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)
We are three siblings. And my mother had a vision for each one of us, and all of them were connected to Ahl al-Bayt. The first vision was for my eldest sister. My mother, in a dream, saw our master Ahmad al-Badawi, and there was a bracelet that amazed her, entirely made of diamonds. From this, she understood that she was pregnant with my sister.
For my brother, she saw our master, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), distributing tomatoes. She said to him, “I want one,” and she understood that she was pregnant with my brother.
As for me, she saw Sayyida Nafisa, may Allah be pleased with her and grant her His pleasure.
She was giving her a frame containing the entire Qur’an, but it was missing the glass. From this, she understood that she was pregnant with me. This is my connection with them from the very beginning—from the moment my mother gave birth to me.
My mother had a deep love for Ahl al-Bayt.
The teacher who was with her was also deeply devoted to Ahl al-Bayt, with constant visits. From the time I was a child, there were always visits—continuous visits to them, to Ahl al-Bayt.
As for Sayyida Nafisa in particular, I call her my inner mother. I do nothing in my life unless I first go to her, seek her blessing, supplicate there, have her pray for me, and then leave.
May Allah be pleased with our lady Sayyida Nafisa, the source of knowledge, and with all the noble Ahl al-Bayt. The relationship of Muslims with the family of our master Muhammad (PBUH) is rooted in the concept of blessing and abundant goodness,
which Allah, the Almighty, bestows upon those who are attached to them and who follow the righteous among them.
Nafisa—how precious is her virtue, a noble gift from the Lord, clear to all who behold. How often the Book is recited at her resting place, a dwelling made for the righteous.
Episode 8
Blessings and al-Kawthar
Lady Nafisa, the beacon of knowledge, may Allah be pleased with her and grant her His pleasure, and may He benefit us through her and her knowledge in both worlds, amen, memorized the Qur’an at the age of eight. Later, when she came to blessed Egypt, she sat in the company of the greatest Scholars.
She then sat to teach the people, and the foremost of our Scholars would sit before her as students of knowledge. These are Ahl al-Bayt: they are not harmed by people. They are the gates of Prophet Muhammad’s mercy, the gates of Muhammadan light,
and the gates of Muhammadan guidance. Yet she was never distracted by creation from the Creator. According to the narrations, she dug her own grave and completed more than 190 full recitations of the Qur’an inside it.
Let us imagine the Ummah as having two lines: a horizontal line and a vertical line known as the layers of the Ummah, generation after generation. The master of these generations is the generation of the Companions.
However, the Companions, were one generation that came to an end. There are no Companions who continue today—the Companions concluded with the passing of the last Companion. There is another line that continues: the line of Ahl al-Bayt, the Prophetic lineage, which intersects at a single point;
namely, those Companions who were from Ahl al-Bayt. Thereafter, this line of Ahl al-Bayt continues within the Ummah with these textual foundations and special distinctions, while the merits of the Companions ended with the death of the last Companion.
Accordingly, our relationship with our noble Companions is tied to the absence of their living presence and is limited to what has been transmitted to us from them. We turn to what they learned from our master, the Prophet (PBUH), seeking to learn from it and to follow their example.
We cannot look for a Companion today—there is no Companion alive. But Ahl al-Bayt remain.
Thus, Allah, Glorified and Most High, has singled out the progeny so that models of leadership from Ahl al-Bayt continue until the end of time. Whoever wishes to witness a living model of continuous inherited guidance,
from our master Muhammad (PBUH), in its most complete form for any given era, will most often find it in a noble Imam from Ahl al-Bayt—one who acquired beneficial knowledge, acted upon it, and remained upright upon the path of his grandfather,
the path brought by him (PBUH). Thus, he inherited this mantle: “We, Ahl al-Bayt, are not to be compared to anyone,” a statement spoken by the beloved, the Prophet (PBUH), and also narrated from our master Ali Zayn al-Abidin.
Love for Ahl al-Bayt is a cause of all goodness.
The excellence of Ahl al-Bayt stems from the special distinction granted by the Prophet (PBUH) when he spread his cloak over them. From this moment, their excellence was firmly established.
As for the blessing of Ahl al-Bayt, it is affirmed in the Book of Allah. Allah, the Almighty, says: “The mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, O people of the Household. Indeed, He is Praiseworthy, Glorious.” Thus, the mercy and blessings of Allah are upon the Household of the Prophet (PBUH).
This noble person who is connected to the Prophet (PBUH) carries within him a share—however small—of our master, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
Anything connected to the presence of the Prophet (PBUH) is a source of blessing—even his sandals. Our master Ibn Mas‘ud, about whom the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Recite the Qur’an according to the recitation of Ibn Umm ‘Abd,”
was blessed by Allah in his person and his knowledge. The entire Hanafi school traces back to our master ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud. He attained this blessing because he carried the sandals of the Prophet (PBUH).
In times of peace and travel, in residence and in every circumstance, he carried the sandals. Through the blessing of carrying the sandals of the Prophet (PBUH), it was said, “Recite the Qur’an according to the recitation of Ibn Umm ‘Abd,” and he became a jurist, a scholar, and an Imam.
He attained the blessing of the Prophet’s supplications (PBUH) through this connection. So, what, then, of one who carries within himself a share—even if small—of the presence of the Prophet (PBUH)? How, indeed, do blessing and light flow through such a person?
Everything connected to the Prophet—whether an inanimate object, an animal, a human being, or even something that loved him—is blessed. So, what, then, of a complete human being connected to the Prophet, such as Ahl al-Bayt, whom people used to call Imams?
They would say: Imam Ali, Imam Hasan, Imam Husayn. No one among the Companions was called “Imam” during their lifetime except our master Ali. Though every Companion was, in himself, a nation, our master Ali was an Imam.
“Imam” means one who stands in front—both spiritually and physically. He stands before them as their guide. For this reason, he was called the Gate of the City of Knowledge, and for this reason all the Companions knew his rank.
They would seek his counsel in all critical matters. Our master ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, despite his far-reaching insight—and though he was among the greatest jurists and leading scholars of the Companions—
with many inspired judgments to his name, used to say: “There is no solution without Abu al-Hasan,” meaning that whenever a complex case arose, none could resolve it except Abu al-Hasan—our master Ali.
Our master Ali Zayn al-Abidin once entered through the gate of the Ka‘bah during the days of Hajj, when the circumambulation was crowded with people. The people did not move aside for the Caliph, who was present and performing tawaf like everyone else.
But when our master Ali Zayn al-Abidin entered, those who recognized him and those who did not began to call out, “Make space, make space,” until he reached the Black Stone. The people then stepped back in the tawaf until he became the Imam of the circumambulation—something unprecedented.
Everyone moved back—even those who did not know him—because they sensed that this light could not be preceded. All stepped back, may Allah be pleased with him, while he stepped forward.
He continued to lead the moment, while even the Caliph who was present stood in astonishment.
He said, “Who is this for whom the people made way, while we who perform tawaf wait days to reach the Black Stone?” As if he had belittled him. At that point, al-Farazdaq spoke in praise of Ahl al-Bayt.
He said: “This is the one whose footsteps the valley knows, whom the House knows, the Hill, and the Sacred Precinct. This is the son of the best of all Allah’s servants—the pious, the pure, the radiant standard. This is the son of Fatimah, if you do not know him; through his grandfather, the Prophets of Allah were sealed.”
“And your question, ‘Who is this?’ does not diminish him; Arabs know whom you deny, and non-Arabs as well. Both his hands are refuge for those who seek them; they flow with generosity, untouched by want. No seeker is ever turned away from his bounty; he is adorned with two virtues: noble character and noble traits.”
