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wa-dhkurna mā yutlā fī buyūtikunna min ʾāyāti llāhi wa-l-ḥikmati ʾinna llāha kāna laṭīfan khabīran
And remember what is recited in your homes of the signs of Allah and wisdom. Indeed Allah is all-attentive, all-aware.
— Ali Quli Qarai
33Al-'AḥzābالأحزابVerse 34 of 73
The Confederates33. Al-'Aḥzābالأحزاب
al-Aḥzāb
The Confederates
MedinanVerse 34 of 73
Surah Al-’Ahzab – Verse 34
34. “And remember what is recited in your abodes of the signs of Allah and the Wisdom; verily Allah is All-Subtle, Aware.”
There have been mentioned two meanings for the Qur’anic word /ŏikr/: one is ‘to memorize’ and the other is ‘to utter’. Therefore the Qur’anic phrase: /waŏkurna/ means: O’ wives of the Prophet! You should remember, and do not forget, that the Divine revelation is sent down in your house; or it means: you should reiterate for others whatever of the Book of Allah is recited in your house and you learn. Instead of a mean and worthless culture, you must follow the Divine culture. The household of the Prophet (S) must do righteous deeds prior to others.
This fact mentioned in this verse has been stated as the last duty of the wives of the Prophet (S), and it is a warning unto all of them that they may utilize the best opportunity which has been given to them; that is, being informed of the facts of Islam, and that they might improve themselves under its light. It says:
You are in the centre of revelation and under the light of the Qur’an. Even when you are at home, you can abundantly enjoy the lessons of Islam and the words of the holy Prophet (S) stated by his holy tongue, because his every breath is a lesson and his every word is a program. Upon the difference between /’ayatillah/ (the signs of Allah) and /hikmat/ (wisdom) some of the commentators have said that both of them refer to the Qur’an, but the application of the Qur’anic word /’ayat/ states its being as a miracle, and the application of /hikmat/ reiterates the deep content and knowledge hidden in it.
Some other Islamic commentators have said that /’ayatullah/ points to the verses of the Qur’an and /hikmat/ refers to the Prophet’s way of treatment and his wise admonitions. Both of these two commentaries adapt to the rank and words of the verse, but the first one seems nearer, because the application of the word ‘recite’ is more appropriate in respect to the Divine verses. In addition, the word /nuzul/ has been used in many verses of the Qur’an in connection with both ‘verses’ and ‘wisdom’.
Among them is Surah Al-Baqarah, No. 2, verse 231 which says:
“…and what He has sent down unto you of the Book and wisdom…”.
Similar to this very meaning is also recited in Surah An-Nisa’, No. 4, verse 113. At the end of the verse, the Qur’an adds:
This sentence points to this fact that Allah is aware of the most precise things, and He knows your intentions very well, and He is aware of the secrets hidden inside your breasts. This meaning is in the case that we comment the Qur’anic word /latif/ (All-subtle) in the sense of the One Who is aware of the minute points, and if we comment it in the sense of ‘the possessor of mercy’, it refers to this fact that Allah is both merciful unto you, the wives of the Prophet (S), and is aware of your deeds.
This is also probable that the emphasis on the word /latif/ (All-subtle) is for the sake of the miracle of the verse of the Qur’an, and the emphasis on the word /xabir/ (aware) is for its wise content. In the meanwhile, these meanings do not contrast each other and can be said with together.
A Few Points
1- The ‘Purification Verse’ is the Clear Proof of Immaculacy
Some commentators have taken the Arabic word /rijs/, mentioned in the verse, only as a hint to polytheism, or to the ugly major sins such as adultery, while there is no proof available for this restriction. But (regarding that the Arabic signs ’Alif and Lam added to the material noun /rijs/) the word ‘Ar-Rijs’ encompasses every kind of pollution and sin, since all sins are called in Arabic ‘Rijs’. In the Qur’an, this word has been used in the senses of: polytheism, alcoholic liquors, gambling, hypocrisy, unlawful meats, and the like.9
And regarding that the Will of Allah is not changeable and the sentence:
mentioned in the Qur’an is an evidence upon the certain Will of Allah, specially regarding to the Qur’anic word /’innama/ which is used for restriction and emphasis, makes it clear that the decisive Will of Allah is determined that ‘the people of the House’ should be clean from any pollution, wrong and sin and this is that very rank of infallibility. This point is also noteworthy that the objective meaning of ‘the Will of Allah’ in these verses is not His instructions and ordinances concerning lawful and unlawful things, since such instructions are for all people and do not allocate to only Ahlul Bayt (as), therefore, it is not consistent with the concept of the word /’innama/.
