“Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House and to purify you a (thorough) purifying” Surat al Ahzab, Ayah 33

Allah (swt) desires for all mankind to be pure by avoiding sinning and disobeying him, but that does not mean we are pure, it just means that Allah (swt) wants the best for us.

However, in this verse, the word ‘desire’ is restricted to the family of the Prophet using the word انما which means ‘only’. This indicates that the purification Allah (swt) is talking about has already been achieved by the Ahlul Bayt (people of the household).

The Ahlul Bayt used their profound insight and knowledge to be infallible, meaning they never deviated from obeying God or thought of committing sins.

In this ayah, the Arabic word ‘bayt’ does not mean all family members and it does not mean people living under the same roof. Instead, it means Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.a), Lady Fatima al Zahra, Imam Ali, Imam Hassan, and Imam Hussain (a.s).

Some people wonder why The Quran mentions the wives of the Prophet along with this verse and wonder whether his wives are also part of the Ahlul Bayt. However, we know that this verse does not include the wives because they did not have perfect Islamic behaviour, in fact, the Quran often reminded them behave well. Therefore, it is possible the wives were mentioned in the verses next to ayaat Al-Tatheer to remind them to behave well as they are linked to the pure Ahlul Bayt.

The Revelation:

The timing in which this verse was revealed is famous and is known as ‘Hadith al Kisa’  which in English means ‘the tradition of the cloak’. The hadith describes a mystical and unique moment in the life of this pure family. It started with Prophet Muhammad (s.aw.a) entering the house and requesting a cloak to be put over his body by his daughter Fatima Zahra. 

One by one, the young Imam Hassan and Imam Hussain, their father Imam Ali and Lady Fatima Zahra, peace be upon them, enter the room and with his permission are also covered with the large cloak. While seated close together under this cloak, Prophet Muhammad prays to Allah (s.w) for them. Finally, the Angel Gibrael descends and reveals this verse to the holy Prophet (s.a.w.a).

The Reward of Reading Hadith al Kisa:

The timing of the revelation of  Surat al Tatheer is so important that any group of people who reads the hadith  anywhere in the world,  Allah (s.w) will bestow upon them blessings and mercy. Angels will also encircle them and ask for the removal of their sins until the group departs.