19 March, 2024

9 Ramadan, 1445 H

"Silence saves you from regret"

- Imam Ali (as) -

Learning
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Core Curriculum

Section 1 - God, Religion and Islam: An Introduction
  • Topic 1.1 - God, Allah and Religion

  • Topic 1.2 - What is “Religion” and What’s the Point of it Anyways?

  • Topic 1.3 - Introduction to Islam

  • Topic 1.4 - A Brief Introduction to the Prophet Muhammad (s), the Prophet of Islam

Section 2 - Foundations of Islam - Theology
  • Topic 2.1 - Satan, Jinns and Angels: Their Influence in the World

  • Topic 2.2 - The Islamic Concept of the Nafs: Battling the Human Ego

  • Topic 2.3 - The Sharīʿa: Purpose and Practice

  • Topic 2.4 - Nubuwwa: The Purpose of Prophethood in Islam

  • Topic 2.5 - Tawhīd: The Unity and Oneness of God in Islam

  • Topic 2.6 - The Usūl al-Dīn: The Fundamental Beliefs of Islam

  • Topic 2.7 - Adala: Divine Justice in Islam

  • Topic 2.8 - Entering Islam: The Shahada

  • Topic 2.9 - Maʿād: The Day of Judgment in Islam

  • Topic 2.10 - Imāmah or divinely guided leadership in Islam after the Prophet Muhammad.

Section 3 - Foundations of Islam - Obligatory Acts
  • Topic 3.1 - Accepting Islam: Putting Faith into Action

  • Topic 3.2 - The Furūʿ al-Dīn: The Fundamental Practices of Islam

  • Topic 3.3 - Salāt: Obligatory Ritual Prayers in Islam

  • Topic 3.4 - Fasting in Islam, its Purpose, Dos and Don’ts

  • Topic 3.5 - The Hajj Pilgrimage

  • Topic 3.6 - The Purpose of Zakat and Khums in Islamic Law

  • Topic 3.7 - Jihād in Islamic Law and Spirituality

  • Topic 3.8 - Commanding the Good and Forbidding Evil in Islam

  • Topic 3.9 - Tawalla and Tabarra, its Basics and Purpose

  • Topic 3.10 - The Five Categories of Islamic Law

  • Topic 3.11 - Niyya: Religious Intention as the Foundation of Islamic Practice

  • Topic 3.12 - Ritual Purity in Islamic Law: Understanding Tahāra and Najāsa

  • Topic 3.13 - Other Obligatory and Forbidden Acts in Islam

Section 4 - Prophethood in Islam
  • Topic 4.1 - A Brief Biography of the Prophet Muhammad (s): The Prophet’s Childhood (PART I of III)

  • Topic 4.2 - Bio: The Prophet Muhammad as a Prophet of God (PART II of III)

  • Topic 4.3 - A Brief Biography of the Prophet Muhammad (s): The Prophet’s Character (PART III of III)

  • Topic 4.4 - The Prophet Muhammad (s) as Messenger and Teacher

  • Topic 4.5 - The Prophet and his Relationships

  • Topic 4.6 - The Prophet’s Sunnah and Hadith

  • Topic 4.7 - Ghadīr and Arafah: The Two Last Sermons of the Prophet

  • Topic 4.8 - Jesus and Mary in Islam

Section 5 - The Qur'an and Hadith
  • Topic 5.1 - Islam and Other Religions

  • Topic 5.2 - What is the Qur’an? A Short Introduction to Islam’s Holy Book

  • Topic 5.3 - The Structure of the Holy Qur’an

  • Topic 5.4 - The Quran and Islamic law

  • Topic 5.5 - The Qur’an, Allah and Humankind

  • Topic 5.6 - Hadith and Sunnah, difference and variations

  • Topic 5.7 - The Reliability of Hadiths

  • Topic 5.8 - A Reflection on Verses of the Holy Qur’an

  • Topic 5.9 - Hadith al-Thaqalayn

  • Topic 5.10 - Imam Ali (as) and Nahj al-Balagha.

