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One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

May Allah (s.w.a) Bless you for the knowledge you provide.

What is the truth behind Ahle Bayt how do we know that we are following the correct sunna of the Rasool. Is Ahle Bayt only for the Ithnashris or the Shias and what are we to understand from Panchthan Pak in terms of beliefs. What does our Holy Quran state about the Ahle Bayt and the need of Imams till the day of Qayamat.

thank you very much in advance

Jazak Allah Khair

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Answer:

Ahle bayt panchatan pak imam from quran

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol, no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Your Question: What is the truth behind Ahle Bayt

The arabic meaning of the term ‘Ahl-al-Bayt’ would be as follows: ‘Ahl’ means family or people, and ‘Bayt’ means house; thus the term ‘Ahl-al-Bayt’ would imply family or people of the house.

Thus when one says the term ‘ahle-bayt’ in Islam,  it normally refers to the family of the Last Messenger of Allah (saws).  And the ‘ahle-bayt’ of Prophet Mohamed (saws) would include his wives,  his children, and the people of his blessed household.

Your Question: how do we know that we are following the correct sunna of the Rasool.

Al-Tirmidhi Hadith 171         Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr

That Allah's Messenger (saws) said: “There will befall my Ummah exactly all those evils which befell the people of Israel (Jews and Christians),  so much so that if there was one amongst them who openly committed fornication with his mother, there will be amongst  my Ummah one,  who will do the same.   And if the people of Israel were fragmented into seventy-two sects,  my Ummah will be fragmented into seventy-three sects.   All of them will be in Hell Fire except one sect.”   The noble Companions asked: “O Allah's Messenger (saws), which one is that?”   Whereupon he (saws)  said: “It is one to which I and my companions belong.”

The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws) was completely established in his lifetime and followed by his noble family and his noble companions who saw him; and was appropriately recorded after his death for the future generations to follow.  

Thus if one wishes to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws), one has to refer to the authentic and established traditions of the Prophet (saws) which are appropriately recorded and available amongst us today.

Your Question: Is Ahle Bayt only for the Ithnashris or the Shias

Allah is our witness sister, there is not a believer in Allah and the Last Day who does not love and respect the ‘Ahle-Bayt’ or the family of the Messenger of Allah (saws); for it is inconceivable that any amongst the noble family of the Messenger of Allah (saws) would say, do, or command anything against the Quran and the Sunnah.  Thus there is absolutely no dispute regarding the matter!

Just as our Christian brethren who only ‘brandish’ the name of the Noble Prophet Jesus (a.s.) but refuse to follow him and his guidance, there are some people today who use and ‘brandish’ the name of the noble family of the Prophet (saws); but their actions are far far removed from the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah.  These people who are foremost in ‘brandishing’ the name of the ‘ahle-bayt’ try to propagate a completely ‘different’ form of Islam which has absolutely no evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah.  Their ‘modus-operandi’ is to take the blessed name of the noble ‘Ahle-Bayt’ and the pious ‘Imams’, but in truth do what their current ‘high priests’ dictate and command them to do, regardless of whether what is being said by their ‘high priests’ is in accordance with the guidance of the Quran or the Sunnah!

The brothers who today claim to follow the ‘Ahle-Bayt’ and the noble ‘Imams’ are the foremost in grave worshipping, foremost in performing self-invented rites and rituals in the deen which have absolutely nothing to do with the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah, foremost in invoking and supplicating other ‘deities’ with Allah Subhanah, and foremost in seeking the help of their ‘deities’ for their needs!  They have tried to differentiate themselves from the Ummah of the believers by forming their own separate sect and differentiating themselves in their times and form of prayers, starting and ending their fasting on separate days, performing their Hajj on a different day, demanding payments from their followers like ‘khums’, ‘sabeel’, ‘wajebaat’, ‘niyaaz’, etc. in the name of Islam, and introducing and performing all sorts of rites and rituals in the deen which have absolutely no evidence from the Quran or the Sunnah! 

The truth is brother, these misguided and ignorant ‘sects’ have tried to conform the clear Guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah to their ‘self-invented’ beliefs, rather than conforming and aligning their beliefs to the guidance of the Quran and the Sunnah.  May Allah Subhanah have mercy on them and guide them to the ‘Siraat Al-Mustaqeem’ or the ‘Straight Path of Islam’.

