I would add to this the fact that the Messenger of Allah (S.

I would add to this the fact that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) removed any confusion and resolved this problem, for he knew that the Muslims might read the Qur'an and construe the [term] ahl al-bayt in the context of the preceding and following verses, which [actually] warned the wives of the Prophet.

He immediately hastened to teach the umma the meaning of the removal of all impurities and complete purification by continuing, for a period of six months, (after the revelation of the verse) to pass by the door of 'Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan and al-Husayn before starting the prayer and reciting: "Allah wishes to remove all abomination from you, ahl al-bayt and to completely purify you, so come to the prayer, may Allah have mercy on you.” This immediate action performed by the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) has been reported by: Al- Sahih, al-Tirmidhi, vol.

5, p. 31 Al-Mustadrak, al-Hakim, vol. 3, p. 158 Al-Talkhis , al-Dhahabi Al-Musnad , Ahmad b. Hanbal, vol. 3, p. 259 Asad al-Ghaba , Ibn al-Athir, vol. 5, p. 521 Shawahid al-Tanzil , al-Haskani, vol. 2, p. 11 Al-Dur al-Manthur , al-Suyuti, vol. 5, p. 199 Tafsir , al-Tabari, vol. 22, p. 6 Ansab al-Ashraf , al-Baladhuri, vol. 2, p. 104 Tafsir, Ibn al-Kathir, vol. 3, p. 483 Majma' al-Zawa'id , al-Haythami, vol. 9, p.

168 When we add to the above list the Imams of the ahl al-bayt and the Shi'a scholars, who do not doubt that the noble verse was restricted to Muhammad, 'Ali, Fatima, al-Hasan and al-Husayn, there can remain absolutely no regard for those who disagree with them from the enemies of the ahl al-bayt , as well followers of Mu'awiya and the Banu Umayyads who wish to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths. Allah has perfected His light, even though the disbelievers hate that.

Those who interpret the verse differently to the explanation of the Prophet have shown that, in the past, they were merely the flatterers of the Umayyad and 'Abbasid rulers, and that today they, even though disguised in the garb of jurists and scholars, are amongst those who hate 'Ali. Furthermore, reasoning shows that the verse (i.e. cleansing of abomination) could not include the wives of the Prophet (S.A.W.).