at the mosque of Sayyidna al-Husayn.
We lived in Cairo’s Shubra district, and he would often walk all the way there, leaving nearly an hour before Fajr and making the journey on foot to Sayyidna al-Husayn mosque.
When I became strong enough to walk with him, he began taking me along. From then on, every Friday, we would pray at the mosque of Sayyidna al-Husayn.
At times, he would take a day off work and accompany us all on a round of visits to mosques of Ahl Al-Bayt, i.e. Sayyida Nafisa, Sayyida Zaynab, and Sayyidna al-Husayn, ending our journey at al-Hajja Zakiyya.
In this way, we were raised with a deep love for visiting the mosques of Ahl Al-Bayt and keeping their remembrance alive, something inseparably connected to the remembrance of the Prophet, as they are his family and are intrinsically linked to him.
Our attachment to the Prophet, reinforced by our frequent visits to the mosques of Ahl Al-Bayt, created a profound emotional and heartfelt bond with them.
From a very young age, I developed a deep love for visiting the mosques of Ahl Al-Bayt.
O Allah, send Your blessings upon our master Muhammad, and upon his family, Companions, and offspring;
upon his wives, descendants, household, in-laws, supporters, followers, those who love him, and his entire Ummah;
and upon us together with them all, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy.
Love is an emotion beyond a person’s full control; yet it can be planted, nurtured, and allowed to grow.
However, is the love for the Household of our master Muhammad (Ahl Al-Bayt), peace and blessings be upon them, merely a matter of choice,
or does it carry the weight of an obligation that every believer in Allah, the Most High, and His Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, must uphold?
O Allah, send Your blessings and prayers upon our master Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad, until no measure of prayer remains unfulfilled.
And have mercy upon our master Muhammad and the family of our master Muhammad, until no trace of mercy remains withheld.
Episode 2
Loving the Prophet’s Household (peace be upon them)
Our Lord has made love the counterbalance to abandoning His Path and doubt.
Allah says: “Whoever among you turns away from his religion—Allah will bring forth a people” He did not describe them simply as believers, doers of deeds, fighters, worshippers, or ascetics, but rather highlighted the qualities of their hearts.
“Allah loves them, and they love Him” Thus, love in the heart acts as a safeguard against turning away from Allah’s Path; whoever truly loves cannot turn away from faith.
Indifference is the opposite of love, and love is the antidote to turning away from Allah’s Path; nothing purifies the heart from indifference except genuine love.
It is both a right and a duty upon every person to give Ahl Al-Bayt their due of respect, reverence, and honor.
And love for them is essential, for loving them is inseparable from loving the Messenger of Allah. How could it be otherwise when we seek and turn to Allah
through the Messenger of Allah and through our love for him? There is no approach to the Messenger except through the gate of his noble Household,
through our master ʿAlī and al-Zahrāʾ al-Batūl, Fāṭimah al-Zahrāʾ, may Allah be pleased with her and grant her peace,
and their two beloved sons, the delight of the Messenger’s eyes: al-Ḥasan and al-Ḥusayn, and those who came after them from
the honored Household of the Messenger of Allah, such as Jaʿfar al-Ṣādiq, may Allah be pleased with him, and Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn—down to our own time,
throughout the ages. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the entire Ummah of the Messenger of Allah to revere his Household and his offspring until the Day of Resurrection.
This duty applies to the Ummah of the Messenger of Allah across all times, and whoever seeks a path other than this seeks their own ruin.
Peace be upon you—peace, like a fragment of sealing musk.
Peace be upon you, our beloved ones, O people of radiant nobility.
Through their remembrance, our hearts find tranquility amid the darkness.
And light is unveiled for us [as a guide] among all creation.
I am your servant, O people of steadfast loyalty
In your nearness, dwell my healing and my repose
So, do not weary me with the length of separation
Grant me union—even if only revealed through a dream
Peace be upon you—peace, like a fragment of sealing musk.
In this noble verse, the command comes from Allah, the Almighty, to the master of creation, peace be upon him, saying: “Say (O Muhammad)…”
This command indicates that it is Allah, Glorified and Exalted, Who has ordained and willed it and it also signifies that in the love of Ahl Al-Bayt
there is obedience, and in it lies immense reward and merit. Thus, Allah commands His Beloved, peace be upon him: “Say”—that is, speak, O Perfect of the Messengers—“Say to your nation, from your time until Allah inherits the earth and all that is upon it: I do not ask you for any reward…”
In truth, as the hadith states: whoever loves them (Ahl Al-Bayt), I love them; and whoever hates them, I hate them. This means that a person’s hatred toward the Companions and Ahl Al-Bayt is, in reality, hatred toward the Prophet himself.
