The Verse of Purity (The Ayat al-Tatheer)

It has been recorded at regular intervals that the Verse of Purity has been revealed in the praise of the Ahl-ul-Bayt who are recognized as the Aaale Aba and according to some traditions all the Imams (as) are the subject of this Verse.
The author of Kashaf, although a very biased person, records in detail the event of Mubahila. When the Prophet (S) invited the Christians of Najran for Mubahila (mutual imprecation to prove one’s point), the Christians requested for some time that they wanted to discuss the matter with their Bishop. The Bishop said that Muhammad (S) was truly the Prophet and he has presented the truth in front of you. Whosoever takes recourse to an imprecation with a Prophet gets destroyed. If you take any such step, it will be calamitous for your community. If you wish to safeguard your community then go and seek for a truce.
On the morning of the appointed day the Prophet (S) came out for the purpose of Mubahila with Imam Husayn (as) in his arms, Imam Hasan (as) holding the finger of his right hand and behind him followed Fatima and ‘Ali (as). Thus arrived the small group into the selected ground and the Prophet (S) told to the four Immaculates with him that the moment he uttered the prayer against the opponents, all the four of them should say, “Aameen!” On the other side, when the Bishop of Najran saw this scene, he told to his people, “O group of Christians! I see in front of me such faces that if they pray, the mountain will move from its place! Don’t enter into an imprecation with them, otherwise there will not remain a single Christian on the Earth!”
Therefore, all those persons came to the presence of the Prophet (S) and told him that they decided not to have an imprecation with them.
The Prophet (S) then said, “If you don’t wish to have an imprecation as per our previous agreement, then you accept Islam.”
The Christians refused to accept this suggestion.
Then the Prophet (S) said, “In this event, prepare for a battle!”
They said, “we do not have the strength to battle with you and we want a truce.”
Therefore the truce was made on the condition that every year two thousand Hillas were to be given in the month of Safr and one thousand in the month of Rajab, thirty high quality chains of arm to also be given every year. After the truce the Prophet (S) told them that if the Christians had not entered into this agreement and opted for the imprecation, no single person of the group would have lived. Even the birds on the trees of the forest would have perished and the entire community of Christians would have perished within the period of one year.
The author of the book Kashaaf quotes from Um-al-Mu’mineen Ayesha that the Prophet (S) arrived from outside one day wearing a shawl made of black hair. Then came Hasan, Husayn, ‘Ali and Fatima (as). He took all of them under his shawl.Then the Prophet (S) recited the following verse from the Qur’an: \"Allah wishes, O Ahl-ul-Bayt, to keep all sin (rijs) away from you, and keep you Pure as Pure could be.” (33:33)
Then the author of Kashaaf asks a question why the Prophet (S) took along with him the same persons on the day of Mubahila? Usually, people don’t involve their near and dear on such risky ventures where there is possibility of loss of lives. But the Prophet (S) was confident of the Truth of his Stand and he knew that, as mentioned in the Verse of Purity, they were all virtuous persons.
Malik, one of the Imams of Ahl-ul-Jamaa writes in his book, Mauta: “After the Revelation of the Verse of Purity, for a period of about six months, the Prophet (S) used to stop at the door of Fatima (as)’s house every morning on his way to the Mosque for the Fajr prayer and say in a loud voice”
Prayer, OAhl-ul-Bayt. Allah wishes, O Ahl-ul-Bayt, to keep all sin away from you, and keep you Pure as Pure could be.
Saheeh Abi Dawood too records the event the same way. Anas, Saheeh Bukhari (Vol 4), Saheeh Muslim etc have narrated from Um-al-Mu’mineen Ayesha the same tradition. In the Saheeh Muslim, Volume 4, in the Chapter on the Qualities of Amir’ul-Mu’mineen, it is quoted from Saad bin Abi Wiqas that when the Verse of Imprecation (Mubahila) was revealed, the Prophet (S) called ‘Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn (as) and asked them to enter under his shawl with him and told to Allah,“ These are my Ahl-ul-Bayt!”
Abu Dawood narrates from Umme Salema that the Verse of Purity was revealed in her house. She said that at that time ‘Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husayn (as) were with the Prophet (S) under his shawl. She was herself seated near the door when the Prophet (S) prayed to Allah, “O Allah! These are my Ahl-ul-Bayt. Keep all sin (Rijs) away from them”. Umme Salema went forward and told to the Prophet (S), “Am I not one of your Ahl-ul-Bayt?” The Prophet (S) replied, “No! You are my spouse. You r Hereafter will be good!”
Similar statements are recorded in several books of the Ahl-ul-Jamaa. Here Rijs does not on ly mean sin, but implies all sorts of weaknesses and ills. It is Allah’s Commitment that He will Keep the Ahl-ul-Bayt in Immaculate Purity! Therefore, these Holy Individuals wouldn’t even utter a falsehood. It is an established fact of the history that every Imam (as) had publicly claimed that he was the Imam of the time appointed by Allah. This proves their claim was right and true!