  • Topic 5.11 - Taqlid and Tawḍih Al Masail Genre of Literature

Section 6 - Measuring Good and Bad in Islam
  • Topic 6.1 - Guidance According to Islam

  • Topic 6.2 - Life and Death in Islam

  • Topic 6.3 - Heaven and Hell in Islam

  • Topic 6.4 - The Effects of Our Actions in this World

  • Topic 6.5 - The Gray Areas of Islamic Law and Morality

  • Topic 6.6 - Benefits of Islamic Law in this World

  • Topic 6.7 - Good and Bad Deeds: The Spiritual Consequences of our Choices

  • Topic 6.8 - The Effect of Culture and Environment in Shaping our Religious Choices

  • Topic 6.9 - Fate and the Consequences of our Choices in Islam

  • Topic 6.10 - Trivializing the Harām

  • Topic 6.11 - Sinning Against Others and their Delayed Punishment

  • Topic 6.12 - The Three Kinds of Rights in Islam

  • Topic 6.13 - Major Sins in Islam

  • Topic 6.14 - Repentance and Forgiveness of Sins in Islam

  • Topic 6.15 - Kufr in Islam

  • Topic 6.16 - Why Allah Allows People to Sin

Section 7 - The Legacy of the Prophet Muhammad (s) and his Ahl al-Bayt (as)
  • Topic 7.1 - Islam and Knowledge: the Importance of Islamic Education

  • Topic 7.2 - The Ahl al-Kisa

  • Topic 7.3 - Imamah in the Qur’an

  • Topic 7.4 - Fatima al-Zahrah (as)

  • Topic 7.5 - A Brief Look at the Lives of the Imams (Imam al-Hasan until Imam Muhammad al-Baqir)

  • Topic 7.6 - A Brief Look at the Lives of the Imams (Imam Jafar al-Sadiq until Imam Hasan al-Askari)

  • Topic 7.7 - A Brief Look at the Life and Importance of Imam al-Mahdi (aj)

  • Topic 7.8 - Salawat and Atonement in Islam

  • Topic 7.9 - The Companions (Sahaba) of the Prophet According to the Qur’an

  • Topic 7.10 - Clerical Hierarchies in Muslim Communities

  • Topic 7.11 - Mosques in Islam

  • Topic 7.12 - The Philosophy of Karbala and Majalis

  • Topic 7.13 - A Brief Biography of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as)

  • Topic 7.14 - The Battle of Karbala: A Brief History

Section 8 - Islamic Relationships, Sects and Conflicts
  • Topic 8.1 - Islam and Rights

  • Topic 8.2 - Islam and Religious Conflicts

  • Topic 8.3 - Major Sects of Islam

  • Topic 8.4 - Sunnism and Shi’ism, beginnings and historical developments.

  • Topic 8.5 - Misconceptions about Shi’ism

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Special Topics

Section 9 - Independent Topics
  • Topic 9.1 - Muslim Converts – Welcome to Islam!

  • Topic 9.2 - Basic Dos and Don’ts of Being a Muslim

  • Topic 9.3 - Halal Food and Zabiha

  • Topic 9.4 - Modesty in Islam

  • Topic 9.5 - Family, Parents and Marriage in Islam

  • Topic 9.6 - Marriage in Islam

  • Topic 9.7 - Islam and Sex

  • Topic 9.8 - Women’s Menstruation in Islam

  • Topic 9.9 - Music, Alcohol, Drugs and Pork in Islam

  • Topic 9.10 - Islam and Science

  • Topic 9.11 - A Reading List of Islamic Knowledge

  • Topic 9.12 - Islam and Sufism

  • Topic 9.13 - Ritual Prayers and Supplications in Islam

  • Topic 9.14 - Death & Burial Rituals in Islam

  • Topic 9.15 - The Battle of Armageddon: An Islamic View

  • Topic 9.16 - The Muslim Calendar

  • Topic 9.17 - Muslims and non-Muslims in the Shariah

  • Topic 9.18 - A Timeline of Major Events in Islamic History

  • Topic 9.19 - Introducing the Qur’an: Why it is the way it is

  • Topic 9.20 - The School of Imam Jafar al-Sadiq

  • Topic 9.21 - Major Fields in Islamic Studies

  • Topic 9.22 - The Caliphate in Sunni and Shia Islam

  • Topic 9.23 - The Spread of Islam: After the Prophet until the Ottoman Empire

  • Topic 9.24 - Islam, Racism and Anti-Semitism

Section 10 - Islam, Religion, and Modern Controversies
  • Topic 10.1 - Modern Fallacies about God: where Theists and Atheists Agree

  • Topic 10.2 - Tawhīd: The Muslim God according to the Prophet Muhammad and the Ahl al-Bayt (as)

  • Topic 10.3 - God’s Existence: The Argument From Being (Wujūd)

  • Topic 10.4 - God’s Existence: The Kalam Cosmological Argument

  • Topic 10.5 - God’s Existence: The Argument From Design

  • Topic 10.6 - The Problem of Evil, Suffering and Pain

  • Topic 10.7 - Why did God Create Us? The Purpose of our Creation

  • Topic 10.8 - Why Humans Need Religion according to Islam

  • Topic 10.9 - Jahl and Spiritual Ignorance in Islam

  • Topic 10.10 - Faith in Islam: Belief without Evidence?