Thus, this constant Will refers to a kind of Divine aid which helps the people of the House (Ahlul Bayt) in infallibility and its continuation, and in the meantime, (as it was explained before), it does not contrast with free will and choice. In fact, the concept of the verse is the same thing that is also mentioned in Jami‘ah Supplication, which says:
“Allah protected you from errors, and made you safe from seditions, and purified you from pollutions, and kept off from you (every kind of) uncleanness, and purified you (with) a through purification.”
2- Whom is the Purification Verse About?
We said before that though this verse is mentioned inside the verses concerning the wives of the Prophet (S), the change of its style (the alteration of feminine plural pronouns to masculine plural pronouns) is the evidence for that this part of the verse has a content apart from these verses. That is why even those who have not considered this verse concerned to the Prophet (S), Ali (as), Fatimah (as), Hassan and Husayn (as), believe that it has such a vast meaning that it envelops both these dignitaries and the wives of the holy Prophet (S).
But there are many narrations available which indicate that the verse is allocated to only these dignitaries and the wives of the Prophet (S) are not involved in this meaning though they have a symmetrical respect. Here are a number of those narrations:
A) The narrations that have been narrated from the wives of the Prophet (S) themselves. They said:
“When the Prophet (S) was speaking about this holy verse, we asked him whether we were included in it, and he answered:
‘You are good but you are not included in this verse’.”
Among them is the narration which Tha‘labi has narrated in his commentary from ’Umm-us-Salamah, saying:
“The Prophet (S) was at home when Fatimah (as) brought a piece of silk cloth to him.
The Prophet (S) told her:
‘Call your husband and your two sons, Hassan and Husayn (as)’.
She fetched them.
Then they ate food.
Then the Prophet (S) cast a mantle over them and said:
‘O’ Allah! These are my family (Ahlul Bayt), then keep off from them (every kind of) uncleanness and purify them (with) a thorough purification’.
And it was here that the verse saying:
was revealed.
I said:
‘Am I with you, O’ Messenger of Allah?’
He (S) said:
‘You are upon goodness, (but you are not among them)’.”
Also Tha‘labi himself narrates from ‘Ayishah as follows:
“When she was asked about the Battle of Jamal and her interference in that destructive battle, she (regretfully) said:
‘This was a Divine pre-ordination’.
And when she was asked about Ali (as), she said:
‘Do you ask me about the one who was the most beloved with the Messenger of Allah (S) among people, and about the wife of the one who was the most beloved with the Messenger of Allah (S) among people?
I have seen myself Ali, Fatimah, Hassan, and Husayn whom the Messenger of Allah had gathered under clothing, and said:
‘O’ Allah! These are my family (Ahlul Bayt) and my support; then keep off from them (every kind of) uncleanness and purify them (with) a thorough purification.’
She said:
‘I asked:
‘O’ Messenger of Allah! Am I from (among) your family?’
He answered:
‘Be off! You are upon goodness’.” 10
These sorts of narrations explicitly denote that the wives of the Prophet (S) are not considered as Ahlul Bayt (family) in this verse.
B) There have been recorded many narrations about Hadith Kasa from all of which it is understood that once the Prophet (S) called up Ali, Fatimah, Hassan and Husayn (as), or they themselves came to him.
He cast a shoulder-mantle over them, and said:
“O’ Allah! These are my family (members), then Keep off (every kind of) uncleanness from them.”
At this time the verse:
Hakim Huskani Neyshaburi, the famous scholar, has compiled several narrations in this field narrated from various narrators.11 Here, this question attracts the attentions that what was the aim of gathering them under that single piece garment? It seems that the Prophet (S) intended to specify them well and say that this verse is only about this group, lest someone considers the addressees of this verse were the whole wives of the Prophet (S) and all those who are counted as a part of his family.
Even some narrations indicate that the Prophet (S) repeated this sentence for three times and said:
“O Allah! These are my family (members) and my particular (ones), then Keep off (every kind of) uncleanness from them and purify them (with) a thorough purification.”
C) A great deal of other narrations denote that after the revelation of this verse until six months when the Prophet (S) was passing by the house of Fatimah (as) for going to perform his morning prayer, he called:
“It is the time of prayer O’ Ahlul Bayt. Verily Allah intends but to Keep off from you (every kind of) uncleanness, O’ you the people of the House! And purify you (with) a thorough purification.”
Hakim Huskani has narrated this tradition from ’Anas-ibn-Malik.12 Another narration, which is narrated from ’Abu-Sa‘id Khidri, from the Prophet (S), indicates:
“The Prophet (S) continued this program until eight or nine months.” 13
Ibn-i-‘Abbas has narrated this tradition from the Prophet (S), too.14 This point is also notable that the constant repetition of this subject for six, or 8, or 9 months beside the house of Fatimah (as) is for the purpose that the matter could completely be distinguished so that there would remain no doubt for anyone that this verse was revealed only in the rank of this group, specially that after that he (S) ordered that the doors of the houses of others towards the mosque should be closed, and, at the time of prayer, naturally a group of people could hear this statement there from the Prophet (S).
