Unity Week in Nigeria: Lecture on the necessity of loving Ahlulbayt(AS)

Lecture on the Necessity of Loving the Prophet’s Ahlulbayt(AS) was delivered by Sheikh Hasan Saleh Abdullahi Makurdi on Sunday the 27th of Jan. 2013. An Islamic Scholar and Sufi member of Tijjaniyyah order. He is also the Head of Department of the School of Arabic Studies, Makurdi, Benue state.
He started his lecture expressing gratitude to Allah for making it possible to have such an important gathering which focuses on the unity of the Muslim Ummah.
He then went ahead into the topic by describing stages of loving Ahlulbayt which he said are into three:
– Knowing who are Ahlulbayt(AS),
– Loving them,
– Submitting to them wholeheartedly in all matters of the deen and the world.
He further described the Ahlulbayt of the prophet as comparising of Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husain(Alaihimus salam) in accordance with the hadeeth Kisa’ as reported by Umm Salama(RA). He further said the Prophet made them inseparable from the holy book of Allah , thus, the necessity of loving and following them as none will be permitted into paradise without loving and submitting to them.

He said the five pillars of Islam supports them, as Islam in reality means the Prophet and Ahlulbayt(AS).
He quoted the verse’ say I do not ask from you any reward, except the love of the near kinsmen” . He explained that verse refers the Prophet’s household- Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husain(AS). He further said Allah does not like any love to the Prophet without the Ahlulbayt(AS).
On the love displayed by past Islamic scholars, he said Imam Shafi (RA) has even blamed the enemies of Ahlulbayt in one of his poetries in which the Imam said “ You claimed that you send salawat to the Prophet, but on the other hand you killed his progenies!” referring to Karabala event and what happened after that.
The speaker further expressed that had the enemies of the Ahlulbayt had the capability, they would have removed or distort two verses in the holy Qur’an which speak about Ahlulbayt(AS) out of enmity. The verses are:-
’’ verily Allah and his angels send peace to the Prophet, o ye who believe send salawat to him and submit completely”.
The second verse: “Allah has only desired to remove uncleanness from you, oh the household of the Prophet, and purify you completely”.
The speaker concluded by elaborating the lofty status of Imam Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husain(AS). He said loving them is a must; Ali(AS) is the most loved one by Allah among His creatures; God has purified them from uncleanness thus, they do not take charity; the Ahlulbayt are the heirs of the Prophet (SAWA); Love of Ali is a sign of belief as nobody loves him except Mumin and none hates Ali except hypocrite; Sayyidah Fatimah is a part of the Prophet’s flesh, whoever angers her , angered the Prophet; the prophet used to stand up in respect of Sayyidah Fatimah; all creatures lives out of their blessings.
He said the leader of Tijjaniyyah order, Sheikh Ahmad Tijjani (RA) had strong reverence for the Ahlulbayt(AS), and he is also from their blood line.
He prayed for Allah to increase the love of Ahlulbayt amongst the Muslims.
In his remark the leader of the Islamic Movement Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky thanked the speaker for his contribution adding that the necessity of the love of Ahulbayt(AS) is mentioned in the Qur’an, hadeeth and by Islamic Scholars. He however lamented that a School of Thought was later developed which promotes the hate of Ahlulbayt(AS) in the name of Sunnah to the extent the some people accepted the School.

He said the second Fitnah is following other Schools of the enemies of Ali (AS) despite the fact that the Prophet has said ‘ take your religion from Ali”. This hadeeth means wilayah (allegiance to Ali) which comprises of love and adherence to his teachings.
He further explained that following of the A’immah is a must by all Muslims as they are the Ark of Nuhu, though, their status is either covered, distorted to given to others.
He concluded by saying that their love is by both heart and actions and involves total adherence to their teachings and sacrificing of the whole life for them.