Similarly, a person’s love for the Companions and Ahl Al-Bayt reflects true love for the Prophet. The Qur’an affirms this:
The “planting” that the Prophet established, referring to Ahl Al-Bayt, began with the first among the young to embrace Islam: our master Ali.
Regarding this planting, Allah said it was meant to provoke the disbelievers. Scholars clarify that Ahl Al-Bayt themselves feel neither provoked nor angered by it,
except for someone who carries traces of hypocrisy that could potentially lead him to disbelief if he does not correct himself.
Ahl Al-Bayt are a sign of attaining Allah’s mercy, a mark of freedom from hypocrisy, and an indication of belonging to the ranks of true believers.
There are those who appear to be believers, Muslims outwardly, but later we may discover that they were, in reality, disbelievers or hypocrites.
They said, “We believe” say, “You have not truly believed; rather, say, ‘We have submitted.’”
When true faith enters your hearts, faith becomes distinct from mere Islam. One of its signs is love for Ahl Al-Bayt, which is also a sign of salvation on the Day of Judgment.
Love for Ahl Al-Bayt is not a sentimental or romantic notion to be discussed superficially or mixed with trivial talk.
It is a matter rooted in the very foundation of the religion, a genuine sign of faith and, conversely, an indicator of hypocrisy.
Affection for Ahl Al-Bayt is explicitly mentioned in the Qur’an: “I do not ask you for any reward except love for my Household.”
Beware of failing to love the people of my household. It is as if Allah is saying: to love them is to love Me; to dislike them is to dislike Me. This reflects true faith and genuine security in belief.
Peace be upon you, O Household of the Messenger of Allah, and may Allah’s mercy
and blessings be upon you. Indeed, Allah intends to remove all impurity from you,
O People of the House, and to purify you thoroughly.
A person who feels a sense of calm and certainty, walking along, believing their faith is secure and that they are not straying elsewhere.
But is the purity of their monotheism truly intact?
All of them, Ahl Al-Bayt, are protected from polytheism; indeed, it is narrated that they are safeguarded even from sin. They are completely free from associating partners with Allah.
Every noble and blessed part of them is impervious to polytheism—it cannot touch them. No one among Ahl Al-Bayt is a disbeliever.
You see, when Ahl Al-Bayt are true believers, disbelief and polytheism are entirely barred from them.
This means that loving them is a love that serves as a true sign that you love Allah and His Messenger.
So if you lose this great sign, beware for your own soul, protect yourself carefully and sincerely.
O Supporter of the needy… we are the needy and humble.
Through you we seek intercession… we hope for your generous aid.
O Resemblance of the Prophet… O brother of Ali.
Your gaze is upon us… O Noble of character and virtues.
Many of us do not fully grasp the importance of this love, affection, and attachment to Ahl Al-Bayt in our lives. We treat it as if it were optional rather than essential.
This often stems from not understanding the virtue of this love and its profound impact on a person’s life.
Consider what Allah, Glorified and Exalted, said through the words of our master Ibrahim:
“My Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in a barren valley near Your Sacred House, O our Lord, that they may establish prayer.” Why? So that they may establish prayer.
Allah caused the hearts of people to incline toward them. He did not speak directly to the House, but to them, Ahl Al-Bayt. This is the fulfillment of our master Ibrahim’s supplication.
Your love for Ahl Al-Bayt is a Prophetic matter. One cannot complain that Allah responded to Ibrahim’s prayer in this regard yet has not manifested it in your own life.
Whoever loves Ahl Al-Bayt can say: “Praise be to Allah who has manifested in us the fulfillment of our master Ibrahim’s supplication.”
They are the people of love, mercy, and care for the nation of the Messenger of Allah until the Day of Judgment, and loving them brings true happiness.
Loving them provides the closest path and shortest distance to the Messenger of Allah. It bridges the gap of love, devotion, and nearness.
Through them, one reaches the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and ultimately reaches Allah. They are the roots, and access to Him is only through adherence to these roots—they are the foundation of the Ummah.
When I fully understand that whoever says, “There is no god but Allah,” ‘La Illah Illa Allah’ will enter Paradise, it compels me to love everything
that leads to Paradise. And who are the foremost guides on this path? Those who prepare us for it, by the will of Allah.
They are our master, the Prophet, and the members of his noble Household. The language I need to use to convey this to young people
it must be something they can understand, for example, through the language of music. This reminds me of the lyrics from the well-known Amr Diab song: ‘Ay haga tigy min rihit al-habayb’—‘Any news from a loved one brings ease to the heart.’
This can have a profound effect. So, when I visit our master al-Husayn, I know that he is the grandson of the Prophet,
and the leader of the youth of Paradise. He is a piece of the Prophet’s heart, so visiting his mosque is like visiting the Prophet himself.
It is like being close to the Prophet, especially if I cannot travel to Medina, which is far from me.
So, I visit the mosque of Sayyeda Zainab, the daughter of the Prophet—technically his granddaughter, though we often refer to her as his daughter.
It is as if I have visited Lady Fatimah. This love manifests in our lives and in everything we see around us.
Lady Fatimah is the heart of the Prophet, and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded us to love her. Indeed, her love
is the path to a deeper connection with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. Whoever loves Lady Fatimah enters the heart of the Prophet.
And whoever is beloved to Lady Fatimah also enters the heart of the Prophet. Whoever enters the heart of Lady Fatimah
attains the highest place of honor with the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. She does not abandon her beloved, neither in this world nor in the Hereafter.
We honor and love Ahl Al-Bayt because of the Prophet’s love for them, and through our love for them, we turn to the Prophet, so that he may love us in return.
So whoever wishes to reach the heart of the Messenger of Allah should place his Household in his own heart.
We are pleased, O children of Zahra, we are pleased… with a love for you that pleases our Prophet.
We are pleased with the Prophet as our guide… and with you as his family, and through you we find contentment.
And with the grandson Husayn, like his brother… and with Haidar, then Zain al-Abidin.
Your father, the Commander of the Faithful, truly… Ali, the leader of the army of the enlightened.
And your mother, the chosen daughter of Taha… beloved to the Guide, our Prophet.
The Chosen One (the Prophet) showed tenderness toward her… with affection, compassion, and care.
And her story is recited aloud. Truly, she excelled among the women of all worlds.
So you have security, not only that. Cause the hearts of people to turn toward them, and provide them with blessings, that perhaps they may give thanks.
Another verse says, “Of my descendants,” they said, “None of the wrongdoers will attain it.” Know that if you incline toward Ahl Al-Bayt,
and are not unjust but are grateful, Allah will grant you blessings, even if delayed.
This is the supplication of our master Ibrahim, peace be upon him. Few people truly reflect on these words.
The righteous say, “We will traverse the lands to place blessings in the hands of the people,” but blessings or spiritual gifts require proper vessels.
How can we place our blessings if your heart is full of grudges, envy, and selfishness? Empty your heart and come.
They say, “Now you come to us poor, and we will grant you the wealth of this world and the Hereafter,” because the gift of our master, the Messenger of Allah,
and the gift of the children of the Messenger of Allah—who are directly connected to the Prophet—is not only a gift in this world, but also in the Hereafter.
It is proclaimed throughout the universe: “I love him,” and all who dwell in the universe hear of the love of this person—someone who loves Ahl Al-Bayt of the Prophet.
And their love is connected to the Prophet, so through this love, our spiritual poverty is alleviated. As the Messenger of Allah said, a person will be raised with those he loves.
So we love our master, the Messenger of Allah, and everything connected to him.
The ignorant person, one who is unaware of Ahl Al-Bayt, let alone their love.
We judge such a person as we judge one who is ignorant of aspects of the Shari’ah (Islamic law) that are not necessarily known as essentials of the religion.
No punishment is upon him, yet he has missed out on a great virtue and exalted ranks.
In other words, certain virtues were hidden from him, just as some people are unaware of the virtues of charity.
Will such a person be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection for falling short in charity? No, he will not.
However, he has missed a tremendous reward: the reward of charity, of giving and spending in the cause of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He.
The same applies to one who was unaware of Ahl Al-Bayt and of loving them.
Not out of intent or deliberate neglect, but because this matter was not made accessible to him.
Such a person, by the will of Allah, is excused before Allah, yet he has missed out on that love, and that is Allah’s grace, which He bestows upon whom He wills.
Although love is a matter of the heart, you can cultivate it within yourself through various means, though it requires a small personal effort.
We focus on the home, on the family—it is the first school in which a son or daughter is raised: the home, the family.
And the family does not begin after marriage; it begins before marriage—in choosing a spouse wisely, in seeking a good partner. It is not necessary to choose a religious scholar,
but rather to ensure that there are foundations upon which we establish the family, as a Muslim man and a Muslim woman who are getting married.
What is required of me in my religious life is that part of the family environment speaks about the Islamic faith.
And the most important figure in Islam is our master Muhammad and his household.
First of all, this culture is largely absent from society on a social level—the culture of speaking about it.
That I speak to my children, or speak to my spouse, or vice versa, about Ahl Al-Bayt.
The first thing a person must do is learn their religion properly. When they learn it correctly, they will understand how the Almighty arranged the universal laws,
how He set the means that lead to Him, where He placed Ahl Al-Bayt in this equation, and where He placed the noble Companions in this equation,
and where connection to the righteous fits in this equation—so that one understands that the merit of attachment to them
is not merely tied to a habit one was raised upon or something one saw their grandparents do.
