AYAH OF PURIFICATION IN THE NOBLE QUR'AN

There is an age long controversy about the Ayah of Purification (Tatheer) in the Noble Qur’an and as to who were the addressees of the Ayah. The Ayah of Purification is found in Surah al-Ahzaab.

The Ayah Tatheer is located between Ayahs 28 to 34 which are as follows:

Ayah 28: “O’ Prophet, tell your wives, “If you want the worldly life and its beauty, I shall allow you to enjoy it and set you free in an honorable manner,”

Ayah 29: “but if you want the pleasure of Allah, His Messenger, and the life hereafter, you must know that Allah has prepared a great reward for the righteous ones among you.”

Ayah 30: “O wives of the Prophet, if any one among you commits evident indecency, her torment will be double. This is not at all difficult for Allah.”

Ayah 31: “To those of you who obey Allah and His Messenger and act righteously, We will give double reward and an honorable sustenance.”

Ayah 32: “Wives of the Prophet, you are not like other women. If you have fear of Allah, do not be tender in your speech lest people whose hearts are sick may lust after you. Speak to people in a normal manner.”

Ayah 33: “You must stay in your homes and do not display yourselves after the manner of the (pre-Islamic) age of darkness. Be steadfast in the prayer, pay the religious tax, and obey Allah and His Messenger. O’ People of the House, Allah wants to keep away all kinds of uncleanness from you and to purify you thoroughly.”

Ayah 34: “Wives of the Prophet, remember the revelations of Allah and Words of wisdom that are recited in your homes. Allah is Most Kind and All-Aware.”

The scholars of Muslim Ummah have narrowed down the possibilities of the individuals who are referred to in the Ayah of Purification to the following:

1. The Purified individuals referred to are the “wives of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.)

2. The Purified individuals referred to are “Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Hussayn (peace be upon them all)”

3. The Purified individuals referred are “wives of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and also Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Hussayn (peace be upon them all)”

Let us examine the possibility No. 1

Supporting arguments:

The supporters of this possibility say that because all the seven Ayahs are addressed to the wives of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), hence the Ayah of Purification is also addressed to the wives of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.). They also say that in the Arab society, the term Ahlul Bayt was used for the wives of a man.  They also advance the argument that Allah’s words in Noble Qur’an was directed to Sarah, Prophet Ibrahim’s wife, when she was given the glad tidings of the pregnancy of the Prophet Isaac and she laughed, Allah says in Surah Hud, Ayah 73: “They replied, “Would you be surprised at Allah’s decree? People of the house, may Allah’s mercy and blessings be with you….”

Opposing arguments:

Let us analyze the seven Ayahs; Ayah 28 contains a clear threat of divorce from Allah to the Prophet’s wives. Ayah 29 gives a conditional promise if they desire Allah, His Prophet and Hereafter, He will reward them greatly. Ayah 30 holds a warning of double punishment if they commit open indecency. Ayah 31 gives a conditional promise if they obey Him and His Prophet and do good. He will double their rewards and prepare for them an honorable sustenance. Ayah 32 reminds them that they are not like the rest of the women and whatever is acceptable from other women is not acceptable from them. They are warned that they should be careful in whatever they say and how they say. And also orders them not to be soft. Ayah 33 contains four direct orders and one prohibition from Allah to the wives of the Prophet:

The orders are as follows:

1.  To stay in their houses.

2.  To perform prayers.

3.   To pay the zakat (poor-rate).  

4.     To obey Allah and His Messenger

As for the prohibition, Allah had forbidden them from displaying their finery or committing indecencies that has been forbidden in Islam like the women in the days of ignorance, which includes not observing hijab, displaying their beauty and ornaments to those Allah forbids, unnecessary socializing with men and women.

Next is the Ayah of Purification (second part of Ayah 33) which is not in harmony with the Ayahs before and after this Ayah. Ayah 34 contains the fifth order as stated above.

The above arguments may be summarized as; threat, encouragement, warning, advice, conditional promise, reminder, direction, blame, five orders and prohibition. These types of speech are inconsistent with the Ayah of Purification. Could such persons be the fountain head of Purity and chastity?

Moreover, the will of Allah is “Kun Fayakoon” or “Be, so it is”. His will does not depend on the Purified persons would or would not do. It is automatic, quick, immediate and direct action. While the wives of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) were given the choice of obedience or disobedience in the sense that Allah said to them: “If you want….” Therefore the choice and will are theirs. So how can we combine that with Allah’s will which is immediate in action. This clearly proves that the wives of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) were not and could not be the individuals purified by Allah.

Moreover, in Surah al-Tahrim Ayahs 1 to 5, Allah informs the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) about a secret he shared with one of his wives telling her not to mention to anyone, but she disclosed to the other wife. In Ayah 4, Allah says: “Would that you two (wives of the Prophet) had turned to Allah in repentance. Your hearts have sinned……”  

After the revelation of the Ayah of Purification and after the sad demise of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.), one of his wives did not abide by the order of Allah to stay in her house. She disobeyed that order and went out of her house and led an army of rebels. She did something which never happened in the history of Islam. Moreover, there is no “conjunction” like “and, so etc.” which might be considered as continuation of Ayahs before this Ayah of Purification.

Also, the term “Ahl” has been used in Quran for sons and daughters also e.g. in Surah Hud, Ayah 45: “Noah prayed to his Lord saying, “Lord, my son is a member of my family….” And Ayah 81: “Leave the town with your family in the darkness of night….” This refers to the time when Prophet Lut was advised by the angels to leave with his daughters and wife. Similarly, in Surah Hud, Ayah 73 stated above, “People of the House” refers to Sarah, her husband, her expected newborn, all the sons of her husband, Hajerah, Isma’eel etc.

It is an irrefutable proof which the normal brain cannot but accept the fact that the Ayah of Purification was not revealed for the wives of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.)? It confirms that the addressees of the Ayah were Imam Ali, Lady of Paradise Hazrat Fatima, Imam Hasan, and Imam Hussayn (Peace be upon them all). Untruthfulness is included in “Rijs” as mentioned in Ayah Tatheer. Consequently, the “Truthfulness of the Panjetan” was confirmed in most important event of Islam when the Ayah of Mubahelah (Surah Al-Imran Ayah 61) was revealed. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) took Imam Hasan and Imam Hussayn to represent the “Sons”, took Lady of Paradise Hazrat Fatima Zahra to represent the “Women”- Plural, and lastly took the Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali to represent the “Selves”- Plural. In the end, in the famous “Hadees-e-Kisah” the Tradition of the Cloak, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) collected the “Pure Panjetan” under the Cloak and prayed to Allah saying that they were “his household”. When the Archangel inquired from Allah as to who were under the Cloak? Allah replied: “They are Fatima, her father (The Prophet of Allah), her husband (Imam Ali), and her sons (Imam Hasan and Imam Hussayn)”