This guidance was confirmed by the following verses...

This guidance was confirmed by the following verses, Verse 33 goes like this: "God desires only to remove any impurities from you, o people of the House (Ahlul Bayt) and to purify you completely.” Who are the people of the House (Ahlul Bayt)? The pronoun referring to them is in the masculine plural, while the preceding part of the verse is in the feminine plural. This change in gender has evidently pointed the finger to the Five people of the mantle (Ahl Al-Kisa) i.e.

Muhammad-’Ali-Fatima-Hasan-Husayn. For this Verse was revealed when the Prophet (S) was in the house of his daughter Fatima under a Kisa. She is the narrator of this Tradition. When these Five persons were under the Kisa she used a sentence “Fa Lamma Aktamalna” And when we were complete (Under the Kisa). She did not use the word Ajtam’ana, i.e. when were all gathered or assembled together for it would show the possibility of addition or subtraction from the Five.

The word 'Aktamalna' clarified the position that these Five had completed the assembly without further additions. Tabari in his commentary and Imam Fakhruddin Razi in his Tafsee-e-Kabir in their commentaries on this verse support this interpretation and the names of Five people with the exclusion of the wives of the Prophet.

The Ahlul Bayt of Muhammad (S) meant, as was consistent with the general usage of the term at the time, primarily his blood relations, the same people who were also forbidden to receive Alms ( Sadaqa) in order that their state of purity not be soiled or questioned. This also elevates them to the status of infallible (Ma’sum), that is, free of mistakes in all avenues of life.

To further confirm the names of these Five persons, in 3:61, the Verse of Mubahela clarifies this position in front of the large audience of Muslims as well as Christians.

This Verse goes like this: *** “If one disputes with you in this matter (concerning Jesus) after the knowledge which has come to you, come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then let us swear an oath and place the curse of God on those who lie.”*** And the personalities Muhammad (S) took with him were the same Five people of the Kisa.

He himself as Prophet of God, his Daughter Fatima (sa) as the women of the family, his two grand sons as the sons and his cousin ‘Ali (as) as the “Self” of the Prophet.