سورة الشورى

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ لَوْ لا کَلِمَةُ الْفَصْلِ لَقُضِیَ بَیْنَهُمْ [And were it not for the word of Judgement, decision would have certainly been given between them] — the "Word" in the verse is the Imam. ذلِکَ الَّذِی یُبَشِّرُ اللهُ عِبادَهُ الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا [That is of which Allah gives the good news to His servants, those who believe] — this is the good news that Allah gives to those who have believed in the Word. وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ [and do good deeds] — and have acted upon what they were commanded.

Imam Hasan (peace be upon him): We are from that very household whose love and affection Allah has made obligatory upon every Muslim through the explicit wording of this verse: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْموَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی وَ مَنْ یَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِیها حُسْناً [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives; and whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein]. "Earning a good deed" (iqtiraf al-hasana) is love for us, the Ahl al-Bayt.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim narrated from Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) who said: "Allah never sent any prophet except that he said to his people: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]." Then he said: "Have you not seen a person who loves a man but does not love his relatives, so that in his heart there is something against him? Allah loved that in the heart of the Prophet there would be nothing against his ummah. So if they carry it out, they have carried out an obligation, and if they abandon it, they have abandoned an obligation." I asked about the verse: وَ مَنْ یَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِیها حُسْناً [And whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein]. He said: "It is submission to us, truthfulness about us, and that one does not lie against us."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Ibn Abbas said: When the verse قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it] was revealed, they said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! Who are these relatives whom we are commanded to love?" He said: "Ali (peace be upon him), Fatima (peace be upon her), and their children (peace be upon them)."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]; the near relatives are the Imams (peace be upon them).

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abd al-Hamid ibn Abi al-Daylam narrated from Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Indeed I leave among you two matters; if you take hold of them, you will never go astray: 1) the Book of Allah the Mighty and Majestic (the Quran), 2) my Ahl al-Bayt and my progeny. O people! Listen, for I have delivered [the message]. You will come to me at the Pool on the Day of Resurrection, and I will question you about what you did with the two weighty things (thaqalayn). And the two weighty things are the Book of Allah, exalted is His mention, and my Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). Do not go ahead of them, or you will perish, and do not try to teach them, for they are more knowledgeable than you." Thus the proof [of Allah for the people] was established by the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and by the Quran which the people themselves recite, for the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) continually conveyed the excellence of his Ahl al-Bayt through his speech and made it clear for the people through the Quran. The verses that contain the excellence of the Ahl al-Bayt are as follows: إِنَّما یُرِیدُ اللهُ لِیُذْهِبَ عَنْکُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَیْتِ وَ یُطَهِّرَکُمْ تَطْهِیراً [Allah only wishes to remove impurity and sin from you, O Ahl al-Bayt, and to purify you thoroughly]. (Al-Ahzab/33). Allah the Exalted said: وَ اعْلَمُوا أَنَّما غَنِمْتُمْ مِنْ شَیْءٍ فَأَنَّ لِلَّهِ خُمُسَهُ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی [Know that whatever spoils you gain, one-fifth of it is for Allah, and for the Messenger, and for the near relatives]. (Al-Anfal/41). And then He said: وَ آتِ ذَا الْقُرْبی حَقَّهُ [And give the near relative his right]. (Al-Isra/26). What is meant by the near relative is Ali (peace be upon him), and his right is the bequest which was appointed for him, and the Greatest Name, and the inheritance of knowledge, and the traces of the knowledge of prophethood. And He said: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]. Then He said: وَ إِذَا الْمَوْؤُدَةُ سُئِلَتْ بِأَیِّ ذَنْبٍ قُتِلَتْ [And when the girls buried alive are asked: for what sin were they slain?]. (Al-Takwir/8-9)."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abu Masruq said: I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): "We speak with people, and in the course of debate and argument we cite the verse: أَطِیعُوا اللهَ وَ أَطِیعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَ أُولِی الْأَمْرِ مِنْکُمْ [Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger of Allah and those in authority (the successors of the Prophet) among you!] (al-Nisa/59). They say: 'This verse was revealed concerning the commanders of the sariyyas [the military expeditions in which the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) was not present].' Against them we cite the verse: إِنَّما وَلِیُّکُمُ اللهُ وَ رَسُولُهُ [Your guardian and master is only Allah and His Messenger] (al-Ma'idah/55). But they claim it was revealed concerning the believers in general. In our argument we cite the verse: قُلْ لا أَسْأَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبَی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]. They say: 'This verse was revealed concerning the relatives of the Muslims.'" Abu Masruq says: "I mentioned to him fully all such matters that were the subject of debate and argument." That noble one (peace be upon him) said to me: "When that is the case, then invite them to mubahala (mutual imprecation)."

