The criteria for being from the “Ahl” (household) of the...

The criteria for being from the “Ahl” (household) of the Prophet (SA) is not the bond of marriage or even blood relation, but rather the divine selection and approval that is based on purification of the individuals themselves.

With the members of the Cloak including none other than Muhammad, Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Husain, the state of إكمال (completion) has been reached and declared such that no one else in the present or future dare to attempt to add to the members under the cloak or attribute to others what does not belong to them. This state of إكمال (completion) certainly reminds us of the completion and perfection which was reached on the 18th of Dhil-Hijjah in the year 10 A.H.

in the occasion of Ghadeer Khum after the Prophet (SA) executed the divine order of officially appointing Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) as his successor, Wali, and Caliph over the Muslim nation after him.

Upon the conclusion of his speech and after the mass of the Muslim attendees gave their pledge of allegiance to Ali, the following verse was revealed confirming the perfection and completion of the whole message of Islam, الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion.

(5:3) The completion that is mentioned in the Tradition of the Cloak is related to the completion that is mentioned in the above mentioned verse. In the former case, the completion is related to the members of the household who have received permission to enter the cloak with the Prophet, while in the latter case, the completion is in regards to the message of Islam which became perfected with the divine appointment of Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS) as successor and Wasi after the Prophet (SA).

Without the Wilayah of Imam Ali (AS) and his descendants after him ending with the 12th Imam Al Mahdi (AFS), the religion is empty and incomplete. And without the holy five personalities under the Cloak, the members of the purified household of the Prophet are incomplete and the purpose of this scene as we will discover will not be achieved.

Sure enough, after the members of the household have entered the cloak and the state of completion has been reached, the Prophet (SA) then took hold of the two edges of the cloak with one hand and raised his right hand to the sky to pray.

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