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 Household!” (Qur’an 33:33)
Every Muslim is supposed to know the Household of our master the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, because knowing and loving them is part of faith and Islam.
Therefore, this knowledge comes from one’s upbringing. By nature, praise be to Allah, I was raised in a Sufi family, and my father was an Azhar graduate.
I grew up loving and being attached to Ahl Al-Bayt, and by Allah’s good decree, I was also raised near the location of Sayyidi ‘Abd al-Rahim al-Qina’I’s shrine (may Allah be pleased with him).
Even my educational and scholarly journey with the Qur’an, and with our Sheikhs and Scholars in the Islamic sciences, began there, i.e. at the mosque of Sayyid ‘Abd al-Rahim al-Qina’I,
the neighboring mosques as well, and among those who graduated from this blessed mosque. From this point began my attachment to the noble Ahl al-Bayt and to their mosques.
I deeply attached to the masters of the Ahl al-Bayt across the East and the West of the earth—may Allah be pleased with them.
The love for the Prophet’s Household is a foundational principle of the religion, because it is connected to the love for our master Muhammad (PBUH).
However, some people in later times linked this love exclusively to Sufism, as if it were something special to them and unrelated to the generality of Muslims.
This limited understanding restricts the role of Ahl al-Bayt, peace be upon them, in the spiritual nurturing of all Muslims.
A lover passionately devoted to praise, yet the letters are bewildered,
The words fall short of describing him,
And longing for Taha, the Prophet, longing for our master the Prophet,Turns speech into meaningful lyrics.
Episode 13
The Prophet’s Household and Spiritual Nurturing
Sufism is nothing but purity of the heart and refinement of the soul. Al-Junayd said: “Whoever surpasses you in moral character surpasses you in Sufism.”
The concept of Sufism is beyond confining it to an idea, a group, a path, or a party. What if an idea deviates,
and there are deviants among those affiliated with Sufism, what does that have to do with me? I measured the concept correctly. On the contrary, you are confining the concept of Sufism to an idea or a group; while I dedicate myself to the path of our master the Prophet.
Dedicate your path to our master the Prophet so that if times deviate, your understanding does not go astray in return. We do not link love of Ahl al-Bayt to the concept of Sufism.
Rather, we link love of Ahl al-Bayt to sound, pure and clear hearts with no distortion or confusion. Naturally, such hearts will be balanced in their love.
Indeed, the beloved ones dwell in the heart. Allah, Allah!
Yet my eyes long to their sight. Allah, Allah!
True Sufism opens in a person’s heart the door of connection with Allah through love. Connection with Ahl al-Bayt is founded upon love. When a door of love opens for a person,
they love all the beloved ones in general: “O Allah! Guide us to the Straight Path, the path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor.” Thus, there is a shared path to some extent.
Connection with Ahl al-Bayt should be built on love, and connection with Allah Almighty should likewise be built on love. What often spreads this meaning among people is the Sufism’s
The Sufis are people of love, and love occupies a vast status in their hearts. They love Allah, they love His Messenger, and they love Ahl al-Bayt in a way that dominates their lives.
Thus, one will not find a Sufi outside the orbit of this love. Their love for Ahl al-Bayt flows naturally from Allah’s blessing upon them with love for the Prophet (PBUH).
From love of Allah—“Say: If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you.” They loved Allah, so they loved His Messenger; they loved his Household; then they loved all people. Love is always their beginning.
Beautiful is the one who praises the religion. Allah, Allah!
Beautiful, O Pure One, O father of al-Zahra—beautiful; grant me but a glance.
O grandfather of the family, you and your progeny—O father of al-Zahra, delight of my eyes. Allah, Allah!
In the past, love for Ahl al-Bayt was a natural inclination, especially among the people of our country. A land like Egypt has long cherished the chosen ones, not only during the era of Ahl al-Bayt themselves,
Nor even only in the era of our master Muhammad (PBUH). Even the chosen among the Prophets and Messengers were loved here [by the Egyptians].
Let’s mention our master ‘Isa, peace be upon him, passed through this land, leaving traces of love; and our Lady Maryam, peace be upon her. Likewise, our master Ibrahim al-Khalil, our master Yusuf, and our master Idris, peace be upon them all, are remembered and honored here.
This land of Egypt is known for its affection and attachment toward those granted special closeness to Allah.
