بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Bait (بَيْت) in Arabic means ‘house’. Al-Bait when mentioned in Al-Quran refers to a  specific house which is Allah’s House. This House has been identified in Quran as the first House established for man-kind (3:96), and is situated in Bakka/Makka. Other identification for this House of Allah is that it is situated  in a non-agricultural valley, where fruits are brought from all over (14:37). This House of Allah is for guidance of all man-kind (3:96).

House in general is associated with providing protection to its inhabitants. Similarly a spiritual house is the one which is associated with faith. Most people in the world, have a spiritual house of faith, the foundations of which are built upon the religious or philosophical beliefs they adhere to. The people who have built their houses of faith not on the basis of ayahs of Allah but on the teaching of their leaders of faiths, their houses have the similitude of the house of a spider which is inherently weak (29:41) and will not be able to sustain when confronted with the force of ayahs of Allah.

Allah advises that the House of Allah is the guidance for all mankind and whosoever enters His House will be lead to security ( وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا 3:97). To enter the house of Allah, first you have to set your direction correctly towards the Masjid Ul Haram, where the House of Allah is situated. From whichever faith/philosophy you were before or are now, after clarification of these ayahs, you have to make your orientation towards Masjid ul Haram ( 2:144 وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ ۗ ). You should not be opposing system of Masjid ul Haram (8:34 وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلَّا يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُوا أَوْلِيَاءَهُ ۚ إِنْ أَوْلِيَاؤُهُ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ) and not taking guidance from it, if you want to be associated with the House of Allah.

The word ‘Ahl’ means ‘people’. The people associated with the House of Allah (in Al-Quran) will be ‘Ahlal Bait’ (As the people associated with Allah’s Book are Ahlal Kitab). The messengers of Allah who clarify the ayahs of Allah are obviously associated with the House of Allah as they invite towards Allah’s House and are Ahlal Bait. Likewise, the family of the Ibrahim A.S and the Prophets’ family are called Ahlal Bait in Quran.

3:96  إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِي بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِّلْعَالَمِينَ

The first House appointed for mankind is that at Bakka/Makkah: Full of blessings and of guidance for all worlds.

The Bait/House in Quran is the House of Allah in Bakka/Makka.

3:97  فِيهِ آيَاتٌ بَيِّنَاتٌ مَّقَامُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ۖ وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ آمِنًا ۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَلَى النَّاسِ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ مَنِ اسْتَطَاعَ إِلَيْهِ سَبِيلًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْعَالَمِينَ

In it are clear Ayas / signs, the standing position of Ibraheem whoever enters it attains security. and for Allah is pilgrimage of the house on people, those who can afford the journey but if anyone denies, surely Allah is not in need of any of His beings in the worlds.

Who ever enters the House of Allah will attain security. ‘Ahl’ means people, who-ever enters the House of Allah spiritually will therefore be ‘Ahlal Bait’ in Quran which means those people who take guidance from the practice of Allah established at the House. As Al-Bait in Quran is the House of Allah and ‘Ahlal Bait would be the people of the House of Allah.

29:41  مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا ۖ وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنكَبُوتِ ۖ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ

The example of those who take protectors other than Allah is that of the spider, who builds a house; and truly the flimsiest of houses is that of the spider;- if they but knew.

The people who will take an alternative house instead of Allah’s House based on teachings other than Allah’s and His ayahs, will have a weak house without solid foundations.

22:26  وَإِذْ بَوَّأْنَا لِإِبْرَاهِيمَ مَكَانَ الْبَيْتِ أَن لَّا تُشْرِكْ بِي شَيْئًا وَطَهِّرْ بَيْتِيَ لِلطَّائِفِينَ وَالْقَائِمِينَ وَالرُّكَّعِ السُّجُودِ

And when We pointed out the place of the house to Ibrahim , “associate not anything with Me; and purify My house for those who go around, and who stand and bow, prostrate.”

The House of Allah is associated with removal of all sort of associations with Allah and bowing and prostrating on the ayahs of Allah. All messengers of Allah, order this to the believers and lead them towards the House of Allah to be Ahlal-Bait. Ibrahim’s (a.s) and his family (his wife and sons) is specifically named in Quran to be Ahlal Bait/People of the House.

29:67  أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا جَعَلْنَا حَرَمًا آمِنًا وَيُتَخَطَّفُ النَّاسُ مِنْ حَوْلِهِمْ ۚ أَفَبِالْبَاطِلِ يُؤْمِنُونَ وَبِنِعْمَةِ اللَّهِ يَكْفُرُونَ

Do they not then see that We have made the ‘Haram’ a place of security, and (still) people are being snatched away from around it? Then, do they believe in that which is vain, and reject the Grace of Allah?

The people who immerse completely in the House of Allah and the guidance emanating from it i.e the Quranic recitation and the systems established there in with the Sunnat of Allah i.e system of Salat and Pilgrimage, are those who get into peace and security. Those who hover around it and don’t completely immerse in the guidance, there is a chance that they get snatched away. 