The only house the arrival door of which was allowed to be open into the Mosque of the Prophet (S) was Fatimah’s house.
D) There are numerous narrations narrated by ’Abu-Sa‘id Khidri, the famous Companion of the Prophet (S), who manifestly testifies:
“This verse has been sent down only about those five persons: the Messenger of Allah, Ali, Fatimah, Hassan and Husayn (as).” 15
These narrations are so abundant that some of the Islamic researchers consider them ‘widely transmitted’. It is concluded from what was said that the sources and the narrators of the traditions which indicate that the verse relates only to those five persons are so abundant that there remains no room far any doubt. The book entitled: ‘Sharh-i-’Ihqaq-ul-Haqq’ introduces more than seventy sources from among the famous sources of the Sunnites, while the available sources of Shi‘ah in this field are more than one thousand sources.16
The writer of Shawahid-ut-Tanzil, who is one of the famous scholars of the Sunnis, has narrated more than 130 traditions in this regard.17 Besides, some of the wives of the Prophet (S) committed something during their lifetime which never agreed with the rank of infallibility, such as the event of the Battle of Jamal, which was a rebellion against Imam Ali (as), the Imam of the time, that caused a great deal of blood to be shed and, as some of historians have said, more than seventeen thousand people were killed in it.
No doubt, this event is never justifiable, and we see that even ‘Ayishah herself also after this event expresses regret, a part of which was referred to formerly. ‘Ayishah’s finding fault from Khadijah, who was the greatest, the most self-sacrificing and the most virtuous women of Islam, is known in history. Her word was so sad for the Prophet (S) that, because of the intense of wrath his hair stood on end, and he said:
“By Allah! I had no wife better than her. She embraced Islam when people disbelieved, and she offered her properties at my disposal when all people had got distance with me.”
3- Is Allah’s Will, Here, Genetic or Religious?
When explaining the commentary of the verse we pointed out that the word ‘Will’ in the sentence:
is a genetic will not a religious one. For more explanation we must mention that the purpose of ‘religious will’ is the commands and prohibitions of Allah. For example, Allah has ordered us to perform prayer, fasting, Hajj, and Holy Struggle. This is religious will. It is clear that religious will relates to our deeds not to the acts of Allah, while in the above-mentioned verse what belongs to will is Allah’s action. It says:
so, such a will must be ‘genetic’ and it relates to Allah in the world of genesis. Besides this, the ‘religious will’ due to purification and piety, does not allocate to Ahlul Bayt (as) because Allah has ordered everybody to be pure and virtuous, and this is not a privilege for Ahlul Bayt (as), since all those who are fully capable are involved in this commandment. However, this matter, i.e. religious will, not only is not consistent with the apparent of the verse, but also does not agree with the former traditions, since all of those traditions speak about a high privilege and an important particular value which is specific to Ahlul Bayt (as).
This is also certain that the Qur’anic word /rijs/ here does not mean the outward uncleanness but it refers to innate pollutions. The application of the word negates any kind of restriction and limitation in polytheism, infidelity, deeds of indecency, and the like, and it envelops all sins, and creedal, ethical and practical pollutions. Another point which must be under careful consideration is that the genetic will which is meant ‘creation’ here means advisable not the ‘complete cause’ so that it becomes the source of fatalism and negation of choice.
Explanations: The rank of infallibility is in the sense of a state of Divine piety which comes into being in Divine prophets and Imams by the aid of Allah. But with the existence of this case, it is not such that they can not commit any sin, but they have this ability; too, and they renounce committing sin with their own choice. It is just like a good physician who never eats a very poisonous thing that he knows its serious dangers, though he has the power of doing it, but his knowledge, mental and spiritual principles cause that he renounce eating it with his own choice.
This point is also necessary to be mentioned that this Divine piety is a particular merit which is endowed upon the Divine prophets, not upon others; but it must be noted that Allah has bestowed this privilege upon them for the heavy responsibility of leadership that He has given them. Therefore, it is a privilege that the result of which benefits everyone, and this is the essence of justice. It is just like the particular privilege that Allah has given to the thin, tender, and very sensitive curtains of the eyes that the whole parts of the body enjoy of it.
Moreover, in the same respect that Divine prophets have privileges and are involved in the merits of Allah, their responsibility is heavy, too; so that only a ‘leaving the better’ of theirs is equivalent to a major sin committed by the ordinary people. This is a distinguisher of the line of justice. Conclusion: This will is a genetic will in the level of an advisable cause (not a complete cause), and, in the meantime, it is neither the cause of fatalism nor does it negate any advantage and honour.
Footnotes