This ongoing blessing within the Ummah of our master Muhammad (PBUH), through the presence of his noble family among us, becomes clearer when we understand the meaning of maintaining kinship ties and their deep connection to blessing and goodness.
There is an intimate relationship between maintaining ties of kinship and blessing. At its essence, blessing means increase and growth.
It signifies sufficient abundance—that a person may receive many favors and gifts which, even if modest in material form, are ample in effect and outcome, leaving one free of need.
The Prophet (PBUH) made maintaining ties of kinship a means to blessing in life and a gateway to blessing in all affairs. Whoever seeks blessing in his life and matters must remain firmly attached to maintaining kinship ties.
Regarding maintaining kinship ties, there is a Qudsi hadith in which Allah says: “I am the Most Merciful. I created the womb and derived its name from My Name. Whoever maintains it, I maintain him; and whoever cuts it off, I cut him off.”
This makes clear that kinship has a right over us. Foremost among these ties is that which comes through the family of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), for our master the Prophet (PBUH) is a father to all.
Because he is a father to us, it is incumbent upon us to preserve this bond continually—first by sending prayers and peace upon him (PBUH), then by visiting Ahl al-Bayt, and also by visiting him (PBUH).
O Allah, send prayers upon our master Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad; have mercy upon our master Muhammad and upon the family of our master Muhammad; and bless our master Muhammad.
And upon the family of our master Muhammad, just as You sent prayers, mercy, and blessings upon our master Ibrahim and upon the family of our master Ibrahim. Truly, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.
Is there blessing in maintaining kinship ties with Ahl al-Bayt? Certainly. No one compares his life before knowing, loving, visiting, and honoring Ahl al-Bayt—by the command of Allah and His Messenger—
except that he witnesses increase, abundance, and ease within it. True lived experience confirms that maintaining kinship ties—whether with parents, relatives, or, at the highest level, with Ahl al-Bayt—
because it is a bond with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), who said, “I am to you like a father to his children,” carries a blessing that cannot be measured or contained.
For my part, I have personally experienced maintaining ties with Ahl al-Bayt, and I have felt the blessing that comes from this connection. Comparing it with life before, it was as if I had become another person—as if I had lived a new life, as if I were in a reality entirely different from the one I knew.
I also witnessed others who did the same, and they experienced this same effect.
Truly, the impact of goodness extends to everyone who loves Ahl al-Bayt. Reality itself is proof: whoever loves Ahl al-Bayt receives from Allah, the Almighty, blessings he neither deserves nor expects.
This is rarely found elsewhere. We see it often in life: many times we despair over certain matters, then we turn to the family of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), and the matters are fulfilled. Many times goodness comes to us,
without asking, without striving, simply because of our love for the family of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
Whoever loves the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) follows his traces. Our master Abu Bakr al-Siddiq used to say, “Watch over Muhammad through his family.” There is no land, no village, without someone standing in devotion to the presence of our master, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
The family of our master Muhammad (PBUH) are stars for the people of the earth, guiding them. How can one live without stars? Yet those who are pure and upright often remain hidden; one must actively seek them.
Let your constant concern be this: whoever points you to the Prophet (PBUH), go to him. There are many examples—from Aswan to Alexandria. Sayyid Taqadum, may Allah have mercy on him, stood in devotion to Imam Hasan.
Through him, the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) opened doors to reconciliation and the resolution of ongoing disputes. How many people, how many villages, how many families, and how many reconciliations were achieved through him, by the blessing of his devotion to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
O my masters, do not turn me away—by Allah, by Allah—
for I am your son—by Allah, by Allah.
People of love and affection, you are—by Allah, by Allah.
Jibril came to your grandfather—by Allah, by Allah.
Allah has honored your household—by Allah, by Allah.
In remembrance, your praise is recited—by Allah, by Allah.
Far be it that I be lost while I am—by Allah, by Allah—
counted among you in your abode—by Allah, by Allah.