11:71 -73  وَامْرَأَتُهُ قَائِمَةٌ فَضَحِكَتْ فَبَشَّرْنَاهَا بِإِسْحَاقَ وَمِن وَرَاءِ إِسْحَاقَ يَعْقُوبَ  قَالَتْ يَا وَيْلَتَىٰ أَأَلِدُ وَأَنَا عَجُوزٌ وَهَٰذَا بَعْلِي شَيْخًا ۖ إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَشَيْءٌ عَجِيبٌ  قَالُوا أَتَعْجَبِينَ مِنْ أَمْرِ اللَّهِ ۖ رَحْمَتُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ عَلَيْكُمْ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ ۚ إِنَّهُ حَمِيدٌ مَّجِيدٌ

And his wife was standing and she laughed then We gave her the good news with Ishaq and after Ishaq, Yaqoob. She said : O Alas, shall I bear a child? And I am an old woman, and my husband is an old man. Surely this would be an amazing thing. They said : are you amazed at the order of Allah, the mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you, O’People of the House! Surely, He is praise worthy, Glorious.

In the below ayat the family and wives of the Prophet pbuh are stated to be Ahlal Bait.

33:32-33 يَا نِسَاءَ النَّبِيِّ لَسْتُنَّ كَأَحَدٍ مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ ۚ إِنِ اتَّقَيْتُنَّ فَلَا تَخْضَعْنَ بِالْقَوْلِ فَيَطْمَعَ الَّذِي فِي قَلْبِهِ مَرَضٌ وَقُلْنَ قَوْلًا مَّعْرُوفًا   وَقَرْنَ فِي بُيُوتِكُنَّ وَلَا تَبَرَّجْنَ تَبَرُّجَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ الْأُولَىٰ ۖ وَأَقِمْنَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتِينَ الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِعْنَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ ۚ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا

O’women of the Prophet, you are not like any one from the (other) women, if you take guard, do not be subjugated with the saying (conversation) so the one who has disease in his heart will have desire, and you should speak an acknowledged saying. And keep link with your houses and you do not decorate yourself as you decorated previously in ignorance and establish Salah/Prayers and give Zakat/justification and obey Allah and His messenger surely Allah wants to take away the filth from you O’people of the house and to purify you as purified ones.

 33:40  مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَٰكِن رَّسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ ۗ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمًا

Mohammad is not the father / ancestor of any one of you men but he is the messenger of Allah and the seal of prophets. And Allah has knowledge of everything.

As per Quran, Mohammad (pbuh) is not the father/forefather of any man. Therefore Allah does not accept claim of anyone to be in the lineage of the messenger Mohammad (pbuh); why because the ayat further says that ‘but he is a messenger of Allah and seal of prophets’. So Allah has projected the role of Mohammad (pbuh) as the messenger and seal of prophets and not as a founder of a family. Now of course, Mohammad (pbuh) as a person/bashar may have a lineage, however, this lineage is not spiritually considered by Allah associated with Mohammad the messenger.

28:12  وَحَرَّمْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَرَاضِعَ مِن قَبْلُ فَقَالَتْ هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ أَهْلِ بَيْتٍ يَكْفُلُونَهُ لَكُمْ وَهُمْ لَهُ نَاصِحُونَ

And we ordained that he (Moosa) refused suck at first, until (His sister came up and) said. “Shall I point out to you the people of a house that will nourish and bring him up for you and be sincere to him?”

When the word used in Quran is Ahle Bait, instead of Ahlal Bait, it means a ‘household’.

Notes:

What guidance can the World take from the House of Lord? Allah has established place of Ibrahim at the House/Kaaba and ordered mankind to take their ‘mussala’ from the place of Ibrahim, who is the Imam for mankind. See earlier post about procedure of As-Salat from Quran (https://topicsfromquran.com/2017/03/21/salat-procedure/ ).

2:144 قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ ۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا ۚ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ ۗ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ

Without doubt, We see the movements of your face in the sky, so, We will revert you to a Qiblah/direction (of faith) that shall please you. So revert yourself to the intersection/portion of the Sacred Mosque: and from wherever you come, revert yourselves to its intersection/portion. Surely, those who are given the Book definitely know that this is the truth from their Lord. and Allah is not unaware of what they are doing.

8:34 وَمَا لَهُمْ أَلَّا يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَمَا كَانُوا أَوْلِيَاءَهُ ۚ إِنْ أَوْلِيَاؤُهُ إِلَّا الْمُتَّقُونَ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ

But what plea they have, that Allah should not punish them when they are in opposition about the Sacred Mosque and they are not its protectors (Walis). No one can be its protectors except those who guard, but most of them do not understand.

3:103  وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا ۚ وَاذْكُرُوا نِعْمَتَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذْ كُنتُمْ أَعْدَاءً فَأَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوبِكُمْ فَأَصْبَحْتُم بِنِعْمَتِهِ إِخْوَانًا وَكُنتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَفَا حُفْرَةٍ مِّنَ النَّارِ فَأَنقَذَكُم مِّنْهَا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ آيَاتِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

And hold fast all together to the rope of Allah and do not be divided among yourselves, and remember the favor of Allah on you when you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love; you became brethren and you were on the brink of the pit of fire and He saved you from it. Likewise Allah make His Ayats/Signs clear to you that you may be guided.

Believers when leaving the sectarian teachings and holding to one rope of Allah, will get rid of hatred with each other in their hearts and will be saved after being very near to be fallen off from the edge of the pit of fire.

Below is a link to an interesting lecture by brother Mohammad Shaikh on ‘Direction of belief/ Qibla and Kaaba:

https://www.iipccanada.com/2017/11/06/kabah-cube-and-qibla-direction-2009