Accordingly, when Ahl al-Bayt came here, people became attached to them along the same line, for they are people of affection and connection with the beloved ones of Allah Almighty. Thus, I cannot say that Sufism
is what opens the door of love for Ahl al-Bayt. Rather, true Sufism opens that door because it was opened earlier by the beloved (PBUH),
and before that by Allah’s command in the Qur’an. But when people fell short in fulfilling this duty of love and affection toward them,
people began to reflect: “These are the ones who love them.” They do not love them for something extra; the principle is that all people should love Ahl al-Bayt—except that these people preserved this secret of connection,
this secret of love. So some thought it was something exclusive. It is not exclusive actually. This is the Sunnah, this is the Qur’an, and this is also the culture of this land.
Our grandparents and forefathers—some of them may not even have known the term “Sufism,” yet no two Fridays would pass without visiting Sayyida Zaynab’s mosque, no month would pass without visiting Sayyida Nafisa’s mosque.
Consequently, this was the foundation upon which our country lived.
Through our love for Ahl al-Bayt, we draw near to the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) on two wings of devotion: the wing of the Companions and the wing of Ahl al-Bayt. We embrace and honor both in our hearts.
We anoint our eyes with the dust of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, and likewise with the dust of Fatima, ‘Ali, al-Hasan, and al-Husayn; through this profound love, we draw closer to Allah.
There is no god but Allah!
For us, it is neither a methodology, nor a group, nor a path, nor simply an idea. Even what are called ‘paths’ are often misunderstood, for they are in fact educational schools of spiritual training.
Such as the Qadiriyya, the Naqshbandiyya, the Ahmadiyya, the Dasuqiyya, and the Shadhiliyya—these are not groups or political parties.
They are schools of spiritual education and ethical conduct. I can show you texts detailing the educational principles of the Shadhili, Qadiri, and Ahmadi schools.
Some emphasize spiritual attraction, others emphasize disciplined conduct, others focus on self-discipline, and others on witnessing the Divine.
O Possessor of the heart, when will You be pleased with me?
The preservation of morals, states, and spiritual stations—which is the part of religion connected to excellence (ihsan)—passed through Ahl al-Bayt.
It was especially preserved with our master ‘Ali Zayn al-‘Abidin, and before him certainly his father, his uncle, and his grandfather. Yet ‘Ali Zayn al-‘Abidin may have been the first to establish a school of spiritual nurturing in Medina.
A school of spiritual education that preserved many foundational principles of transmitting the special knowledge of Sufism into practice and into a structured school, from which chains of transmission later emerged. This is the origin.
This shows that Allah combined for Ahl al-Bayt of His Prophet both the outward and inward caliphate, but He sustained them with continuity in the inward one—the inward caliphate whose gate is our master ‘Ali.
To whom the Prophet (PBUH) said, as narrated by al-Tabarani and others “I am the city of knowledge, and ‘Ali is its gate.” Thus, you find that all the paths of the people of Allah proceed in their spiritual journey
through chains that pass through our master al-Hasan and through our master ‘Ali. Hardly any authentic connected path remains until the Day of Judgment except that it passes through ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, for he is the gate of inward knowledge.
And he is als the gate of the inward caliphate. Through him continued the path of seekers on the path to the Lord of the worlds—the path of hearts—through our master ‘Ali and through our master al-Hasan.
To understand the role of Ahl al-Bayt of our master Muhammad (PBUH) in spiritual upbringing across the ages, we must learn the story of our master al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, peace be upon them,
and how he dealt with the conflict over the Caliphate. This is the beginning of laying the groundwork for that role which scholars describe as the spiritual caliphate of Ahl al-Bayt of our master Muhammad, peace be upon them.
Al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, peace be upon them, is one of the miracles of the Prophet (PBUH) first and foremost. The reconciliation that occurred was a divine decree, and the Prophet foretold it.
The evidence for this is a hadith narrated by our master Anas, who said: We were in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) while he was on the pulpit.
Al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, may Allah be pleased with them both, was beside him on the pulpit. The Prophet (PBUH) was speaking to us, then he looked at al-Hasan, and then at the people.
He shifted his gaze between al-Hasan and the noble Companions, then declared from the pulpit: ‘This son of mine is a leader, and perhaps Allah will reconcile two great groups of believers through him.’