O my masters, do not turn me away—by Allah, by Allah—
for I am your son—by Allah, by Allah.
The foundational sacred texts tell us that the progeny of the Beloved (PBUH) is granted special favor. This is beyond personal experience or interactions with them.
Whoever interacts with a noble and esteemed figure from Ahl al-Bayt—someone of honor, dignity, and exemplary character—witnesses this goodness and virtue directly. It is clear and evident, and it is a matter of faith for the believer.
Believers know that Allah, the Almighty, has granted the progeny of the Beloved (PBUH) special honor, abundant blessings, and unique distinction. The more one seeks and recognizes this distinction,
through obedience to Allah in His commands, the more He reveals aspects of the continuous special favor present in this lineage.
When our master the Prophet (PBUH) returned from the Farewell Pilgrimage, he held the hand of our master Imam Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said, “O Allah, be a friend to whoever befriends him, and oppose whoever opposes him.”
Our master Ali (may Allah honor his face) was addressed by the Prophet (PBUH), who said, “O Ali, you are to me as Harun was to Musa, except that there is no Prophet after me.”
Regarding our lady Fatima al-Zahra (may Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet (PBUH) said, “Fatima is a part of me. What pleases her pleases me, and what angers her angers me.”
As we have heard, the Prophet’s (PBUH) love and attachment extended to our masters Hasan and Husayn, and he expressed this love openly.
It is narrated that one day he (PBUH) carried Hasan on his right shoulder and Husayn on his left shoulder.
The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, do you love them?” He (PBUH) replied, “Yes, I love them, and I love whoever loves them.”
People only know that our master Husayn was in Karbala and what transpired there, but few realize that he was also present in the mosque of our master, the Prophet (PBUH).
When Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) speaks, people gather around him, leaving everyone else behind. They listen attentively as if birds were perched on their heads—they cannot blink or turn their eyes while he speaks.
This only occurs with those who possess mastery over hearts and influence over souls. When they speak, it is as if hearts are drawn toward them, like blank pages on which they can inscribe whatever they wish.
They place in these hearts whatever they desire and remove whatever they choose. This is part of the nature of Ahl al-Bayt: they enter the hearts of the righteous among their followers, instill what is good with the power of their spirit and clarity, and remove vices as they wish.
I truly feel that this is a divine breath from them—a blessing from our master, the Prophet (PBUH). The Prophet loved life, and Ahl al-Bayt love life. They cherished and nurtured life on earth.
They followed Allah’s law on earth, and naturally, we partake of this blessing from them. They provide for their children, passing down sustenance from Allah to their descendants. Surely, this is a blessing and a touch of their spirit.
I truly believe this: anyone who loves Ahl al-Bayt feels the mercy and tenderness within them, because that is who they are.
While the excellence of the Prophet’s Household (peace be upon them) may seem limited to unseen aspects beyond personal perception, devotion to them manifests in tangible virtues of character, behavior, and social interaction.
The source of goodness in this nation is our master, the Prophet (PBUH). When he ascended to the Most High, he left among us a living source of goodness—his blessed Houshold (PBUH).
From them, we inherit principles and foundations. There is no greater good than the refinement of hearts and their guidance toward the truth of Allah, nor greater good than noble character.
And there is no greater good than seeing the presence of our master, the Prophet (PBUH), reflected in them.
Blessing from Ahl al-Bayt does not lie in appearance, vision, visitation, gesture, or glad tidings. Rather, their blessing is in the heart, in love—may Allah increase your love for them.
May He expand your perception so that when you stand before our master, Imam Husayn, truth takes root in your being. When you connect with Imam Hasan, love, mercy, and compassion take root in your heart.
When you stand before Sayyida Zaynab’s shtine, patience is strengthened in your heart. Allah the Almighty has spread them across the earth as beacons, lights, signs, and glad tidings.
So,when you encounter them, you read, connect, cultivate character,and realize spiritual truths.This shows that the blessing of Ahl al-Bayt is not limited to a single form.