Your Question: what are we to understand from Panchthan Pak in terms of beliefs.

First and foremost, the very term ‘Panchatan-Pak’ is not an Arabic term; for there is no such alphabet as ‘Pa’ in the Arabic language!!!  The term ‘Panch’ is derived from the Farsi (Iranian) language which means the number five; and the term ‘Pak’ in the Farsi or Urdu language means ‘pure’….thus ‘Panchatan Pak’ would imply the ‘five who are pure’.

The belief of the believers who sincerely believe in Allah, His Messenger (saws) and the Last Day is derived entirely from what has been revealed by the Lord Most High Himself in His Glorious Quran, and the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws)….and Allah is our witness sister, the term ‘Panchatan-Pak’ has absolutely no mention in either the Quran or the Sunnah. 

The term is self-derived and self-invented by man long after the death of the Messenger of Allah (saws) ….and in terms of belief, the term has absolutely no basis in the deen of Islam.

Your Question: What does our Holy Quran state about the Ahle Bayt

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 33:

(O wives of the Prophet), stay in your houses,  and do not go about displaying your fineries as women used to do in the Days of Ignorance.   Establish the salaat,  pay the zakaat,  and obey Allah and His Messenger.  Allah only intends to remove uncleanness from you, O Ahle-Bayt, and purify you completely.

The only verse where the term ‘ahle-bayt’ is used for the noble family of the Prophet Mohamed (saws) in the Glorious Quran is in verse 33 of Surah Ahzaab quoted above; and from the context of the preceding and proceeding verses, it is extremely evident that the addresses of this discourse were the wives of the Noble Prophet (saws)….whom our Shia brethren conveniently refuse to include in their understanding of the ‘ahle-bayt’ or family of Prophet Mohamed (saws)!

Your Question: What does our Holy Quran state about the need of Imams till the day of Qayamat.

There are several verses in the Glorious Quran,  where Allah Subhanah has used the term ‘imam’.   The word ‘imam’ in the Arabic language can be used to mean several things,  depending on the context of the verse.   It may mean a leader in religion,  the leader of congregational prayer,  a model,  a pattern or example,  a book of guidance and instructions,  a book of evidence or records,  or even a highway!   It all depends on how the term has been used.

Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 124:

124    And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain commands which he fulfilled;  He said: "I will make thee an Imam (leader) to the nations."  He pleaded: "And also (Imams) from my offspring!"   He answered: "But my promise is not within the reach of evil-doers."

Holy Quran Chapter 11 Surah Hud verse 17:

17      Can they be (like) those who accept a Clear (Sign) from their Lord,  and whom a witness from Himself doth teach as did the Book of Moses before it,  an Imam (Book of guidance)  and a mercy?  They believe therein;  but those of the Sects that reject it,  the Fire will be their promised meeting place.  Be not then in doubt thereon:  for it is the Truth from thy Lord: yet many among men do not believe!

Holy Quran Chapter 15 Surah Hijr verse 79:

78      And the Companions of the Wood were also wrongdoers;

79      So We exacted retribution from them.  They were both on an open Imam (highway) plain to see.

Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 17:

71      One day We shall call together all human beings with their (respective) Imams (leaders):  those who are given their record in their right hand will read it (with pleasure) and they will not be dealt with unjustly in the least.

Holy Quran Chapter 36 Surah Ya Seen verse 12:

12 Verily We shall give life to the dead,  and We record that which they sent before and that which they leave behind;  and of all things have We taken account in a clear Imam (Book of Records or evidence).

Thus,  the term ‘imam’ has been used several times in the Holy Quran,  and the meaning of the word can easily be understood clearly in the context in which it has been used. Some people who have their own agendas have today taken a specific meaning of the term ‘Imam’ or ‘Imamat’ completely out of context, and try to apply it exclusively to a specific chosen person of their choice without any authority from the Quran or the Sunnah.

If one trusts, obeys, and follows the guidance and commands of Allah and His Messenger (saws),   one can be assured of never ever being misled;   but if one believes, obeys and follows any other guidance, other than that of Allah and His Messenger (saws), one can be assured of being led astray.  

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan