View source for Ahl al-Bayt

{{Short description|Family of Muhammad}}
{{Italic title}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Muhammad}}

'''{{Transliteration|ar|Ahl al-Bayt}}''' ({{langx|ar|أَهْل ٱلْبَيْت|lit=people of the house}}) refers to the family of the [[Prophets and messengers in Islam|Islamic prophet]] [[Muhammad]]. In [[Sunni Islam]], the term has also been extended to all descendants of the [[Banu Hashim]] (Muhammad's clan) and even to all [[Muslims]].{{Sfn|Brunner|2014}}{{Sfn|Campo|2009}} In [[Shia Islam]], the term is limited to Muhammad, his daughter [[Fatima]], his cousin and son-in-law [[Ali]], and their two sons, [[Hasan ibn Ali|Ḥasan]] and [[Husayn ibn Ali|Ḥusayn]]. A common Sunni view adds the [[wives of Muhammad]] to these five.{{Sfn|Goldziher|Arendonk|Tritton|2012}}

While all Muslims revere the Ahl al-Bayt,{{sfn|Campo|2004}}{{Sfn|Mavani|2013|p=41}} Shia Muslims assert that members of the Ahl al-Bayt are [[Imamate in Shia doctrine|spiritual successors]] to Muhammad, possessing divine knowledge and [[Ismah|infallibility]]. The [[Twelver Shi'ism|Twelver Shiʿa]] also believe in the redemptive power of the pain and martyrdom endured by the members of the Ahl al-Bayt, particularly Husayn.{{Sfn|Campo|2009}}{{Sfn|Campo|2004}} Sunni Muslims, who do not believe in spiritual succession to Muhammad, only hold the Ahl al-Bayt in high regard.

== Definition ==
When {{Transliteration|ar|ahl}} ({{langx|ar|أَهْل|label=none}}) appears in construction with a person, it refers to his blood relatives. However, the word also acquires wider meanings with other nouns.{{Sfn|Sharon}} In particular, {{Transliteration|ar|bayt}} ({{Langx|ar|بَيْت|label=none}}) is translated as 'habitation' and 'dwelling',{{Sfn|Leaman|2006}} and thus the basic translation of {{Transliteration|ar|ahl al-bayt}} is '(the) inhabitants of the house'.{{Sfn|Sharon}} That is, {{Transliteration|ar|ahl al-bayt}} literally translates to '(the) people of the house'. In the absence of the definite article {{Transliteration|ar|al-}}, the literal translation of {{Transliteration|ar|ahl bayt}} is 'household'.{{Sfn|Sharon}}

== Other prophets ==
The phrase {{Transliteration|ar|ahl al-bayt}} appears three times in the [[Quran]], the central religious text of [[Islam]], in relation to [[Abraham in Islam|Abraham]] (11:73), [[Moses in Islam|Moses]] (28:12), and [[Muhammad]] (33:33).{{Sfn|Sharon}} For Abraham and Moses, {{Transliteration|ar|ahl al-bayt}} in the Quran is unanimously interpreted as their families.{{Sfn|Sharon}} Yet merit is also a criterion of membership in a prophet's family in the Quran.{{Sfn|Leaman|2006}} That is, pagan or disloyal members of the families of the past prophets are not excluded from God's punishment.{{Sfn|Brunner|2014}}{{Sfn|Madelung|1997|p=10}} In particular, [[Noah in Islam|Noah's]] family is saved from the [[Genesis flood narrative|deluge]], except his wife and one of his sons, about whom Noah's plea was rejected according to verse 11:46, "O Noah, he [your son] is not of your family ({{Transliteration|ar|ahl}})."{{Sfn|Madelung|1997|pp=9, 10}} Families of the past prophets are often given a prominent role in the Quran.{{sfn|Madelung|1997|pp=|p=8}} Therein, their kin are selected by God as the spiritual and material heirs to the prophets.{{sfn|Madelung|1997|pp=|p=17}}{{sfn|Jafri|1979|pp=14-16}}

