[Shakir 33:33] And stay in your houses and do not display your finery like the displaying of the ignorance of yore; and keep up prayer, and pay the poor-rate, and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! and to purify you a (thorough) purifying.

[Pooya/Ali Commentary 33:33]

Obedience to Allah's law sums up all duties. Regular prayer (seeking nearness to Allah) and regular charity (doing good to fellow-creatures) are mentioned as specially symbolical of the religion of Allah, Islam.

The first command in this verse "stay in your houses" was violated by A-isha when she went to Iraq to organise a mischievous campaign against Ali about whom the Holy Prophet said:

"O Ali, you are to me as Harun was to Musa. You are my brother in this world and the hereafter. Your flesh is my flesh, your blood is my blood. You and me are from one and the same light."

In his sermon at Ghadir Khum (see commentary of Ma-idah: 67) he invoked Allah to be a friend of those who loved Ali and be an enemy of those who opposed Ali.

Bukhari has recorded in the chapter "What happened in the houses of the Prophet's wives" in the book "Jihad and Travel" of his Sahih, vol. 2, p. 125, that while delivering an address from the pulpit, the Holy Prophet pointed towards A-isha's house and said: "Here lies the scandal; here lies the scandal; here lies the scandal, where the horn of Shaytan would be rising." In the words of Sahih Muslim: "The Prophet came out of the house of A-isha and remarked: "Here is the head of infidelity where the horn of Shaytan will rise." Refer to Sahih Muslim, vol. 2,0.502.

"Verily Allah intends to keep off from you uncleanness, O you Ahl ul Bayt and purify you with a thorough purification" is a separate verse revealed on a particular occasion but placed here. Please refer to Aqa Mahdi Puya's note in the commentary of verses 28 to 32.

The time, occasion and people concerned in connection with the revelation of the above noted verse have been discussed and made known in many authentic books of the Muslim scholars.

The one and only reference available to the commentators is the event of the blanket (Hadith al Kisa).

The "event of the blanket" has been written by the following authors whom the Muslim Ummah acclaim with one voice.

(1) Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal (241 H) "Musnad" (Egypt: 131 H) pages 259, 285, 292.

(2) Muslim bin Hajjaj Nayshapuri (261 H) Sahih Muslim" (Egypt: 1349) vol. 4, page 116.

(3) Abi Isa Muhammad Tirmidhi (275 or 279 H) "Sahih Tirmidhi" (Sharah ibnul Arabi) (Egypt: 1352 H) vol. 13 pages 200, 248.

(4) Ahmed ibn Shu-ayb Nisa-i (303 H) "Khasa-is" (Egypt: 1348 H) page 4.

(5) Ibn Jarir Tabari (310 H) "Tafsir Tabari" (Jama ul Bayan fi Tafsir il Quran) (Egypt: 1331 H) vol.22, page 5.

(6) Sulayman bin Ahmad Al Tibrani (360 H) "Al Mu-jam Al Saghir" (Dehli: 1311 H), page 34, 75.

(7) Hakim Nayshapuri (405 H) "Al Mustadrak" (Hyderabad Deccan: 1334 H), pages 146, 147, 148.

(8) Yusuf bin Abdullah ibni Abdul Birr (463 H) "Al Isti-ab" (Hyderabad Deccan: 1346 H),

vol. 2, page 460.

Ali bin Ahmad Al Wahidi (468 H) "Asbab ul Nuzul" (Egypt: 1315 H) pages 266, 267.
Tirmidhi, Ibn Jarir Tabari, Hakim and Tibrani have related from Ummi Salima that when this verse was revealed the Holy Prophet was under a blanket or mantle along with Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn, and he declared that his family consisted of only these persons. Ummi Salima, his wife, within whose quarters the revelation came, asked permission to be included in the group under the blanket, but she was politely refused permission. The group is known ever since with the epithet "panjtan pak" or "the holy group of five". These are the persons who were compared by the Holy Prophet with the ark of Nuh wherein those who embarked were saved, while those who sought shelter elsewhere were drowned. Refer to Tafsir Azizi by Shah Abdul Aziz and Tafsir Durr al Manthur by Jalal al Din al Suyuti. In Yanabi al Mawaddat, page 87, Shaykh al Islam writes that A-isha said: "Ayah al Tat-hir refers only to the Holy Prophet, Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn. No wife of his is included." On page 280 of volume two of Sharah Nuwi of Sahih Muslim it is written that when Zayd bin Arqam was asked whether the wives of the Holy Prophet are included in the Ahl ul Bayt, he said: "By Allah the wives of the Holy Prophet cannot be included in the Ahl ul Bayt at all, because after the pronouncement of divorce the wives are reverted to their parent; and, moreover, sadqah (charity) is prohibited to be given to the Ahl ul Bayt." Also please refer to the commentary of Shura: 42 and Ali Imran : 61 for further confirmation and proofs.