When the Prophet (PBUH) said “This son of mine is a leader,” he affirmed leadership for him immediately. Some commentators claim that al-Hasan
attained leadership only after relinquishing the Caliphate to Mu’awiya. This is incorrect. Relinquishing the caliphate was itself one of the manifestations of al-Hasan’s Caliphate and one of the manifestations of true leadership.
Some followers of extremist ideologies accuse al-Hasan of relinquishing the Caliphate out of greed for wealth that was offered to him.
Glory be to Allah! This is a grave slander and a great lie. Al-Hasan relinquished while he was strong.
Observe their leadership and vision. The Prophet said: “The rightly guided caliphate will last thirty years.” Al-Hasan held it for six months to complete the thirty years, so that he would be a rightly guided Caliph.
For he is indeed the fifth of the rightly guided caliphs. True leadership lies in foresight—to perceive what lies ahead and to understand the whole from a distance.
Even the eminent jurists among the Companions could not perceive what he perceived, despite his youth. Such are the qualities of true leadership.
At that time, and during that period, the Prophet’s word were fulfilled: ‘This son of mine is a leader; Allah will reconcile through him two great groups of Muslims.’ Hence, we can say:
The gentle and wise member of Ahl al-Bayt—our fragrant basil, the grandson al-Hasan—was not merely a man of peace. He was both a man of peace and a man of action. Moreover, the pledges made to ‘Ali were fewer than those pledged to al-Hasan.
Yet he took a decisive stance, fully aware that the era of the rightly guided caliphate would conclude within months, as the Prophet, peace be upon him, had said: ‘The caliphate after me will last thirty years, after which the Ummah will enter a new phase.’”
Al-Hasan saw that matters unfolding in this way would be harmful to Muslims, for if they were to divide, evil would enter among them and the affairs of Muslims
Would collapse Thus, our master al-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, was wise and mindful of the words of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
He went to our master Mu‘awiya and said to him: ‘The matter must be settled with one as the leader and the other as his deputy. Either you lead, or I will.’
He saw that those around Mu‘awiya desired him to assume the caliphate. So al-Hasan relinquished his claim, saying: ‘I give up my right, seeking only the reward from Allah.’
He did that to unite the Muslims. That year was thus called the Year of Unity, and scholars, saints, and Companions praised al-Hasan for this act.
Why? Because he united the Muslims and refused their division. This was an honor granted to al-Hasan.
Allah inspired him to relinquish the Caliphate, ruling, and worldly authority in order to protect Muslims from bloodshed. He knew the meaning of the Prophet’s words:
“The destruction of the Ka‘ba is less serious in the sight of Allah than the shedding of the blood of a Muslim.”
Here, the inheritance of complete mercy became manifest. Just as the Prophet (PBUH) was a mercy to the worlds and did not curse the people of Ta’if or the people of Mecca.
All Muslims—despite their differing inclinations and ideologies—benefited from al-Hasan’s compassion. Even those who disliked him received a share of his mercy, as he did not kill them with his sword.
We know with certainty that when al-Hasan, peace be upon him, went out to battle, had he engaged, victory would have been his. He possessed the army, the resources, and the strength to triumph.
Yet he was merciful even to those who raised the sword against him, sought to strip him of his right to the Caliphate, and wanted to kill him. He was merciful to them.
Thus, this mercy—this is the true Caliphate, the caliphate of the Household of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
Then the Caliphate became divided after having been both spiritual and political in one person. After the thirty years,
The spiritual and guiding caliphate became distinct from the political caliphate. The political caliphate, in contrast, continued as a kingship, with one ruler succeeding another.
The spiritual Caliphate remained with al-Hasan and al-Husayn as enduring leaders, who raised their descendants. They became the people of spiritual upbringing across the ages.
One finds that most of them trace their lineage to al-Hasan and al-Husayn.
O Husayn, O Husayn, heir of beauty, beloved of the eye, son of our Prophet.
The grandfather is the Messenger, and the mother is a al-Batoul; oh, lineage woven from pleasant fragrance, O Husayn, O Husayn.
The Ummah always needs someone to guide it and preserve its religion. This is the meaning of the existence of the spiritual, inward caliphate.
