The Second Question: Concerning the āl-i abāThe People of the Cloak, referring to Prophet Muhammad (saw), his daughter Fātima (ra), his son-in-law Ali (ra), and his grandsons Hasan and Husayn (ra), whom he gathered beneath his cloak. (the People of the Mantle)

My brother, of the many wisdoms behind your question concerning the āl-i abāThe People of the Cloak, referring to Prophet Muhammad (saw), his daughter Fātima (ra), his son-in-law Ali (ra), and his grandsons Hasan and Husayn (ra), whom he gathered beneath his cloak., which until now has remained unanswered, only a single wisdom will be mentioned. It is as follows:

The Noble Messenger (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him) covered Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.., Fātima (ra)The beloved daughter of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and Khadīja (ra), the wife of Ali (ra), and the mother of Hasan and Husayn (ra). She is known for her piety, modesty, and devotion to Allah, and is among the most honoured women in Islam., Hasan (ra)Hasan ibn Ali (ra); grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima (ra), and elder brother of Husayn (ra)., and Husayn (ra)Husayn ibn Ali (ra); grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima (ra). with the blessed mantle he was wearing, and prayed over them with the supplication expressed in the verse:

لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمُ الرِّجْسَ اَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًاSo that Allah may remove all impurity from you, O People of the Household, and purify you completely. — The Qur’an 33:33

This act and this supplication contain many mysteries and wisdoms. We shall not go into those mysteries. Only one wisdom related to prophethood will be mentioned here:

The Noble Messenger (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him), with his prophetic vision that perceived the unseen and looked upon the future, saw that thirty or forty years later great trials and bloodshed would occur among the SahābahThe Companions of Prophet Muhammad (saw); Muslims who met him, believed in him, and died as Muslims. and the TābiīnThe generation of Muslims who met and learned from the Sahābah (Companions of Prophet Muhammad), but did not meet the Prophet himself.. He saw that the most prominent persons in those events would be precisely the three individuals who were beneath his mantle.

In order to purify and acquit Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.. in the eyes of the ummahThe worldwide Muslim community.; to console Husayn (ra)Husayn ibn Ali (ra); grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima (ra). and offer him condolence; to congratulate Hasan (ra)Hasan ibn Ali (ra); grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima (ra), and elder brother of Husayn (ra). and proclaim both his honour and the great benefit he brought to the ummahThe worldwide Muslim community. through reconciliation and the ending of a severe trial; and to make known that the descendants of Fātima (ra)The beloved daughter of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and Khadīja (ra), the wife of Ali (ra), and the mother of Hasan and Husayn (ra). She is known for her piety, modesty, and devotion to Allah, and is among the most honoured women in Islam. would be pure and honoured, and would prove worthy of the exalted title of ahl al-baytThe People of the Household; the family of Prophet Muhammad (saw), particularly Ali, Fātima, Hasan, and Husayn (ra). The term may also include other members of his family, depending on the context and Islamic tradition., he covered these four persons with his mantle and, together with himself, bestowed upon them the title khamsa-i āl-i abāthe Five People of the Mantle., “the Five People of the Mantle.”

Indeed, although Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.. was rightfully the caliph, the streams of blood that were shed were so grave that his acquittal and purification in the eyes of the ummahThe worldwide Muslim community. were, from the perspective of the prophetic mission, of great importance. The Noble Messenger (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him) therefore purified him in this way. By doing so, he silenced both the KhārijitesAn early Islamic movement that separated from Ali (ra) during the conflict following the Battle of Siffīn and became known for declaring grave sinners and certain Muslim opponents to be outside the faith., who criticized Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.. and accused him of misguidance, and the extreme partisans of the UmayyadsThe members, rulers, or supporters of the Umayyad dynasty/caliphate..

Indeed, the indifference and misleading accusations of the KhārijitesAn early Islamic movement that separated from Ali (ra) during the conflict following the Battle of Siffīn and became known for declaring grave sinners and certain Muslim opponents to be outside the faith. and the extremist supporters of the UmayyadsThe members, rulers, or supporters of the Umayyad dynasty/caliphate. concerning Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.., together with the exaggerations and bidah-likeResembling a bidah (religious innovation); referring to a belief or practice that appears to introduce something new into the religion without a basis in established Islamic teachings. practices of the ShīaA religious group within Islam whose followers believe that Ali (ra) and the Imams from his family were the rightful leaders of the Muslim community after Prophet Muhammad (saw). — which arose in connection with the profoundly tragic and heart-rending event surrounding Husayn (ra)Husayn ibn Ali (ra); grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima (ra). — as well as their rejection of the first two caliphs, have caused great harm to the Islamic community.

Through this mantle and this supplication, the Noble Messenger (saw)Sallallāhu alayhi wa sallam (Peace and blessings be upon him) acquitted Ali (ra)Ali ibn Abī Tālib, cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad (saw), husband of Fātimah, and the fourth caliph in the Islam.. and Husayn (ra)Husayn ibn Ali (ra); grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima (ra). of accusation and responsibility, and saved the ummahThe worldwide Muslim community. from unworthy thoughts and mistrust concerning them. At the same time, from the perspective of his prophetic mission, he congratulated Hasan (ra)Hasan ibn Ali (ra); grandson of the Prophet Muhammad (saw), son of Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatima (ra), and elder brother of Husayn (ra). for the great blessing he had bestowed upon the ummahThe worldwide Muslim community. through reconciliation. He also made known that the blessed descendants of Fātima (ra)The beloved daughter of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and Khadīja (ra), the wife of Ali (ra), and the mother of Hasan and Husayn (ra). She is known for her piety, modesty, and devotion to Allah, and is among the most honoured women in Islam. would bear the title of ahl al-baytThe People of the Household; the family of Prophet Muhammad (saw), particularly Ali, Fātima, Hasan, and Husayn (ra). The term may also include other members of his family, depending on the context and Islamic tradition. in the Islamic world and thereby gain an exalted honour, and that Fātima (ra)The beloved daughter of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and Khadīja (ra), the wife of Ali (ra), and the mother of Hasan and Husayn (ra). She is known for her piety, modesty, and devotion to Allah, and is among the most honoured women in Islam. herself would be greatly honoured through her descendants, just as the mother of MaryamThe mother of Prophet Isa (as), a righteous and deeply devoted woman chosen and honoured by Allah. She is known for her purity, chastity, patience, and unwavering faith. was honoured through hers by virtue of her supplication:

وَاِنِّى اُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِAnd I seek Your protection for her and her offspring from Satan, the accursed. — The Qur’an 3:36

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلٰى اٰلِهِ الطَّيِّبِينَ الطَّاهِرِينَ اْلاَبْرَارِ وَعَلٰى اَصْحَابِهِ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ الْمُكْرَمِينَ اْلاَخْيَارِ اٰمِينَO Allah, bestow Your blessings upon our master Muhammad, upon his family, who are good, pure, and righteous, and upon his Companions, who strove in Your cause and are honoured and virtuous. Āmīn.