Some commentators report this tradition through A-isha who says that this event took place in her house. So two wives of the Holy Prophet have confirmed that they both were not given permission by the Holy Prophet to come under the blanket, so they could never be described as Ahl ul Bayt.

Thalabi reports that when A-isha was asked as to why she violated the command of Allah "to stay in your houses" by going to the battle of Jamal against Ali, she said:

"It was my fate. I saw the Holy Prophet taking Ali, Fatima, Hasan and Husain under his mantle and heard him saying: 'O Allah, these are my Ahl ul Bayt. Keep off impurity from them.' I asked him: 'Am I not of your Ahl ul Bayt?' He said: 'Go away from here. You are not of my Ahlul Bayt.'"

Abu Dawud and Malik relate from Anas that for six months after the revelation of this verse every morning, while going for fajr salat, the Holy Prophet used to recite this verse at the door of Fatimah's house.

In verse 73 of Hud Sara is addressed as Ahli Bayt, not as the wife of Ibrahim but as the mother of prophet Is-haq, because the state of being a wife of a prophet gives no privilege to a woman as stated above and clearly indicated by the Holy Prophet himself, and decisively proved by the condemnation of the wives of Nuh and Lut.

Innama implies the determined decision or will of Allah. Although the decision of a created being may not take effect at all, but the will of Allah takes immediate effect. There cannot be a slightest gap of time or space in the will of Allah taking effect. When He commands: "Be"; it becomes. Refer to Baqarah: 117; Nahl: 40 Maryolm: 35; Ya Sin 83; Mumin: 68 and Qamar 50. It is not only the will of Allah but the declaration of its effect. Since the Ahl ul Bayt have been thoroughly purified, they remain thoroughly purified for ever. The prayer of Ibrahim in Baqarah: 127 to 129 is prayed to continue the excellence in themselves and in their descendants mentioned in Baqarah: 124. When a quality or attribute is described or mentioned in indefinite sense it refers to the perfect possibility. The purity in this verse is absolute purity. Polytheism (shirk) is described in the Quran as impurity and also the greatest iniquity (refer to Luqman : 13). Refer to the commentary of Baqarah: 124 for the condition that imamah is not bestowed on those who have ever (even once in their lives) worshipped any ghayrallah. All the companions of the Holy Prophet and his wives were polytheists before embracing Islam. Only the Holy Prophet, Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn were at that time free from the dirt of shirk, therefore they alone could be throughly purified.

Aqa Mahdi Puya says:

(i) Innama (verily or only) signifies exclusive distinction. To emphasise this exclusiveness, the second object of the verb yudh-hiba (keep off)-the phrase ankum (from you)-has been put before the first object rijs (uncleanness); and for further emphasis, the phrase Ahl ul Bayt has been mentioned to explain the pronoun ankum (from you). The grammatical structure of the whole clause indicates that this a unique privilege or distinction granted to the Ahl ul Bayt only, excluding all others.

(ii)The verb yuridu implies that the continuous will or intention of Allah is His creative will or intention, not legislative. To interpret the will as the legislative will as in Ma-idah: 6, distorts the whole fabric of the verse and renders meaningless the exclusive particle and the constructional arrangement. Even then it means that only the Ahl ul Bayt exclusively achieved the standard.

(iii) This verse is a preface to verses 77 to 79 of al Waqi-ah: "Verily this is an honourable (Karim) Quran, in a hidden (preserved) book, which no one can touch save the purified." (Refer to page 3.)

(iv) The excellences of Ahl ul Bayt have been openly demonstrated in the event of mubahilah (refer to the commentary of
Ali Imran : 61).

(v) The Ahl ul Bayt had only been thoroughly purified by Allah because of their total submission to Allah's will and their state of being always in communion with Allah.

The event of revelation of this verse as reported by Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari, one of the most reliable companions of the Holy Prophet has been mentioned in "Awalim al Ulum" by Shaykh Abdullah bin Nurullah Al-Bahrayni and is reproduced here:-

In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful. It is reported by Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari that Fatimah Zahra said;One day my father, the messenger of Allah, came into (my house),and said "Fatimah! Peace be on you." "Peace be on you too." I replied.

"I am not feeling well." He said.

"May Allah keep you safe from weakness, O my father." I prayed.

"Fatimah! Please bring the Yamani blanket and cover me with it." He said.

So I brought the Yamani blanket and covered him with it. I turned my eyes upon his face. It was shining bright like a full moon in its full glory and splendour.

Then, not a moment passed before my son, Hasan, walked in and said:

"Peace be on you, mother."

"Peace be on you too, my dearest darling" I answered.

"I breathe the pure aroma of the messenger of Allah, my grandfather, coming from you!" He observed.

"True; your grandfather is under the blanket." I confirmed.

Hasan went near his grandfather (covered with the blanket) and said:

"Peace be on you, grandfather, the messenger of Allah, may I join you under the blanket?"

"Peace be on you, my son, my companion at the spring of Kawthar, come in."

He went inside the blanket.

Then, not a moment passed, before my son, Husayn, walked in and said: "Peace be on you, mother." "Peace be on you too, my dearest darling" I answered .