Allah combined for Ahl al-Bayt both the outward and inward Caliphates. Though He granted them outward authority to show they were worthy of it, He did not make it continuous for them,
because outward authority involves rivalry, hardship, and pursuit. Allah did not want that for the Household of His Prophet. Thus, He gave ‘Ali a portion of it,
And gave al-Hasan the caliphate for six months—or slightly less, according to historians—thus granting him outward caliphate,
then turning it away from them to establish that Ahl al-Bayt indeed possess outward caliphate, which has a rank with Allah.
The inward caliphate is linked to what occurred in the history of the Ummah—the separation between outward and inward caliphate—where the ruler became detached from spiritual leadership.
He was unable to provide the Ummah with what it needs in its hearts, souls, and inner selves—unable to do what the first four caliphs were able to do.
Our Masters Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, and ‘Ali were able to fill the gap on both sides: political administration and spiritual leadership.
When imbalance arose and it became impossible to combine both, the concept of the inward Caliphate emerged—through which Allah, exalted is He, reform the affairs of the Ummah in its time,
elevates its spirit, deepens its spiritual awareness and knowledge, and so on.
Throughout its journey, the Ummah faced internal and external conflicts. When our Master Ja‘far ibn Abi Talib was martyred,
the Companions wept, and when Zayd and ‘Abdullah were martyred, they said: “We have lost our best.” Then the Prophet (PBUH said: “How can an Ummah perish when I am its beginning, the Mahdi is its middle, and ‘Isa is its end?”
The Prophet also said: “Hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs after me; cling to it with your molar teeth.”
From this, scholars indicated that in every age, generation, and phase, the Prophet has successors. These successors are manifestations of guidance and righteousness, with defining qualities.
Among them: they are people of guidance and people of right conduct. Whoever embodies these qualities—whether within the sphere of knowledge or otherwise—this is not limited only to political rule.
As we saw in the time of our master Imam al-Hasan Abu Muhammad, who relinquished the seat of authority to prevent bloodshed and sought that matters be decided through consultation.
So that the Ummah might later agree on who would lead the next phase.
For this reason, the Household of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “The earth is never devoid of one who stands for Allah with a proof.” What does this mean?
In every era, there is a Caliph of Allah Almighty—one who inherits the states of the Prophet (PBUH) and the states of the Household of the Messenger of Allah.
Whether this caliph is connected to the Prophet physically or spiritually, he is one whom Allah raises.
As mentioned in the narration: in every century, one is sent to renew for this Ummah its religion in accordance with emerging issues and numerous matters. This caliph is divinely guided and rightly directed in his words, actions, and legal opinions.
This caliph is the role model. Far be it from Allah to leave the Ummah in a state of vacancy from the time of the Household of the Messenger of Allah until
Allah sends our Master al-Mahdi, peace be upon him. This is what the Prophet, peace be upon him, informed us of, and what the Qur’an indicates.
Thus, the claim that no caliph exists until Imam al-Mahdi appears is incorrect. The caliph exists in every time and place.
Whether people recognize him or not. He may be in the form of a scholar or an ordinary person—the essential point is that the caliph exists, and people turn to him.
So what is the inward caliphate? It is the caliphate mentioned by Allah for the rectification of hearts, which is the foundation for outward rectification.
The spiritual or inward caliphate, in the understanding of scholars, is the responsibility of nurturing conduct, clarifying the landmarks of religion, and preserving it within the Ummah.
It continues within the Ummah even if the outward caliphate disappears. But why was it specifically granted to the Ahl al-Bayt of our Master Muhammad, peace be upon them, rather than others?
After our master ‘Ali passed on and al-Hasan held the caliphate for six months, the caliphate ended by the explicit statement of the Prophet as if after Ahl al-Bayt,
No caliph arose after them. What did ‘Ali do during his period? During his time, all the accumulated shortcomings of previous eras converged upon him, and he bore them,
Because the Prophet (PBUH) said to ‘Ali when he asked for the key of the Ka‘ba: “O ‘Ali, you are only given what sustains you. You carry burdens and weights,
But as for receiving something that gives you outward distinction—no, you will not be given that.
You work beneath burdens and weights. Thus, it became a methodology.
Ahl al-Bayt are known for knowledge and character, as indicated in the Qur’an: “Allah only intends to remove impurity from you, O People of the House, and to purify you completely.” (Qur’an 33:33)
The impurity Allah removed from Ahl al-Bayt pertains to character—impurity in morals. This purification is the cleansing of Ahl al-Bayt from all blameworthy traits.