== {{anchor|In the Qur'an}} Muhammad ==
{{multiple image |align=right |direction=vertical |total_width=220
|image1=Site of the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, Mecca, Saudi Arabia.jpg |caption1=[[Mecca]] was the birthplace of Muhammad and members of [[Banu Hashim|his family]], including Ali and Fatima, prior to [[Hijrah|their migration]] to [[Medina]] in 622. Pictured here is [[Makkah Al Mukarramah Library|Meccatul Mukarrama Library]], also known as [[Bayt al-Mawlid]], because it is believed to stand on the spot where Muhammad was [[mawlid|born]].
|image2=Nothing but Pigeons. Baqee, Madina (3144084879) (cropped).jpg |caption2=Medina became the home to the Ahl al-Bayt after their migration from Mecca. Pictured in the background is the tomb (marked by the [[Green Dome]]) and [[Al-Masjid an-Nabawi|mosque]] of Muhammad. In the foreground is the [[Al-Baqi Cemetery|Baqi' cemetery]], wherein Hasan and some other relatives of Muhammad are buried.
|image3=001123-ImamAliShrine-Najaf-IMG 7707-2.jpg |caption3=After the deaths of Muhammad and Fatima in Medina in 632, some of their relatives, including Husayn and Ali, migrated to [[Iraq]] and died there. Pictured in the background is the [[Imam Ali Shrine|shrine]] in [[Najaf]] where Ali is commonly believed to have been buried, after [[assassination of Ali|his assassination]] in the neighbouring city of [[Kufa]] in [[Lower Mesopotamia|Iraq]].
}}
The household of Muhammad, often referred to as the ''Ahl al-Bayt'', appear in verse 33:33 of the Quran,{{sfn|Nasr et al.|2015|p=2331}} also known as the [[verse of purification]].{{Sfn|Abbas|2021|p=65}} The last passage of the verse of purification reads, "God only desires to remove defilement from you, O {{Transliteration|ar|ahl al-bayt}}, and to purify you completely."{{sfn|Nasr et al.|2015|p=2331}} Muslims disagree as to who belongs to Muhammad's {{Transliteration|ar|ahl al-bayt}} and what privileges or responsibilities they have.{{Sfn|Brunner|2014}}

=== Inclusion of the Ahl al-Kisa ===
{{See also|Ahl al-Kisa}}
[[File:کتیبه_پنج_تن.jpg|thumb|Names of the Ahl al-Kisa, inscribed in the shrine of [[Abbas ibn Ali]], located in [[Karbala]], [[Iraq]]]]

The majority of the traditions quoted by the [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] exegete [[al-Tabari]] ({{Died in|923}}) identify the Ahl al-Bayt with the [[Ahl al-Kisa]], namely, Muhammad, his daughter [[Fatima]], her husband [[Ali]], and their two sons, [[Hasan ibn Ali|Hasan]] and [[Husayn ibn Ali|Husayn]].{{Sfn|Howard|1984}}{{Sfn|Madelung|1997|pp=14{{ndash}}15}}{{Sfn|Algar|2011}} Such reports are also cited in {{Transliteration|ar|[[Sahih Muslim]]}}, {{Transliteration|ar|[[Sahih al-Tirmidhi|Sunnan al-Tirmidhi]]}}, {{Transliteration|ar|[[Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal]]}},{{Sfn|Momen|1985|pp=16-7, 325}}{{Sfn|Shomali|2003|pp=58{{ndash}}59, 62{{ndash}}63}} all canonical Sunni collections of ''hadith'', and by some other Sunni authorities, including [[al-Suyuti]] ({{Died in|1505}}), al-Hafiz al-Kabir,{{Sfn|Mavani|2013|p=71}} [[al-Hakim al-Nishapuri]] ({{Died in|1014}}),{{sfn|Shah-Kazemi|2007|p=61n17}} and [[Ibn Kathir]] ({{Died in|1373}}).{{Sfn|Lalani|2000|p=|pp=69, 147}}

In possibly the earliest version of the [[Ahl al-Kisa|''hadith'' of the {{Transliteration|ar|kisa}}]],{{Sfn|Soufi|1997|p=6}} Muhammad's wife [[Umm Salama]] relates that he gathered Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Husayn under his cloak and prayed, "O God, these are my {{Transliteration|ar|ahl al-bayt}} and my closest family members; remove defilement from them and purify them completely."{{Sfn|Sharon}}{{Sfn|Brunner|2014}} Some accounts continue that Umm Salama then asked Muhammad, "Am I with thee, O Messenger of God?" but received the negative response, "Thou shalt obtain good. Thou shalt obtain good." Among others, such reports are given in {{Transliteration|ar|Sunnan al-Tirmidhi}}, {{Transliteration|ar|Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal}},{{Sfn|Shomali|2003|p=62}} and by Ibn Kathir, al-Suyuti, and the Shia exegete [[Muhammad Husayn Tabatabai|Muhammad H. Tabatabai]] ({{Died in|1981}}).{{sfn|Nasr et al.|2015|p=2331}} Yet another Sunni version of this ''hadith'' appends Umm Salama to the Ahl al-Bayt.{{Sfn|Goldziher|Arendonk|Tritton|2012}} In another Sunni version, Muhammad's servant Wathila bint al-Asqa' is also counted in the Ahl al-Bayt.{{Sfn|Soufi|1997|pp=7{{ndash}}8}}