That is why those chosen for closeness to Allah in every era sought Ahl al-Bayt and learned from them. You will find that descendants of the Prophet (PBUH) were present among the Tabi‘un, the Tabi‘ al-Tabi‘in, and even the Companions.
People would seek out the Imams of Ahl al-Bayt and learn from them. That is why the Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah are also rooted in Ahl al-Bayt.
That is why all the Imams of Ahl al-Sunnah studied under our master, Imam Ja‘far al-Sadiq.
Tracing the transmission of knowledge among Ahl al-Sunnah reveals that all their learning passed through great Imams of Ahl al-Bayt. There is no generation or layer of the nation that did not have prominent Imams from Ahl al-Bayt.
Through them, chains of transmission and connections were preserved, ensuring the continuous favor of Allah upon the nation of our master, the Prophet (PBUH).
This blessing reaches every generation without interruption because they represent an unbroken line. The nation will not go astray as long as it recognizes the worth of Ahl al-Bayt.
And there is no greater good than that He introduces you to the Truth, Glorified is He, and no greater good than that He draws you closer to the Truth, Glorified is He, in greater good by making you a spiritual person, bringing you to the stage of the perfect human.
There is no better good than that, and this is the source in this regard, in that they teach you to worship Allah as if you see Him; if you do not see Him, then indeed He sees you.
So, their love is a reason for goodness, a reason for success, and a reason for benefiting from all kinds of blessings. The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Allah loves you for the blessings He bestows upon you, the abundant goodness,” as the scholars said, “great good.”
It is connected: “Love me for the sake of Allah’s love for me.” So, love for the Prophet is a reason for love of Allah, and love of Allah is a reason for abundant good. “Love my family because of my love for them.” So, notice how the Prophet linked:
Love of Ahl al-Bayt, love of the Prophet, love of Allah. So this is a river of goodness. Whoever loves Ahl al-Bayt and follows them correctly, without excess or neglect, this love
and this following is the key and reason for abundance, for goodness, and for all virtues, by Allah’s permission, and it will not be lost, by Allah’s permission. A person is with those he loves. We ask Allah to make us and you among them.
O Ahl al-Bayt, we rely on you! O men of Allah, have mercy on us.
Notice us with the blink of your eyes; we are your servants, servants.
Whoever loves, drink and give me to drink, O cupbearer of the people, take and give me.
The beauty of the beloved manifested before my eyes. The purest prayers and peace upon him.
And to understand the concept of blessing and goodness in the family of our master Muhammad (PBUH) we must comprehend the interpretation of Allah’s statement to our master, peace be upon him: “Indeed, We have given you al-Kawthar.”
Al-Kawthar, which Allah gave to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, as in His words “Indeed, We have given you al-Kawthar,” differs in its explanation, and the closest meaning, which aligns with the linguistic sense,
is “abundant goodness.” “Indeed, We have given you al-Kawthar” means “Indeed, We have given you abundant goodness.” This goodness encompasses everything related to the Messenger of Allah, his family, and his nation. The effect of this abundant goodness
that Allah gave to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is what we draw upon in all matters. Every good you find in your life extends from the al-Kawthar that was given to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
Scholars, when they spoke about al-Kawthar, discussed the many types of gifts that were given to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. Each of them mentioned one type of these abundant gifts.
Among its meanings are knowledge, among its meanings is light, among its meanings is Prophethood, among its meanings is the Qur’an, among its meanings is the Prophetic tradition (Sunnah), among its meanings is divine selection. But in truth, I see the most authentic bearer of al-Kawthar
is Lady Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her and satisfy her, peace be upon her.
She is the most honored by Fatimah, the most blessed by Fatimah. Due to Fatimah, the lineage was honored. For the sake of Lady Fatimah, may Allah be pleased with her and peace be upon her, therefore Ahl al-Bayt, mashallah, are very numerous in all remaining parts of the earth.
