The Wives of the Prophet ﷺ are included in the Ahlul Bayt

Questioner:

Allah mentions in the Qur’an (Surah Ahzaab v. 33) that We have purified your household i.e. Ahlul Bayt.

What is the purification being referred to here since many use it to concoct the doctrine of the innocence of the the Imams.

Answer (by Sheikh Zubair Alizai rahimahullah):

Abdullah ibn Abbas radhiyallahu anhu said:

This verse(Surah Ahzab v. 33) was revealed specifically for the chaste wives of the Prophet(sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). (Tafseer Ibn Abee Haatim & Tafseer Ibn Katheer 3/491,second manuscript 5/169)

Its chain is Hassan. Its narrator Imam Ikrimah was ready to do Mubahalah on the subject that this verse was intended for the wives of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

It is proven from the Qur’an that the wives are included in the Ahlul Bayt. (Surah Hood v.71-73)

To take the meaning of purification as Innocence is not proven from the Sahabahs, the Tabi’een or from the scholars of Ahlus Sunnah. In fact, the purification intended here is the purification from sins, shirk, shaytaan(devil), bad deeds and poor conduct of behavior. (see Ahkamul Qur’an by Qaadhi Abu Bakr Ibn al-A’rabi p. 429)

The Aqeedah of innocence of the Imams is only the belief of the Rawaafidhs.

Author: Hafiz Zubair Alizai Rahimahullah

Translated by: taalibeilm via (sheikhzubairalizai dot wordpress dot com)

Reference: Fataawa Ilmiyyah by Sheikh Zubair AliZai rahimahullah ta’ala Vol.1 p. 174