Elsewhere in {{Transliteration|ar|Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal}}, Muhammad is said to have recited the last passage in the verse of purification every morning when he passed by Fatima's house to remind her household of the morning prayer.{{Sfn|Veccia Vaglieri|2012}}{{Sfn|Shomali|2003|p=63}} In his {{Transliteration|ar|[[Mubahala with the Najrani Christians|mubahala]]}} ({{Lit|mutual cursing}}) with a delegation of [[Najran]]i [[Christians]], Muhammad is also believed to have gathered the above four under his cloak and referred to them as his {{Transliteration|ar|ahl al-bayt}}, according to Shia and some Sunni sources,{{Sfn|Momen|1985|p=16}}{{Sfn|Algar|2011}} including {{Transliteration|ar|Sahih Muslim}} and {{Transliteration|ar|Sunan al-Tirmidhi}}.{{Sfn|Momen|1985|pp=16,  325}} This makeup of the Ahl al-Bayt is echoed by the Islamicist [[Laura Veccia Vaglieri]] ({{Died in|1989}}),{{Sfn|Veccia Vaglieri|2012}} and also reported unanimously in Shia sources.{{Sfn|Goldziher|Arendonk|Tritton|2012}} In Shia theology works, the Ahl al-Bayt often also includes the remaining [[Imamate in Shia doctrine|Shia imams]].{{Sfn|Howard|1984}} The term is sometimes loosely applied in Shia writings to all descendants of Ali and Fatima.{{Sfn|Howard|1984}}{{Sfn|Esposito|2003|p=9}}{{Sfn|Glassé|2001}}

=== Inclusion of Muhammad's wives ===
{{see also|Wives of Muhammad}}
[[File:Alahzab_01.jpg|thumb|Verse of purification in a folio of the Quran, dating to the late [[Safavid Iran|Safavid]] period]]

Perhaps because the earlier injunctions in the verse of purification are addressed at Muhammad's wives,{{Sfn|Brunner|2014}} some Sunni authors, such as al-Wahidi ({{Died in|1075}}), have exclusively interpreted the Ahl al-Bayt as Muhammad's wives.{{Sfn|Howard|1984}}{{Sfn|Sharon}} Others have noted that the last passage of this verse is grammatically inconsistent with the previous injunctions (masculine plural versus feminine plural pronouns).{{Sfn|Haider|2014|p=35}} Thus the Ahl al-Bayt is not or is not limited to Muhammad's wives.{{sfn|Nasr et al.|2015|p=2331}}{{Sfn|Brunner|2014}}{{Sfn|Veccia Vaglieri|2012}} Ibn Kathir, for instance, includes Ali, Fatima, and their two sons in the Ahl al-Bayt, in addition to Muhammad's wives.{{Sfn|Howard|1984}} Indeed, certain Sunni ''hadiths'' support the inclusion of Muhammad's wives in the Ahl al-Bayt, including some reports on the authority of [[Ibn Abbas]] and [[Ikrima ibn Abi Jahl|Ikrima]], two early [[Muslims|Muslim]] figures.{{Sfn|Madelung|1997|p=15}}

Alternatively, the Islamicist [[Oliver Leaman]] proposes that marriage to a prophet does not guarantee inclusion in his {{Transliteration|ar|ahl al-bayt}}. He argues that, in verse 11:73,{{Sfn|Sharon}} [[Sarah#In Islam|Sara]] is included in [[Abraham in Islam|Abraham's]] {{Transliteration|ar|ahl al-bayt}} only after receiving the news of her imminent motherhood to two prophets, [[Isaac in Islam|Isaac]] and [[Jacob in Islam|Jacob]]. Likewise, Leaman suggests that [[Moses in Islam|Moses']] mother is counted as a member of {{Transliteration|ar|ahl al-bayt}} in verse 28:12, not for being married to [[Amram|Imran]], but for being the mother of Moses.{{Sfn|Leaman|2006}} Similarly, in their bid for inclusion in the Ahl al-Bayt, the [[Abbasid dynasty|Abbasids]] argued that women, noble and holy as they may be, could not be considered a source of pedigree ({{Transliteration|ar|nasab}}). As the descendants of Muhammad's paternal uncle [[Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib|Abbas]], they claimed that he was equal to Muhammad's father after the latter died.{{Sfn|Sharon}}{{Sfn|Jafri|1979|p=195}}