Indeed, their lineages is preserved. Among most families and tribes, for most people, lineages are preserved, but it is the noble Ahl al-Bayt whose lineages are carefully maintained.
Al-Kawthar is the abundance of progeny from the family of the Prophet, peace be upon him, even though all his offspring, peace be upon him, came from the greatest female in this universe, Lady Fatimah al-Zahra, peace be upon her.
This multiplying progeny is included in the meaning of the word al-Kawthar. The Prophet, peace be upon him, is the possessor of al-Kawthar, meaning not only the Pond of Kawthar from which people will drink, but also the possessor of al-Kawthar in the sense of the Ahl al-Bayt.
So, al-Kawthar, without contradiction, can be said to be the Kawthar of the river in Paradise, the abundant good, and also the children of the Prophet, peace be upon him and his family.
As mentioned by Al-Razi, Al-Tabari, and others, al-Kawthar refers to the family of the Prophet and his descendants and children, peace be upon him and his family. How many were killed? They were killed in Karbala, almost wiped out.
Only Ali Zain al-Abidin survived, and Hasan’s descendants—young children who were with their mothers—hundreds of them were killed, yet the progeny of the Prophet’s family, peace be upon him and his family, still spread.
They cited the verse “Indeed, your enemy is the one cut off”—so the Surah indicates, “Indeed, We have given you al-Kawthar”. It is connected to “Indeed, your enemy is cut off”. Your enemy, of course, refers to some of the polytheists.
They used to mock the Prophet, peace be upon him, saying that his children died and he had no descendants, calling him “cut off” (abtar). These verses were revealed in response to them.
All of Husayn’s children were killed except Ali Zain al-Abidin, from this blessed few who could have been wiped out, but Allah preserved them to fulfill His promise to His Prophet: “Indeed, We have given you al-Kawthar”—the many people of the household.
Now there are around forty million members of the Ahl al-Bayt whose lineages are established worldwide. “So pray to your Lord and sacrifice. Indeed, your enemy—your hater—is the one cut off.” About his hater, we do not know…
In interpretation, scholars differ with nine opinions on who mocked the Prophet and said what he said—that Muhammad is cut off (abtar). We do not know, but we do know the Prophet to whom Allah fulfilled His promise with that abundance.
Whoever places in their heart—may Allah protect us—indifference toward the beloved, peace be upon him, or hatred and spite, and as they say, slander against our masters, the Ahl al-Bayt, this person experiences that “cutting off.”
A cutting off in blessing, a cutting off in goodness. And how can a person hold hatred in their heart? The Prophet tells us: “A person is with those they love.” So if a person carries hatred in their heart, for whom is it?
For whom Allah commanded love: “I do not ask you for any reward except love for close kin.” Then comes a person who does not judge by the Sharia, as you heard, but judges by habit, mood, and desire. And, may Allah protect us, hatred is planted in their heart toward the Ahl al-Bayt.
Ordinary people—I see in them, and perhaps people—we say they have tender hearts. Tender hearts mean—I realized through experience—that the softer the heart,
the more they love our master the Prophet, peace be upon him, and his family, without questions, without adding too many question marks, because as I said, love—let’s take it as one piece.
I love someone, so everything that comes from my beloved is my beloved’s. I cannot put too many questions or start imagining intentions like “are they doing this for this reason?” I say, I am from Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jama‘ah,
a Muslim who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger. My path is our master the Prophet, and everything on the path of our master the Prophet is my path, simply, without many questions.
O Lord, always and forever send blessings and peace upon the Prophet and all of his family.
Love for Ahl al-Bayt of our master Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the gateway to benefiting from the goodness of al-Kawthar, which Allah, Glorified is He, promised to His Prophet, peace be upon him and his family.
But what prevents us from this love and that blessing in this time is the disease of suspicion toward them, peace be upon them. This will be the topic of our next session, by the will of Allah.
