Ahl al-Bayt the Holy Qur’¡n’s Counterpart

The duty undertaken by all human beings especially Muslims to understand the Holy Qur’¡n and to put into practice its teachings is the same as Ahl al-Bayt, for the Holy Prophet during an illness which led to his passing away, while leaning on Imam `Al¢ and Ibn `Abb¡s came out of his house and by leaning on one of the pillars of Medina Mosque, which was the trunk of a palm tree, said to the people who gathered in the mosque:

إنَّهُ لَمْ يَمُتْ نَبِيٌّ قَطُّ إلأ خَلَّفَ تِرْكَةً؛ وَقَدْ خَلَّفْتُ فِيكُمُ الثَّقَلَيْنِ كِتَابَ اللهِ وَأهْلَ بَيْتِي. ألأ فَمَنْ ضَيَّعَهُمْ ضَيَّعَهُ اللهُ.

No prophet has passed away without leaving something behind him. I too leave behind me for you two valuable things, namely the Book of Allah and my Ahl al-Bayt. Be aware, whoever ignores them will be ignored by Allah.[1]

Imam `Al¢ (a.s) too has said:

إنَّ اللهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى طَهَّرَنَا وَعَصَمَنَا وَجَعَلَنَا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى خَلْقِهِ وَحُجَّتَهُ فِي أرْضِهِ؛ وَجَعَلَنَا مَعَ الْقُرْآنِ وَجَعَلَ الْقُرْآنَ مَعَنَا لأ نُفَارِقُهُ وَلأ يُفَارِقُنَا.

Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, has purified us from uncleanness making us infallible. He made us witnesses on people setting us as a proof on the earth. He placed us with the Holy Qur’¡n and placed the Holy Qur’¡n with us. We will never part company with the Holy Qur’¡n nor will the Holy Qur’¡n part company with us.[2]

Ahl al-Bayt (a.s) are the protected Qur’¡n, containing all meanings of the Book of Allah, aware of the manifest and hidden verses and the ones practicing the Qur’¡nic teachings. They are the practical examples of the Holy Qur’¡n and the full manifestation of the Book of Allah. Therefore, should people, especially Muslims, be duty-bound to the Holy Qur’¡n, they would be duty-bound to Ahl al-Bayt as well.

As for how the ummah took heed of the Holy Prophet’s recommendation on the Holy Qur’¡n and its counterpart; that is Ahl al-Bayt, we should know about Ibn Dharr’s answer to Imam al-B¡qir’s question:

One day, Imam al-B¡qir (a.s) asked Ibn Dharr if he had heard some ¦ad¢ths. Ibn Dharr said, “O Son of Allah’s Messenger! The Holy Prophet said, “I am leaving among you two valuable things; one each greater than the other; the Book of Allah and my Ahl al-Bayt. If you resort to then, you will never go astray.”

Imam al-B¡qir (a.s) said, “O Ibn Dharr, if you ever meet Allah’s Messenger and he asks you what you have done about these two valuable things, what will your answer be?”

Ibn Dharr started weeping bitterly and said,

أمَّا الأكْبَرُ فَمَزَّقْنَاهُ، وَأمَّا الأصْغَرُ فَقَتَلْنَاهُ!

“Alas! We have torn apart the Greater one and killed the smaller one.”[3]

Ahl al-Bayt are the Holy Qur’¡n’s counterpart hence they have all the features of the Book:

The Holy Qur’¡n is full of knowledge. So are Ahl al-Bayt.

The Holy Qur’¡n is light. So are Ahl al-Bayt.

The Holy Qur’¡n is balance. So are Ahl al-Bayt.

The Holy Qur’¡n is pure. So are Ahl al-Bayt.

The Holy Qur’¡n is guidance. So are Ahl al-Bayt.

The Holy Qur’¡n is an intercessor on the Judgment Day. So are Ahl al-Bayt.