=== Broader interpretations ===
As hinted above, some Sunni authors have broadened its application to include in the Ahl al-Bayt the clan of Muhammad ([[Banu Hashim]]),{{Sfn|Sharon}}{{Sfn|Campo|2004}} the Banu Muttalib,{{Sfn|Goldziher|Arendonk|Tritton|2012}} the Abbasids,{{sfn|Nasr et al.|2015|p=2331}}{{Sfn|Sharon}}{{Sfn|Howard|1984}} and even the [[Umayyad dynasty|Umayyads]], who had descended from [[Hashim ibn Abd Manaf|Hashim's]] nephew [[Umayya ibn Abd Shams|Umayya]].{{Sfn|Brunner|2014}}{{Sfn|Howard|1984}} Indeed, another Sunni version of the ''hadith'' ''al-kisa'' is evidently intended to append the Abbasids to the Ahl al-Bayt.{{Sfn|Howard|1984}} This Abbasid claim was in turn the cornerstone of their bid for legitimacy.{{Sfn|Sharon}}{{Sfn|Brunner|2014}} Similarly, a Sunni version of the [[Hadith of the thaqalayn|''hadith'' ''al-''{{Transliteration|ar|thaqalayn}}]] defines the Ahl al-Bayt as the descendants of Ali and his brothers ([[Aqil ibn Abi Talib|Aqil]] and [[Ja'far ibn Abi Talib|Jafar]]), and Muhammad's uncle Abbas.{{Sfn|Goldziher|Arendonk|Tritton|2012}}{{Sfn|Howard|1984}}

The first two [[Rashidun]] caliphs, [[Abu Bakr]] and [[Umar]], have also been included in the Ahl al-Bayt in some Sunni reports, as they were both fathers-in-law of Muhammad. Nevertheless, these and the accounts about the inclusion of the Umayyads in the Ahl al-Bayt might have been later reactions to the Abbasid claims to inclusion in the Ahl al-Bayt and their own bid for legitimacy.{{Sfn|Brunner|2014}} The term has also been interpreted as the [[Mecca]]n tribe of [[Quraysh]],{{Sfn|Sharon}}{{Sfn|Brunner|2014}} or the whole Muslim community.{{Sfn|Goldziher|Arendonk|Tritton|2012}}{{Sfn|Brunner|2014}} For instance, the Islamicist [[Rudi Paret]] ({{Died in|1983}}) identifies {{Transliteration|ar|bayt}} ({{lit|house}}) in the verse of purification with the [[Kaaba]], located in the holiest site in Islam. However, his theory has only found few supporters, notably [[Moshe Sharon]], another expert.{{Sfn|Sharon}}{{Sfn|Brunner|2014}}{{Sfn|Madelung|1997|p=11}}

=== Conclusion ===
A typical Sunni compromise is to define the Ahl al-Bayt as the Ahl al-Kisa (Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan, Husayn) together with Muhammad's wives,{{Sfn|Goldziher|Arendonk|Tritton|2012}} which might also reflect the majority opinion of medieval Sunni exegetes.{{Sfn|Soufi|1997|p=16}} Among modern Islamicists, this view is shared by [[Ignác Goldziher]] ({{Died in|1921}}) and his coauthors,{{Sfn|Howard|1984}} and mentioned by Sharon,{{Sfn|Sharon}} while [[Wilferd Madelung]] ({{Died in|2023}}) also includes the Banu Hashim in the Ahl al-Bayt in view of their blood relation to Muhammad.{{Sfn|Madelung|1997|p=15}} In contrast, Shia limits the Ahl al-Bayt to Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Husayn, pointing to authentic traditions in Sunni and Shia sources.{{Sfn|Momen|1985|pp=16, 17}}{{Sfn|Leaman|2006}}{{Sfn|Haider|2014|p=35}} Their view is supported by Veccia Vaglieri and [[Husain Mohammad Jafri|Husain M. Jafri]] ({{Died in|2019}}), another expert.{{Sfn|Veccia Vaglieri|2012}}

