Who is the Family of the Prophet?
Some people criticize the Shias for limiting the Prophet’s family to Imam Ali, Fatimah and their sons Hassan and Hussein (peace be upon them) and excluding the Prophet’ s wives and uncles.
THE ANSWER
The Prophet’s sayings prove that his family members are only those five persons. Such sayings, narrated by some of the Companions are mentioned in many Sunni books.
At-Tirmidhi mentioned in his book al-Sahih, vol. 13 p. 200 - Egyptian edition-, a tradition narrated by Umar bin Abu Salama where he said that the Qur’anic verse, "Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House, and to purify you with a thorough purification. (33:33)," was revealed in Umm Salama’s house. Then the Prophet (PBUH) called for Fatimah, Hassan, Hussein and Imam Ali to come behind him. He then covered them with a garment and said: "O Allah, these are my family. Keep away uncleanness from them and purify them thoroughly."
Umm Salama said, 'am I with them?' The Prophet answered, 'You have your standing and you will be to a good end.' The author mentioned other relations that are narrated by Umm Salama, Ma'qil bin Yassar, Abul-Hamra' and Anas bin Malik.
Hereunder, we will mention some sources of the Prophet’s saying regarding the above-mentioned Qur’anic verse of Purification concerning Imam Ali, Fatimah, Hassan and Hussein, that are recorded in Sunni books quoted from our book Jami' Barahin Usul ul- I’ tiqadaat:
1. Narrated by Umar bin Atiyah, from Abu Sa’ id al-Khudri from Umm Salama (The History of Baghdad) vol.9 p. 126.
2. Al-Hussein bin al-Hassan from Abu Sa’ id al-Khudri from Umm Salama (The Prophet’s wife) (The History of Baghdad) vol.9 p. 126
