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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Character of Ali Ibn Abi Talib Chapter 10 :love For `ali in the Qur'an and Sunnah What we have said so far has shed light on the value and influence of love, and it has incidentally become clear that love for the pure ones is a means for the reform and refinement of the soul, not that it is an end in itself. Now we must see whether Islam and the Qur' an have chosen someone we should love or not.

When the Qur' an relates what the previous prophets have said, it points out that they have all said: "we do not ask a wage from people, our only reward is from God." However it addresses the Seal of the Prophets thus: Say: "I do not ask of you a wage for this, except love for (my) relatives." (ash-Shura, 42:23 ) Here there is a need to ask why the rest of the prophets looked for no wage but the most noble Prophet asked for one for his message; why did he want friendship for his near relatives as a requital for his message?

The Qur'an itself provides an answer to this question: Say: "I have asked no wage of you; that shall be yours. My wage falls only upon God. " (Saba', 34:47) That is to say, that which I ask for as a wage accrues to you, not to me; this friendship is a halter for your own perfection and reformation, and it is called a wage.

Otherwise it is in fact another good which I recommend to you from the point of view that the Household and relatives of the Prophet are people who do not gather round defilement, and whose hems are clean and pure. Love and devotion to these people brings no other result apart from obedience to the truth and adherence to virtues, and it is friendship for them which transmutes and perfects like the elixir.

Whatever the meaning of "relatives" may be, it is certain that the most obvious person to whom it is applicable is 'Ali. Imam Fakhru'd-Din ar-Razi says: "Zamakhshari relates in his (Qur'anic exegesis) al-Kashshaf: `When this verse was sent down they said: "O Messenger of Allah!

Who are the relatives to whom our love is due?" He said: " `Ali and Fatimah and their sons." ' "It is thus established from this tradition that these four persons are "relatives" of the Prophet, and that they should enjoy the respect and love of the people, and this matter can be reasoned out in a number of ways: " 1 - The verse: except love for my relatives.