== Place in Islam ==

=== In the Quran ===
Families and descendants of the past prophets hold a prominent position in the Quran. Therein, their descendants become spiritual and material heirs to keep their fathers' covenants intact.{{sfn|Madelung|1997|pp=8-12}}{{sfn|Jafri|1979|pp=15-17}} Muhammad's kin are also mentioned in the Quran in various contexts.{{sfn|Madelung|1997|p=12}}

==== Verse of the {{Transliteration|ar|mawadda}} ====
{{Main|Verse of the mawadda}}

Known as the verse of the {{Transliteration|ar|mawadda}} ({{Lit|affection|love}}), verse 42:23 of the Quran contains the passage, "[O Mohammad!] Say, 'I ask not of you any reward for it, save affection among kinsfolk.'"{{Sfn|Nasr et al.|2015|p=2691}} The Shia-leaning historian [[Ibn Ishaq]] ({{Died in|767}}) narrates that Muhammad specified {{Transliteration|ar|al-qurba}} in this verse as Ali, Fatima, and their two sons, Hasan and Husayn.{{sfn|Mavani|2013|p=|pp=41, 60}} This is also the view of some Sunni scholars, including [[Fakhr al-Din al-Razi|al-Razi]] ({{Died in|1209}}), [[Qadi Baydawi|Baydawi]] ({{Died in|1319}}),{{Sfn|Momen|1985|p=152}} and Ibn al-Maghazili.{{Sfn|Mavani|2013|p=|pp=41, 60}} Most Sunni authors, however, reject the Shia view and offer various alternatives,{{sfn|Nasr et al.|2015|p=2691}} chief among them is that this verse enjoins love for kinsfolk in general.{{sfn|Madelung|1997|p=13}}{{Sfn|Gril|}} In [[Twelver Shi'ism|Twelver Shia]], the love in the verse of the {{Transliteration|ar|mawadda}} also entails obedience to the Ahl al-Bayt as the source of exoteric and esoteric religious guidance.{{Sfn|Mavani|2013|p=41|pp=}}{{sfn|Lalani|2000|pp=|p=66}}

==== Verse of the {{Transliteration|ar|mubahala}} ====
{{Main|Event of the mubahala}}

A Christian envoy from Najran, located in [[South Arabia]], arrived in Medina circa 632 and negotiated a peace treaty with Muhammad.{{Sfn|Momen|1985|pp=13{{ndash}}14}}{{Sfn|Schmucker|2012}} During their stay, the two parties may have also debated the nature of [[Jesus]], human or divine, although the delegation ultimately rejected the Islamic belief,{{Sfn|Madelung|1997|p=16}} which acknowledges the miraculous birth of Jesus but dismisses the Christians' belief in his divinity.{{sfn|Nasr et al.|2015|pp=378{{ndash}}379}} Linked to this ordeal is verse 3:61 of the Quran.{{sfn|Nasr et al.|2015|pp=|p=379}} This verse instructs Muhammad to challenge his opponents to {{Transliteration|ar|mubahala}} ({{Lit|mutual cursing}}),{{Sfn|Haider|2014|p=35}} perhaps when the debate had reached a deadlock.{{Sfn|Osman|2015|p=110}}{{Blockquote|text=And to whosoever disputes with thee over it, after the knowledge that has come unto thee, say, "Come! Let us call upon our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves. Then let us pray earnestly, so as to place the curse of God upon those who lie."{{sfn|Nasr et al.|2015|p=379}}}}The delegation withdrew from the challenge and negotiated for peace.{{Sfn|Schmucker|2012}} The majority of reports indicate that Muhammad appeared for the occasion of the {{Transliteration|ar|mubahala}}, accompanied by Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Husayn.{{Sfn|Haider|2014|p=36}} Such reports are given by Ibn Ishaq,{{Sfn|Shah-Kazemi|2015}} al-Razi,{{Sfn|Shah-Kazemi|2015}} [[Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj]] ({{Died in|875}}), Hakim al-Nishapuri,{{Sfn|Osman|2015|p=140n42}} and Ibn Kathir.{{sfn|Nasr et al.|2015|pp=|p=380}} The inclusion of these four relatives by Muhammad, as his witnesses and guarantors in the {{Transliteration|ar|mubahala}} ritual,{{Sfn|McAuliffe|}}{{Sfn|Fedele|2018|p=56}} must have raised their religious rank within the community.{{Sfn|Madelung|1997|p=16}}{{sfn|Lalani|2006|p=29}} If the word 'ourselves' in this verse is a reference to Ali and Muhammad, as Shia authors argue, then the former naturally enjoys a similar religious authority in the Quran as the latter.{{Sfn|Mavani|2013|p=72}}{{Sfn|Bill|Williams|2002|p=29}}