3. Hisham bin Salim, from Wahhab bin Abdullah, from Umm Salama (Al-Mu’ jam ul- Kabir) p. 134.
4. Abdul-Malik bin Sulayman from Ata’ from Umm Salama (Al-Mu’ jam ul- Kabir) p. 134.
5. Sharik bin Namr, Ata', Umm Salama (Ma’ alimut-Tanzil) p. 213.
6. Muhammad bin Sawqa from someone from Umm Salama (Akhlaq un-Nabi) p. 116.
7. Abdullah bin Abu Riyah, from someone, from Umm Salama (Ath-Tha’ labi’ s Tafsir) Manuscript.
8. Abdullah bin Abu Riyah, Hakim bin Sa’d, Umm Salama (Ibn Kathir’s Tafsir) vol.3 p. 483.
9. Atiyah from his father from Umm Salama (Ibn Kathir’s Tafsir) vol.3 p. 483.
10. Atiyah, from Shahr bin Hawshab, from Umm Salama (Ibn Kathir’s Tafsir) vol.3 p. 483.
11. Sufyan bin Zayd, Shahr bin Hawshab, Umm Salama (At-Tirmidhi’s Sahih) vol.13 p. 248.
12. Zubayd, Shahr bin Hawshab, Umm Salama (Mawzzihul- Awham) vol.2 p. 281.
13. Abdul-Hamid bin Bihram, Shahr bin Hawshab, Umm Salama (Ahmad’s Musnad) vol.6 p. 298.
14. Dawud bin Abu Auf, Shahr bin Hawshab, Umm Salama (Al-Qawlul-Fasl) vol.2 p. 177.
15. Ajlah, Shahr bin Hawshab, Umm Salama (Ahmad’s Musnad) vol.2 p. 173.
16. Athal, Shahr bin Hawshab, Umm Salama (Al-Bukhari’s History) vol.1 p. 70.
17. Shu’ eib bin al-Minii', Shahr bin Hawshab, Umm Salama (Al-Bukhari’s History) vol.1 p. 70.
18. Ja’ far bin Abdur-Rahman, al-Hakam bin Sa’ id, Umm Salama (Al-Bukhari’s History) vol.1 p. 70.
19. Muhammad bin Shirin, Abu Hurayra, Umm Salama (Tafsir Jami’ ul-Bayan) vol.22 p. 7.
20. Awaam bin Hawshab, from his cousin, from 'Aa’ isha (Al-Qawlul-Fassl) vol.2 p. 215.
21. Mus’ ab bin Sheiba, Safiyyah, 'Aa’ isha (as-Sunanul-Kubra) vol.2 p. 149.
22. Awza’ i, Abu Ammar, Wathila bin al-Asqa' (Mustadrak) vol.2 p. 152.
23. Abdur-Rahman bin Amr, Shaddad bin Abdullah, Wathila bin al-Asqa' (Siyer A’ lamin-Nubala') vol.3 p. 212.
24. Al- A’ mash, Atiyah, Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, (Jami’ ul-Bayan) vol.22 p. 6.
25. Abul-Hijaf, Atiyah, Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (Al-Mu’ jam us Saghir) vol.1 p. 134.
26. Imran bin Muslim, Atiyah, Abu Sa’id al- Khudri (The History of Baghdad) vol.10.
27. Ibn Umar al-Kirmani, Atiyah, Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (Tabaqatul-Muhadditheen) p. 149.
28. Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr, Isma’ il, from his father Abdullah bin Ja’ far (Al-Qawlul-Fasl) p. 185.
29. Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr, Ibn Abbas (Arjahul-Matalib) p. 54.
30. Hammad bin Salama, Ali bin Zayd, Anas bin Malik (Ahmad’s Musnad) vol.3 p. 259.
31. Abdur-Rahman bin Abu Bakr, Hamid, Anas bin Malik (Al-Mustadrak) vol.3 p. 159.
32. Abaad bin Abu Yahya, Abu Dawud (p. 6), Abul-Hamra' (An-Najaari’ s Kuna) p. 25.
33. Yunus bin Abu 'Ishaq, Abu Dawud, Abul-Hamra' (Muntakhab Theyl al-Mutheyl) p. 83.
34. Mansur bin Abul-Aswad, Abu Dawud, Abul-Hamra' (Al-mu’ jam ul- Kabir) p. 134.
35. Abu 'Ishaq as-Subey’ i, Abu Dawud, Abul-Hamra' (History of Islam,) vol.2 p. 97.
36. Umayr Abu Arfaja, Atiyah (Usdul-Ghaba) vol.3 p. 413.
37. Al-Aufi, Amr bin Atiyah and al-Hussein bin al-Hassan, from Atiyah (The History of Baghdad) vol.9 p. 126.
38. Bukeyr bin Mismaar, Aamir bin Sa’d, Sa’d (Jami’ ul-Bayan) vol.22 p. 8.
39. Abu Balah Amr bin Maymun (Al-Mustadrak) vol.3 p. 132.
40. Yahya bin Ubayd, Attar bin Abu Riyah, Umar bin Abu Salama (At-Tirmidhi’ s Sahih) vol.13 p. 200.
41. Yahya bin Ubayd, Sahl bin Sa’d (Al-Isti’ aab) vol.2 p. 460.
42. Abu Hurayra, Sahl bin Sa’d (Al-Isti’ aab) vol.2 p. 56.
43. Bureyda al-Aslami, Sahl bin Sa’d (Al-Isti’ aab) vol.2p. 56.
44. Abdullah bin Umar, Sahl bin Sa’d (Al-Isti’ aab) vol.2 p. 56.
45. Imran bin al-Hussein, Sahl bin Sa’d (Al-Isti’ aab) vol.2 p. 56.
46. Salama bin al-Aqua', Sahl bin Sa’d (Al-Isti’ aab) vol.2 p. 56.
47. Ma’ qil bin Yasaar (At-Tirmidhi’s Sahih) vol.13 p. 248
Finally, the tradition concerning the Qur’anic verse of purification and its being specifically about them (Peace be upon them), in the words of al Haddad al Hadhrami is one of the correct, famous, widespread, and well known traditions upon which all the umma has agreed and seventeen of great Hadithists have confirmed that it was true.
Source: imamreza.net
Other links:
The Closing Sermon of Gods Prophet on the pond of khome
Imam Ali (A.S) as Guardian and Successor
Qur’anic Verses Concerning the Homage at Al-Ghadir
The Linguistic Meaning of Mawla
The Significance of Ghadir