"I breathe the pure aroma of the messenger of Allah, my grandfather, coming from you!" He observed .

"True, your grandfather and your brother are under the blanket." I confirmed.

Husayn went near the blanket (under which his grandfather was resting with his brother) and said:

"Peace be on you grandfather, the choice of Allah, may I join you both under the blanket ?"

"Peace be on you, my son, the saviour of my people, come in."

He went inside the blanket.

In that instant Abul Hasan. Amir al Muminin, Ali ibn abi Talib, stepped in and said:

"Peace be on you, O the daughter of the messenger of Allah!"

"Peace be on you too, Abul Hasan, Amir al Muminin." I answered.

"Fatimah, I breathe the pure aroma of my brother, the son of my uncle, the messenger of Allah, coming from you!" He observed.

"True, he is under the blanket with your sons" I confirmed.

Ali went near the blanket and said:

"Peace be on you, the messenger of Allah, may I join you (all) under the blanket?"

"Peace be on you, my brother, the executor of my will, my successor, my standard bearer, come in."

Ali went inside the blanket.

Then I went near the blanket and said:

"Peace be on you, my father, the messenger of Allah, may I join you (all), under the blanket?"

"Peace be on you; my daughter my darling, come in."

I went inside the blanket.

As soon as all of us united under the blanket, my father, the messenger of Allah, held the two ends of the blanket and raised his right hand toward the heaven and said:

"O Allah! These are my Ahl ul Bayt, very special to me, my near and dear ones, my own flesh and blood; whoso annoys them disturbs me; whoso makes them sad makes me unhappy. I make war on those who carry on hostilities against them; I am well disposed towards those who make their peace with them; I oppose those who run counter to them; I favour those who love them. They are from me and I am from them. So send Thy blessings, benefits, mercy, protection and favours on me and on them, and keep off from them uncleanliness, and purify them with a thorough purification."

Thereupon The Almighty and the Glorious Allah said: "O My angels and the dwellers of the heavens, verily I have not created the indeclinable sky, the levelled earth, the bright moon, the resplendent sun, the rotating cosmic system, the flowing seas, and the sailing ship, but for the sake of and in the love of the five souls lying underneath the blanket."

The trusted Jibrail asked:

"O Lord! Who are underneath the blanket?" The Almighty and the Glorious replied:

"They are the 'Ahl ul Bayt' of the Prophet, the custodians of the message; they are-Fatimah, her father, her husband and her sons."

Jibrail (submissively) asked:

"O Lord! May I descend on the earth and be the sixth with them?"

"Yes. I give you permission," said Allah.

The trusted angel, Jibrail, came down (on the earth), and said:

"Peace be on you, O the messenger of Allah. The Highest High says: "Peace be on you. And distinguishes you with greetings
and blessings.

He tells you:

'In the name of My majesty and glory, verily, I have not created the indeclinable sky, the levelled earth, the bright moon, the resplendent sun, the rotating cosmic system, the flowing seas, and the sailing ship, but for your sake and in your love.'

And He has also given me permission to be with you. So may I have your permission O the messenger of Allah."

The messenger of Allah replied: "Peace be on you, O the custodian of Allah's revelation, come in and join (us)."

Jibrail came in and joined us under the blanket.

He told my father: "Verily, Allah has sent a revelation to you. He said:

'Verily Allah's wish is but to keep off from you uncleanness, O Ahl ul Bayt, and to purify you (with) a thorough purification.'"

Ali asked my father: "O messenger of Allah, tell us that which makes our assembly under this blanket an event of surpassing excellence before Allah."

The Prophet replied:

"In the name of He who sent me as a truthful prophet, and chose me as a redeemer to convey His message, I declare that no assembly of our followers and devotees, on the earth, where this event is narrated shall spend a single moment but the mercy of Allah will envelop them, then and there; and countless angels of Allah shall pray for the remission of their sins till the group of the faithful disperse."

Ali declared:

"Well then, by the Lord of the Ka-bah, we have attained our end, and have been rendered successful, so also our followers!"

The Holy Prophet said again:

"O Ali! In the name of He who sent me as a truthful Prophet, and chose me as a redeemer to convey His message, I declare that in any of the assemblies of our followers and devotees, on the earth, where this event is narrated, there would not be a grief-stricken among them, but Allah dispels his worries; nor there would be a downcast, among them, but Allah disperses his sorrows; nor would there be a needy, among them, but Allah meets his demands."

Then Ali observed:

"In this case then, by Allah, we have attained our end, and found our happiness; and likewise our followers have attained their end and found their happiness in this world and in the hereafter, in the name of the Lord of the Ka-bah."

In view of the concluding discourse of the Holy Prophet and the conclusive declaration of Imam Ali ibn abi Talib, quoted in the "event of the blanket", it is but natural that the "followers and devotees of Muhammad and ali Muhammad", recite the text of the tradition every day, or at least, once in a week, on the night preceding every Friday.