In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
Ahl al-Kisa (AS); The Chosen Five
(for 11 to 15 years old)
Learning Objective:
To become familiar with the “Event of the Cloak” and its importance.
Ahl al-Kisā’ means "The People of the Cloak”. A cloak is a large piece of cloth that looks like a blanket. The Ahl al-Kisā’ are the Holy Prophet (PBUH), Imam Ali (AS), Sayyidah Fatimah (AS), Imam Ḥasan (AS) and Imam Ḥussain (AS). They are known by this name because of a famous and important event in Muslim history, referred to as the Hadith al-Kisā’.
The Ahl al-Kisā’ are also sometimes known in other languages such as Farsi as the Panjatan means "The Five Special Ones".
Now let’s see what Hadith al-Kisā’ is.
Once the Holy Prophet (PBUH) came to the house of Sayyidah Fatimah (AS) and told her that he was feeling tired. He requested her to bring a specific large cloak and to cover him with it, so that he could get some rest.
After a while, Imam Hasan (AS) returned home and immediately smelt the beautiful fragrance of his grandfather, the Holy Prophet (PBUH). He went to where he was resting and asked him for his permission to sit near him and then joined him under the cloak.
After some more time, Imam Hussain (AS) arrived and also smelt the fragrance of his grandfather. After gaining the Holy Prophet (PBUH)'s permission, he also joined them under the cloak. A little while later, Imam Ali (AS) returned to his house and in the same manner as his two sons, joined the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and his two sons. Finally, Sayyidah Fatimah (AS) also went and joined her family under the cloak.
At this point, the Holy Prophet (PBUH) raised his hands and prayed to Allāh (SWT):
اَللّهُمَّ اِنّ هؤُلاَّءِ اَهْلُ بَیتی
"O Allāh, these are the People of my Household (Ahl al-Bayt).
وَخاَّصَّتی وَحاَّمَّتی
They are my most beloved and my supporters.
لَحْمُهُمْ لَحْمی وَدَمُهُمْ دَمی
Their flesh is my flesh and their blood is my blood.
یؤْلِمُنی ما یؤْلِمُهُمْ
Whoever hurts them, hurts me too.
وَیحْزُنُنی ما یحْزُنُهُمْ
Whoever displeases them, displeased me too.
اَنَا حَرْبٌ لِمَنْ حارَبَهُم
I am at war with those at war with them.
وَسِلْمٌ لِمَنْ سالَمَهُمْ
I am at peace with those at peace with them.
وَعَدُوُّ لِمَنْ عاداهُمْ
I am the enemy of their enemies.
وَمُحِبُّ لِمَنْ اَحَبَّهُم
And I am the friend of their friends.
اِنَّهُمْ مِنّی وَاَ نَا مِنْهُمْ
They are from me and I am from them
فَاجْعَلْ صَلَواتِک وَبَرَکاتِک وَرَحْمَتَک وَغُفْرانَک وَرِضْوانَک عَلَیَّ وَعَلَیهِمْ
O Allāh! Bestow Your Blessings, Benevolence, Forgiveness and Your pleasure upon me and upon them.
وَاَذْهِبْ عَنْهُمُ الرِّجْسَ وَطَهِّرْهُمْ تَطْهیراً
And remove impurity from them and keep them thoroughly pure."
At this point, Allāh (SWT) sent the Angel Jibrā’īl to reveal the following important verse to the Holy Prophet (PBUH), which is well known as the Verse of Purity (Ayah al-Tathir):
اِنَّما یریدُ اللَّهُ لِیذْهِبَ عَنْکمُ الرِّجْسَ اَهْلَ الْبَیتِ وَیطَهِّرَکمْ تَطْهیراً فَقالَ عَلِی لآَبی
Allāh only desires to remove uncleanness from you, O members of the (Prophet's) household, and to purify you completely. [33:33]
This verse proves that the Ahl al-Bayt are all ma’sum (sinless). They are protected by Allāh (SWT) from all kinds of sins and evil ways and they never commit any wrong.
From that day onwards, this famous event became known as the Hadith al-Kisā’ and the Holy personalities involved as the Ahl al-Kisā’.
It is also worth to know that the Ahl al-Kisā’ were also Allāh (SWT)'s chosen ones to represent the Muslims in the event of Mubāhilah, when Allāh (SWT) revealed:
فَمَنْ حَاجَّكَ فِيهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ وَنِسَاءَنَا وَنِسَاءَكُمْ وَأَنْفُسَنَا وَأَنْفُسَكُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَلْ لَعْنَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْكَاذِبِينَ
Tell whoever disputes with you on this matter after true knowledge has come to you: 'Come! Let us summon our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves, and then let us pray together and invoke the curse of Allāh on those who lie.' [3:61]
Keypoints:
- The Ahl al-Kisā' are Five: Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH), Imam Ali (AS), Sayyidah Fatimah (A), Imam Hasan (AS) and Imam Hussain (AS).
- In the "Event of the Cloak", Hadith al-Kisa', Allāh (SWT) revealed Ayah al-Tathir, which shows that the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) are ma’sum.