  • Topic 10.11 - Do Non-Muslims Go to Hell?

Abstract

The Ahl al-Kisa are the people of the cloak, that is, the Prophet (s), Imam Ali (as), Fatima (as), Imam al-Hasan (as) and Imam al-Husayn (as)

INTRODUCTION

 

Bismillāhir Rahmānir Rahīm, As-salāmu ʿAlaykum wa rahmatullāhi wa barakātuh. Peace be upon you brothers and sisters.

 

 Welcome back to the Muslim Converts Channel! One of the most important hadiths regarding the Ahl al-Bayt (as) is the hadith of Kisa. The Hadith of Kisa is the hadith that sets up the Ahl al-Bayt (as) as the foundational and infallible guides of Islam.  The hadith mentions the divine role of the 5 holy ones, namely the Prophet, Imam Ali, Fatima, Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn. The 5 are mentioned as they were the only ones who were living at the time and were the ones who came under the cloak

 

 We thought that perhaps an explanation or commentary would be due, but the hadith is so complete that it speaks for itself!

 

 BODY OF TEXT

 

Jabir Ibn Abdullah Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the authority of Lady Fatima, the beloved daughter of the Holy Prophet (peace be on her) that she said:

 

"One day when my beloved father, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.), visited me in my house,

 

he (P.B.U.H.) said: 'O Fatima! Peace be on you.'

 

I replied: 'O father! Peace be on you too.'

 

He then said: 'I am feeling some weakness within me.' 

 

I said: 'Allah forbid that you may be sick.'

 

Then he said: 'Fatima! Fetch me a Yemenite cloak and wrap it round me.' I brought the Yemenite cloak and covered my dear father with it. I then noticed that his face was glowing like a full moon.

 

 A moment later, my beloved son, Hassan came and said:

 

 'O my dear mother! Peace of Allah be on you.'

 

 1 replied: 'O my loving son, the apple of my eyes, the delight of my heart! Peace be on you too.'

 

 He then said: 'O my dear mother! I am smelling the fragrance of my loving grandfather!'

 

I said: 'Yes, your beloved grandfather is here under the cloak.'

 

 Hassan then went forwards his grandfather and said: 'O my grandfather! Peace be on you. May I enter the cloak.'

 

 My loving father replied: 'O my son, the owner of my fountain (of Kauthar)! Peace be on you too. Yes; you may enter.'

 

 Thus Hassan entered the cloak. Soon after, my loving son, Hussain came and said: 'O my dear mother! Peace be on you.'

 

 1 replied: 'O my loving son, the apple of my eyes, the delight of my heart! peace be on you too.'

 

 He then said: 'O my dear mother! I am smelling the fragrance of my affectionate grandfather!'

 

 I replied: 'Yes, your loving grandfather and your elder brother Hassan, are inside the cloak.'

 

Hussain then went near the cloak and said: 'O my dear grandfather, the chosen Prophet of Allah! peace be on you.

 

 May I also come inside the cloak to be with both of you.'

 

 My loving father replied: 'O my son, the interceder of my Ummah! peace be on you too. Yes you may enter.'

 

 Thus Hussain too entered the cloak.

 

 Then Ali-Ibn Abu Talib came and said: 'O beloved daughter of the Holy Prophet! peace be on you.'

 

 1 replied: 'O Abul-Hassan, Commander of the Faithful! peace be on you too.'

 

 He then said: 'Fatima! I am smelling the fragrance of my brother, the son of my Uncle.'

 

 I replied: 'Yes! He along with your two sons is inside the cloak'

 

 Ali then proceeded towards the cloak and said: 'O Prophet of Allah! peace be on you. May I also come to you inside the cloak!'

 

 My beloved father replied: 'Peace be on you also my brother, my vicegerent, my successor, my standard bearer! You may also come inside.'

 

 Thus Ali also went inside the cloak,

 

 Then I went near the cloak and said: 'Peace be on you, O my loving father! O Prophet of Allah! May I also come to you inside the cloak.'

 

 My loving father replied: 'Peace of Allah be on you also, my beloved daughter! All

 

dear heart! You too have my permission.'

 

 Thus, I also went inside the cloak.