==== Khums ====
The Quran also reserves for Muhammad's kin a fifth ([[Khums|{{Transliteration|ar|khums}}]]) of booty and a part of {{Transliteration|ar|fay}}. The latter comprises lands and properties conquered peacefully by Muslims.{{Sfn|Madelung|1997|p=13}} This Quranic directive is seen as compensation for the exclusion of Muhammad and his family from alms ([[sadaqah|{{Transliteration|ar|sadaqa}}]], [[zakat|{{Transliteration|ar|zakat}}]]). Indeed, almsgiving is considered an act of purification for ordinary Muslims and their donations should not reach Muhammad's kin as that would violate their state of purity in the Quran.{{sfn|Madelung|1997|p=14}}

=== In ''hadith'' literature ===

==== ''Hadith'' of the {{Transliteration|ar|thaqalayn}} ====
{{Main|Hadith of the thaqalayn}}
The ''hadith'' of the {{Transliteration|ar|thaqalayn}} ({{Lit|two treasures}}) is a widely-reported prophetic ''hadith'' that introduces the Quran and the progeny of Muhammad as the only two sources of divine guidance after his death.{{Sfn|Momen|1985|p=16}} This ''hadith'' is of particular significance in Twelver Shia, where the [[Twelve Imams]], all descendants of Muhammad, are viewed as his spiritual and political successors.{{Sfn|Tabatabai|1975|p=156}} The version that appears in {{Transliteration|ar|[[Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal|Musnad Ahmad]]}}, a canonical Sunni ''hadith'' collection, reads,

{{Blockquote|text=I [Muhammad] left among you two treasures which, if you cling to them, you shall not be led into error after me. One of them is greater than the other: The book of God (Quran), which is a rope stretched from Heaven to Earth, and [the second one is] my progeny, my Ahl al-Bayt. These two shall not be parted until they return to the pool [of abundance in paradise, [[kawthar|{{Transliteration|ar|kawthar}}]]].{{sfn|Momen|1985|p=16}}}}

==== ''Hadith'' of the ark ====
{{Main|Hadith of the ark}}
The ''hadith'' of the ark is attributed to Muhammad and likens his household to [[Noah's Ark|Noah's ark]]. Reported by both Shia and Sunni authorities, the version presented in {{Transliteration|ar|[[Al-Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn|al-Mustadrak]]}}, a Sunni collection of prophetic traditions, reads,{{Sfn|Momen|1985|p=325}} "Truly the people of my house (Ahl al-Bayt) in my community is like Noah's ark: Whoever takes refuge therein is saved and whoever opposes it is drowned."{{sfn|Sobhani|2001|p=112}}

=== In Muslim communities ===
The sanctity of a prophet's family was likely an accepted principle at the time of Muhammad.{{sfn|Jafri|1979|p=17}} Today, all Muslims venerate the household of Muhammad,{{sfn|Campo|2004}}{{sfn|Campo|2009}}{{Sfn|Mavani|2013|p=41}} and blessings on his family ({{Transliteration|ar|āl}}) are invoked in every prayer.{{Sfn|Soufi|1997|pp=16{{ndash}}17}} In many Muslim communities, high social status is granted to people claiming descent from Ali and Fatima. They are called [[sayyid|{{Transliteration|ar|sayyid}}''s'']] or [[sharif|{{Transliteration|ar|sharif}}''s'']].{{sfn|Glassé|2001}}{{sfn|Campo|2004}}{{sfn|Esposito|2003|p=9}} Several Muslim heads of state and politicians have also claimed blood descent from Muhammad, including the Alawid dynasty of [[Morocco]], the Hashimite dynasty of Iraq and of [[Jordan]], and the leader of the [[Iranian Revolution|Iranian revolution]], [[Ruhollah Khomeini|Khomeini]].{{Sfn|Campo|2004}}

