Islam Blog

Ahl al-Bayt (Arabic: أهل البيت‎) is an Arabic phrase literally meaning People of the House, or family. The phrase "ahl al-bayt" was used in Arabia before the advent of Islam to refer to one's clan, and would be adopted by the ruling family of a tribe. Within the Islamic tradition, the term refers to the family of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. Muslims venerate Muhammad's household as having a special significance in the Qur'an, the Muslim holy scripture, and the hadith, reports recording the words and actions of Muhammad.

There are differing interpretations over the scope and importance of Ahl al-Bayt. In Sunni Islam, Muhammad's household includes his wives, his daughter, Fatimah, her three children, Hassan, Husayn, and Zaynab, as well as his cousin and son-in-law, Ali.
Other interpretations include Muhammad's blood relatives, such as the Banu Hashim or the Banu Muttalib. In Sunni thought, every Muslim has the obligation to love the Ahl al-Bayt. In Twelver and Ismaili Shia Islam, the Ahl al-Bayt are central to Islam and are believed to be the true successors of Muhammad. The Shi'a definition of the phrase includes Muhammad, Fatimah, Ali, Hasan and Husayn (known collectively as the Ahl al-Kisa, "people of the mantle") and the imams, The Twelve Imams also mentioned in Sunni hadith, descendants of Fatimah or families of the Ulama (Islamic clergy). Most, but not all Shi'a believe that these imams to be the divinely chosen leaders of the Muslim community. This is based on the hadith, "People of the Cloak", a hadith which many Sunni Muslims believe in.