Traits that do not befit their lineage or the progeny of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. The Ahl al-Bayt see themselves as the tangible embodiment
of the upbringing of the Messenger of Allah and his household. There is a saying: “A tree is known by its fruit.”
Their sense of responsibility—knowing that they are the models people observe to understand how the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, raised his family,
led them to prioritize character and knowledge. Thus, throughout history, they carried the secret of character and the secret of knowledge.
Where does this secret come from? Is it acquired, or is it inheritance—a part of him?
It is a true inheritance from the Prophet (PBUH), something no one can rival or acquire merely through effort, even when you read the works of scholars across the ages.
One may find someone who has gathered many sciences and texts, yet his words lack illumination. Whereas Ahl al-Bayt may write just a few words,
And the world stirs because of those illuminating words. This is the secret of inheritance, not the secret of acquisition.
The Prophet (PBUH) said when asked about the pious hidden ones: “They emerge from every dusty darkness.” Dusty darkness describes tribulations,
tribulations that obscure vision, suffocate breathing, and sever one’s connection with life due to their density and darkness.
Yet these people walk through them—as if the Prophet were alluding to Ahl al-Bayt.
Our master ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani—whose lineage is agreed upon—lived at a time when the Crusaders occupied Muslim lands and the Tatars invaded them. He established a school.
They called it the Kilaniyah or Jilaniyya school. The generation of Salah al-Din emerged from beneath the feet of ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani.
At a time when people were immersed in sectarian and political conflicts, ‘Abd al-Qadir saw none of that. His gatherings included seventy thousand people.
What did he speak about? He spoke about spiritual subtleties and directing hearts toward reverence of Allah. Yet all the affairs of Muslims were managed beneath his influence.
Displaced people came to him from lands under Crusader occupation. He would receive them, re-educate them, and reshape their hearts anew.
When they became spiritually, psychologically, and intellectually complete, he would send them back to their occupied lands to establish a call, a spiritual lodge, and a movement.
A movement that instilled in people the spirit of resistance against occupation—against the Crusaders and the Tatars. So much so that when Salah al-Din entered Jerusalem, the first to preach there
was Ibn Naja the preacher. All the commanders and ministers of Salah al-Din Ayyubi were students of Shaykh ‘Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani.
Yet none of those who lived with the Shaykh thought he was involved in political affairs or disputes. Still, the affairs of the Islamic world were shaped by his spiritual resolve and sincere orientation toward Allah.
Through his influence on hearts, history was reshaped. This is the role of the Ahl al-Bayt—and of our Master Ahmad al-Rifa‘i and all the great saints. They all carried this role of spiritual caliphate.
And representation of the Prophet, peace be upon him, inwardly and outwardly—guiding creation to what Allah wills and what His Beloved, peace be upon him, wills.
This essential role in the life of the Ummah continues—even if people do not perceive it—and it has never ceased among Ahl al-Bayt of our master Muhammad (PBUH).
But does this mean that all members of the Ahl al-Bayt carry this role?
If we ask whether all of them carry the inward caliphate from the Messenger of Allah—meaning the authority of righteousness and reform—we say that righteousness and reform exist among Ahl al-Bayt.
But are all of Ahl al-Bayt righteous reformers? No, that is not the case. This is a matter of divine selection. Ahl al-Bayt themselves are ranks and degrees.
They are degrees with Allah, just as the Messengers were favored over one another. The highest rank in the Household of Prophethood is our Lady al-Zahra.
Then people come in ranks after that. Among these ranks, some are righteous, and some are reformers.
Thus, not every member of the Household carries this secret of reform. This is evident: you may see many from Ahl al-Bayt who are righteous in themselves but not reformers of others.
I wove it, and she smiled, mending the heart with her love,
Seeking union, desiring none but her.
Do you know who my beloved is, and who clothed the heart in her garment?
It is the prayer upon the Prophet and his family—send blessings, so that you may receive its echo in the gardens of Paradise.
The righteousness of Ahl al-Bayt of our master (PBUH) stems from an important quality that has remained attached to them since the time of their grandfather,
it is patience in the face of trials. And this will be the topic of our next episode, by the will of Allah.