Sunnis too revere the Ahl al-Bayt,{{Sfn|Campo|2004}} perhaps more so before modern times.{{Sfn|Brunner|2014}} Most [[Sufism|Sufi]] {{Transliteration|ar|tariq}}s (brotherhoods) also trace their spiritual chain to Muhammad through Ali and revere the Ahl al-Kisa as the Holy Five.{{Sfn|Campo|2004}} It is, however, the (Twelver and [[Isma'ilism|Isma'ili]]) Shias who hold the Ahl al-Bayt in the highest esteem, regarding them as the rightful leaders of the Muslim community after Muhammad. They also believe in the redemptive power of the pain and martyrdom endured by the Ahl al-Bayt (particularly by Husayn) for those who empathize with their divine cause and suffering.{{Sfn|Campo|2009}}{{Sfn|Campo|2004}} Twelver Shias await the messianic advent of [[Muhammad al-Mahdi]], a descendant of Muhammad, who is expected to usher in an era of peace and justice by overcoming tyranny and oppression on earth.{{Sfn|Mavani|2013|p=240}}{{Sfn|Campo|2004}} Some Shia sources also ascribe cosmological importance to the Ahl al-Bayt, where they are viewed as the reason for the creation.{{Sfn|Goldziher|Arendonk|Tritton|2012}}