Rather, they did so because it is part of the religion and because it is a gateway that leads to the Almighty Truth.
So I turn to reading the authentic Prophetic hadith and listen to him—peace and blessings be upon him, his family, and his Companions—while he was holding the hands of our master al-Hasan and our master al-Husayn, as reported in the narration.
He said: “Whoever loves me, and loves these two, and their father and their mother, will be with me in rank on the Day of Resurrection.”
This is a profound matter: no matter how much a person does of good deeds, how will he be in the same rank as these on the Day of Resurrection?
Thus, connection to them is indeed a means that leads to God, the Exalted. First of all, who made this known to me? Knowledge—when I learned.
When I searched, when I looked, when I asked—therefore, we are greatly lacking in learning.
I feel complete unity with them: “I am from Husayn, and Husayn is from me.”
It is one and the same: “Fatimah is a part of me; whatever harms her harms me.”
If such an inner feeling toward Ahl Al-Bayt arises in this sense, then it is a sign of true connection and a sign of spiritual elevation.
Through Fatimah my state has been purified, and I have attained my desire.
She is a part of Muhammad, the Beloved of Allah, the best of all creation.
Allah has raised her rank to the highest ranks.
Yes—al-Batul, the one well-pleasing, the light of every darkness.
The mother of al-Hasan and al-Husayn, the people of lofty and noble standing.
They have from the Lord great and abundant gifts.
What is the issue with, before visiting any sacred place, first reading and learning who it is and how they are connected to our master, the Prophet?
How the Prophet loved them, how he described them, and what their interactions with him were like in life?
Religion is, undoubtedly, for life. It does not separate you from life; rather, it guides life.
When we read about Ahl Al-Bayt, we realize that they best understood how life tests us.
Why? Because they had a cause to defend.
Even if I have little knowledge of Ahl Al-Bayt, and I have always criticized those who speak about them, I should give myself the chance to learn.
I can read their biographies, visit their shrines if possible, and by taking these steps, the doors of love for them will open.
I read the life of our master al-Hasan, the life of our master al-Husayn, the life of our master Ali ibn Abi Talib, and the life of Lady Fatimah, peace be upon her.
Why focus on their biographies? Because a sound soul naturally loves beauty.
If you recognize what is beautiful, you will love it. Learning about their lives and the beauty within them fosters attachment to them.
I always inquire about their blessed occasions—their Mawlids.
We celebrate them and teach our children that rejoicing in these events is rejoicing with the Prophet himself, peace be upon him.
This revives their memory and honors the biography of our master, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
A thousand blessings and a thousand salutations upon you, my master, O Beloved of Allah, upon you, your family, and all your Companions.
The term “Mawaddah” (affection) refers to a spiritual station—a rank that one can attain, similar to the states and ranks on the path of the people of Allah.
A state is transient; it comes and goes and is not repeated. A station, however, is constant, fixed, and enduring.
Thus, Mawaddah is a status—a rank of love and affection, and of expressing inner feelings that show
recognition that they are part of the Prophet, peace be upon him.
Love resides in the heart—it is emotional attachment. Mawaddah, on the other hand, is reflected in actions and behaviors that express that love.
That is why Allah, Glorified be He, established that the foundation of the relationship between husband and wife is not just love, but Mawaddah—your affection must be expressed.
Likewise, in connecting with Ahl Al-Bayt, Mawaddah alone is not enough. It is not sufficient to sit at home and say, “I love them”; this love must be expressed.
Express it by following their example, embodying their manners, visiting their shrines, and giving charity out of love for them.
All actions that manifest this love bear the fruit of Mawaddah.
As the verse concludes: “Whoever does a good deed, We will increase it for him with goodness.”
The more you strive to love and show affection to Ahl Al-Bayt, the more doors will open for you to receive their love and Mawaddah, as well as that of their grandfather, peace and blessings be upon him, his family, and Companions.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, does not want anyone to remain without love or excluded from this circle.
Out of compassion, he even stood for the funeral of a Jewish man.
He said, “A soul has escaped me, a soul has escaped me” i.e. the Prophet, peace be upon him, wished to guide that person.
If you are distant, if you have built walls between yourself and the Prophet, break those walls and come to our master, the Prophet, the Victorious, peace be upon him.
O my master, O Messenger of Allah… O One honored by Allah,
the lovers have come, seeking with love, and they have attained from Allah what they desired.
Our master Muhammad, peace be upon him, wants what is best for us.
That is why he guided us to the doors of goodness and to the love of his household.
This is the greatest of these doors, guaranteeing for us all goodness.
Yet, some people squander this blessing
by going to extremes—whether in love or in enmity toward them. This will be the topic of our next episode, by the will of Allah.
