Understanding Usul Al-Fiqh by Abu Tariq Hilal - Abu Ismael al-Beirawi

Some Ulema have confined Ijma‟ to the household of Prophet Muhammad (saw). In support of their argument, they refer to the following evidence:

“O Wives of the Prophet (saw)... Allah wishes to cleanse the people of the House (of Prophet (saw) of impurities (al-Rijis)” (TMQ Al-Ahzab: 32-33)

The proponents of this type of Ijma‟ have said that when this Ayah was revealed the Messenger (saw) took his cloak and covered Imam Ali (ra), Hussein, Hasan and Fatimah umm Hasan (ra) and said:

“O Allah these are members of my household.” (Tirmidhi)

Also, the Ulema have backed their argument from the Sunnah with this saying of the Prophet (saw):

“I am leaving amongst you two valuable things (al-thaqalayn), the book of Allah and my (Usra) family.” Thus, the claim is made that Allah (swt) has lifted ar-Rijis from the family of the Prophet (saw) and that ar-Rijis means mistake. According to their argument, Ahlel Bayt are infallible, and thus, their Ijma‟ is a legitimate source of Shari‟ah.

In response to the Ayah in Surah al-Ahzab, the meaning is not Qata‟i (decisive). Also, this Ayah was revealed in regards to the wives of the Prophet (saw) as well. It is not exclusive to Fatimah umm Hasan (ra), Ali (ra) and their sons (ra). Does this mean that all his (saw) wives were infallible?

Based on this argument, they should be? Also, the word “ar-Rijis” mentioned in the Ayah means the lifting of suspicion or dishonesty and not mistake. The word Rijis has been mentioned in many Ayahs under the meaning of moral impurities such as:

“Thus Allah lays rijis (shame) upon those who believe not.” (TMQ Al-An‟am: 125)

“It is not for any soul to believe except by the permission of Allah. He has set Rijis (uncleanness) upon those who have no sense.” (TMQ Yunus: 100)

Rijis, in these and many other places in the Qur‟anic text, denotes moral impurities. Removing the Rijis does not in any way mean that they are infallible.

As for the Hadith, which narrated that the Prophet (saw) covered, with his (saw) cloak, Imam Ali, Fatimah Umm Hasan (ra), Hussain and Hasan (ra), and then said, these are my family, it is by no means an indication that Ahlel Bayt is solely limited to them. The word family in the Ayah in Surah Ahzab means the wives of the Prophet (saw) as well.

A Hadith of Al-Thaqalayn narrated by Zayd Bin Arqam (ra) has backed this. For clarification of this Hadith, Hussein (ra) said to Zayd (ra) “O Zayd who are his (saw) family? Are they not his (saw) wives?” He said, “Yes his (saw) wives are his (saw) family, but his (saw) family are those who have been excluded from accepting Sadaqah (charity)” So he inquired, “Who are they?” - Zayd said, “they are the family of Ali, the family of Aqil, the family of Ja‟fer”. Hussain then asked, “Have all these people been excluded from accepting Sadaqah?” And he replied, “Yes”.

All of this confirms that the mentioned Ayah cannot be taken as evidence that the consensus of ahlel bayt and their infallibility is justified. This means that Ahlel Bayt is not restricted to Fatimah umm Hasan, Ali (ra) and their sons (ra) only.