== Footnotes ==
{{Reflist|20em}}

== References ==
{{refbegin|2}}
* {{cite book |title=The Prophet's Heir: The Life of Ali Ibn Abi Talib |author-first=H. |author-last=Abbas |publisher=Yale University Press |year=2021 |isbn=9780300252057 |author-link=Hassan Abbas (scholar)}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |author-last=Algar |author-first=H. |year=2011 |title=Āl-e 'Abā |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia Iranica |volume=I/7 |page=742 |url=https://iranicaonline.org/articles/al-e-aba-the-family-of-the-cloak-i |author-link=Hamid Algar}}
* {{cite book |last1=Bill |first1=J. |last2=Williams |first2=J.A. |year=2002 |title=Roman Catholics and Shi'i Muslims: Prayer, Passion, and Politics |publisher=University of North Carolina Press |isbn=0807826898 |url=https://archive.org/details/romancatholicssh0000bill/mode/2up |url-access=registration}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God |title=Ahl al-Bayt |author-first=R. |author-last=Brunner |year=2014 |pages=5–9 |url=https://archive.org/details/muhammadinhistor0000unse_h4s1/page/4/mode/2up |publisher= |editor1-first=C. |editor1-last=Fitzpatrick |editor2-first=A.H. |editor2-last=Walker|url-access=registration}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim world |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofis0001unse/page/24/mode/2up |volume=1 |pages=25{{ndash}}26 |isbn=0028656040 |author-last=Campo |author-first=J.E. |year=2004 |publisher=Macmillan Reference |editor-first=R.C. |editor-last=Martin |title=Ahl al-Bayt|url-access=registration}}
* {{Cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Islam |editor-first=J.E. |editor-last=Campo |year=2009 |isbn=9780816054541 |publisher=Facts On File |url=https://archive.org/details/islam-encyclopedia-of-islam-2009/page/22/mode/2up |title=''ahl al-bayt'' |page=23 |url-access=registration}}
* {{cite book |title=The Oxford Dictionary of Islam |editor-first=J.L. |editor-last=Esposito |isbn=0195125584 |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2003 |url=https://archive.org/details/oxforddictionary00bada/page/8/mode/2up |page=9 |editor-link=John Esposito |url-access=registration}}
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* {{cite encyclopedia |title=Love and Affection |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of the Qur'ān |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1875-3922_q3_EQSIM_00266 |editor-last=Pink |editor-first=J. |author-last=Gril |author-first=D. |doi=10.1163/1875-3922_q3_EQSIM_00266 |url-access=subscription}}
* {{cite book |author-last=Haider |author-first=N. |title=Shī'ī Islam: An Introduction |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2014 |isbn=9781107031432}}
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* {{Cite book |last=Jafri |first=S.H.M |url=https://archive.org/details/OriginsAndEarlyDevelopmentOfShiaIslamBySyedHusainMohammadJafri/mode/2up |title=Origins and Early Development of Shia Islam |publisher=Longman |year=1979 |location=London |author-link=Husain Mohammad Jafri |url-access=registration}}
* {{cite book |last1=Lalani |first1=A.R. |title=Early Shi'i Thought: The Teachings of Imam Muhammad al-Baqir |date=2000 |publisher=I.B. Tauris |isbn=1850435928}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |year=2006 |title='Ali ibn Abi Talib |encyclopedia=The Qur'an: An Encyclopedia |publisher=Routledge |url=https://archive.org/details/quranencyclopedi2006unse/page/28/mode/2up |last=Lalani |first=A.R. |editor-last=Leaman |editor-first=O. |pages=28{{ndash}}32 |isbn=9780415326391 |url-access=registration}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=The Qur'an: An Encyclopedia |editor-first=O. |editor-last=Leaman |publisher=Routledge |year=2006 |isbn=9780415326391 |url=https://archive.org/details/thequrananencyclopediaed.byoliverleaman_201909/page/n709/mode/2up |author-first=O. |author-last=Leaman |title=Ahl al-Bayt |pages=16–17 |url-access=registration |author-link=Oliver Leaman}}
* {{cite book |title=The Succession to Muhammad: A Study of the Early Caliphate |author-first=W. |author-last=Madelung |year=1997 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=9780521646963 |url=https://archive.org/details/successiontomuam0000made/mode/2up |author-link=Wilferd Madelung |url-access=registration}}
* {{citation |last=Mavani |first=H. |title=Religious Authority and Political Thought in Twelver Shi'ism: From Ali to Post-Khomeini |series=Routledge Studies in Political Islam |isbn=9780415624404 |url=https://archive.org/details/religiousauthori0000mava/mode/2up |date=2013 |publisher=Routledge |url-access=registration}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |author-last=McAuliffe |author-first=J.D. |title=Fāṭima |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of the Qur'ān |doi=10.1163/1875-3922_q3_EQSIM_00153 |editor-first=J. |editor-last=Pink |url-access=subscription |author-link=Jane Dammen McAuliffe |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1875-3922_q3_EQSIM_00153 |access-date=12 June 2023}}
* {{cite book |title=An Introduction to Shi'i Islam |author-first=M. |author-last=Momen |year=1985 |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=9780300035315 |author-link=Moojan Momen}}
* {{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/thestudyquran_201909/mode/2up |title=The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary |publisher=Harper Collins |year=2015 |isbn=9780061125867 |editor1-last=Nasr |editor1-first=S.H. |editor1-link=Seyyed Hossein Nasr |ref={{harvid|Nasr et al.|2015}} |editor2-last=Dagli |editor2-first=C.K. |editor3-last=Dakake |editor3-first=M.M. |editor3-link=Maria Massi Dakake |editor4-last=Lumbard |editor4-first=J.E.B. |editor5-last=Rustom |editor5-first=M. |url-access=registration}}
* {{cite book |title=Female Personalities in the Qur'an and Sunna: Examining the Major Sources of Imami Shi'i Islam |author-first=R. |author-last=Osman |year=2015 |isbn=9781315770147 |publisher=Routledge}}
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* {{cite book |title=Justice and Remembrance: Introducing the Spirituality of Imam 'Ali |author-first=R. |author-last=Shah-Kazemi |author-link=Reza Shah-Kazemi |publisher=I.B. Tauris |year=2007 |isbn=9781845115265}}
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* {{cite book |last=Tabatabai |first=S.M.H. |url=https://archive.org/details/ShiaInIslamCopy/mode/2up |title=Shi'ite Islam |publisher=State University of New York Press |translator-first=S.H. |translator-last=Nasr |translator-link=Seyyed Hossein Nasr |year=1975 |isbn=0873953908 |author-link=Allameh Tabatabaei |url-access=registration}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |author1-last=Veccia Vaglieri |author1-first=L. |title=Fāṭima |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of Islam |edition=Second |editor1-first=P. |editor1-last=Bearman |editor2-first=Th. |editor2-last=Bianquis |editor3-first=C.E. |editor3-last=Bosworth |editor4-first=E. |editor4-last=van Donzel |editor5-first=W.P. |editor5-last=Heinrichs |year=2012 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/1573-3912_islam_COM_0217 |isbn=9789004161214 |url-access=subscription |author-link=Laura Veccia Vaglieri}}
{{refend}}

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin|2}}
* {{cite encyclopedia |last1=Öz |first1=M. |title=Ehl-i Beyt |encyclopedia=Turkish Encyclopedia of Islam |date=1994 |publisher=[[TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi]] |isbn=9789753894371 |pages=498–501 |volume=10 |url=https://islamansiklopedisi.org.tr/ehl-i-beyt |lang=tr}}
{{refend}}

{{Islam topics |collapsed}}
{{Characters and names in the Quran}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Arabic words and phrases]]
[[Category:Family of Muhammad|*]]
[[Category:Quranic words and phrases]]
[[Category:Middle Eastern royal families|Middle Eastern royal families]]
[[Category:Banu Hashim]]