 

 Now when all of us got assembled inside the Cloak, my affectionate father held the two corners of the cloak and raising his right hand towards the sky said:

 

 'O Allah! These are my Ahlul-Bayt.

 

 They are my confidants and my supporters.

 

 Their flesh is my flesh and their blood is my blood.

 

 Whoever hurts them, hurts me.

 

 Whoever displeases them, displeases me.

 

 Whoever makes peace with them, will make peace with me.

 

 Whoever has enmity against them, will have enmity against me.

 

 Whoever is a friend to them, is a friend of mine. It is because they belong to me and I belong to them.

 

 O Allah! Bestow Your peace, Benevolence, Mercy, forgiveness and Your Pleasures on me and on them.

 

 And keep them aloof from uncleanliness and keep them pure and thoroughly purified.'

 

Then the Lord, Almighty Allah said:

 

 'O my Angels! O inmates of the heavens!

 

 I created this solid firmament, well-stretched earth,

 

 well-lighted moon, shinning sun, rotating planets, rippling oceans, floating boats,

 

 and all other things for the sake and love of these five persons who are inside the cloak.'

 

 At this, the Archangel Gabriel asked:

 

 'O Lord! Who are they inside the cloak?'

 

 The Lord said: 'They are Ahlul-Bayt of the Prophet and the assets of the Prophethood. They are Fatima, her father, her husband and her two sons.'

 

 Gabriel said: 'O Lord! permit me also to descend to earth and join them as the sixth inside the cloak.'

 

 The Lord said: 'You are permitted.'

 

 Thus Gabriel, the Archangel came down to earth and said:

 

 'O Prophet of Allah! peace be on you. The Gracious Lord, the Almighty Allah sends His Greetings to you to bestow on you His Grace and Mercy and says:

 

 "By My Grace and Grandeur! I have created this solid

 

firmament, well-stretched earth, well-lighted moon,

 

shining sun, rotating planets, rippling oceans, floating boats and

 

all other things for the sake and love of you and

 

your chosen people."

 

 And the Lord, Almighty has given me the permission to join you inside the cloak

 

O Prophet of Allah!

 

 May I come in and be with you?'

 

 The Holy Prophet replied: 'O Bearer of the Divine revelations! Peace be on you also. Yes, you may come in.'

 

 Then Gabriel too came inside the cloak

 

 Thereafter, he spoke to my affectionate father: 'Allah sends His revelation to you people and says:  "Surely, Allah has decided that He should keep you and your Ahlul-Bayt clean of all pollution and purify you people with a thorough purification."'

 

Then Ali said to my loving father:

 

 'Tell me! What merit the coming under this cloak has before Allah ?'

 

 The Holy Prophet replied: 'By that Being, Who made me His Prophet and Who, for the salvation of mankind appointed me to prophethood! When any of our Shiites and supporters will assemble in a  gathering of the inmates of this earth and narrate this Hadith, Allah will bestow on them His Blessings and Mercy; angels will encircle them and as long as they do not disperse,

 

the angels will pray for the forgiveness of their sins.'

 

 At this, Ali said:

 

 'By Allah! We and our Shiʿas have now become triumphant.'

 

 Then the Holy Prophet said:

 

 'O Ali! By that Being, Who made me the righteous prophet and appointed me to the prophet-hood for the sake of people's salvation, whenever in the gathering of the inmates of this earth our Shiites and friends will assemble and narrate this Hadith of ours, and if some-one amongst them will be in agony, Allah will remove his trouble; and if someone was sorrowful, Allah will relieve him of his sorrows; will answer his needs.'

 

 Then Ali said:

 

 'By Allah! At this moment we have been crowned with success and Blessings; and by the Lord of Kaabah, in the same way our Shiites too have become triumphant and blessed in this world and the Hereafter.'

Ahl al-Kisa

The People of the Cloak, referring to the Prophet Muhammad(s), Imam Ali (as), Fatima al-Zahra (as), Imam Hasan (as) and Imam Husayn (as).    

Q1

Who are the Ahl al-Kisa?

The Prophet (s), Imam Ali (as), Fatima al-Zahra (as), Imam Hasan (as) and Imam Husayn (as).    

Q2

What does Kisa mean?

A cloak 

Q3

Why aren’t the Ahl al-Kisa 14 in number? Why are only 5 mentioned?

Because only the five were living when the event of Kisa happened.    

God
Allah
Ahl al-Bayt
Ahl al-Kisa
Imam Ali
Imam al-Husayn
the Prophet
Imam al-Hasan
Fatima
People of the Cloak

Commentary on Hadeeth al Kisaa by Abu Sahba