Imam Husayn (peace be upon him): The kinsfolk whom Allah has commanded to be joined in ties of kinship, whose right He has magnified, and in whom He has placed goodness, are our kinship — we the Ahl al-Bayt — whose right Allah has made obligatory upon every Muslim.

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): Hakim ibn Jubayr said: I asked Imam Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him) about the verse قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]. He said: "It is our kinship — we the Ahl al-Bayt — with Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Abbad ibn Abdillah ibn Hakim said: I was with Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) when a man asked him about this verse: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]. He said: "We hold that it is the kinship between us and them, while Quraysh claim that it is the kinship between them and him (the Prophet). How can that be, when Allah has promised him: I will protect you from the evil of Quraysh?"

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ismail ibn Abd al-Khaliq said: Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "What do the people of Basra say about the verse: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]?" I said: "May I be your ransom! They say: This verse was revealed concerning the relatives of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)." Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "They lie. This verse was revealed only concerning the Ahl al-Bayt — that is, the Companions of the Cloak: Imam Ali (peace be upon him), Lady Fatimah (peace be upon her), Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn (peace be upon them)."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Ibn Sadaqah said, Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) narrated to us from his forefathers: When the verse قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives] was revealed upon the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), he stood among the people and said: "O people! Allah has made obligatory upon you a right for me. Will you fulfil it?" No one gave him a positive reply. The Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) departed from among them. The next day he (peace be upon him and his family) again stood among them and repeated his question. No one answered him. On the third day too he repeated his request. But no one said a word. He (peace be upon him and his family) said: "O people! This matter is not the payment of gold, silver, food or drink." They said: "Since it is so, then say it." The noble Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Allah has revealed to me the verse: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]." They said: "Yes! We will act upon it." Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "By Allah! From among them, no one acted upon it except seven persons. Those seven were: Salman al-Farsi, Abu Dharr, Ammar, Miqdad ibn al-Aswad al-Kindi, Jabir ibn Abdillah al-Ansari, a freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) named Thubayt, and Zayd ibn Arqam."

Imam Hasan (peace be upon him): When Allah bestowed favour upon you by appointing the Imams (peace be upon them), He said: "Today I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favour upon you, and I have accepted Islam as your [everlasting] religion." (Ma'idah/3) He made certain rights of the Imams obligatory upon you and commanded you to fulfil those rights, so that your marriages, your properties, your food and your drink would be lawful for you; and He promised you blessing, increase and wealth, so that He may see who among you obeys Him in secret. In the Qur'an He said: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]. Take note: whoever is miserly is only miserly against himself, and Allah is Self-Sufficient and you are all in need. (Muhammad/38).

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Abu Umamah al-Bahili said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: "Allah created the prophets (peace be upon them) from different trees, and created me and Ali (peace be upon him) from a single tree. I am the root of that tree, Ali (peace be upon him) is its branch, Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them) are its fruits, and our followers are the leaves of the tree. Whoever grasps a branch of that tree is saved, and whoever pays no heed is astray. If a servant were to worship Allah between Safa and Marwa for three thousand years until he became utterly like an empty waterskin, but did not attain love for us, Allah would cast him face-down into the Fire." Then he recited this verse: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives].

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim said: I heard Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) say concerning the verse: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]: "That is, concerning the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)." He said: "The Ansar came to the noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and said: 'We have given our homes as shelter for you and helped you; now take some of our wealth and spend it for what you need and for your goals.' Allah revealed this verse: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives] — meaning the Ahl al-Bayt of that master."

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it] — say, O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), I do not ask any reward from you for the prophethood, except love for my near relatives (my Ahl al-Bayt).

Imam Ali (peace be upon him)- Ibn Nubata said: I was sitting in the service of Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him) in the Mosque of Kufa when a man from Bajila named Abu Khadija entered and said: "O Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him)! Is there with you a secret from the secrets of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) which you may honour us by letting us hear?" He said: "Yes!" The Imam (peace be upon him) turned to Qanbar and said: "Bring that writing." He opened the writing, and at the bottom of it, on a thin piece of skin, was written: بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِیمِ [In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful]. The curse of Allah and the angels and all the people be upon the one who ascribes himself to other than his true masters, and upon the one who introduces something new into Islam or gives shelter to an innovator or heretic, and upon anyone who wrongs a hired worker; and the curse of Allah be upon the one who steals a hand-span of land and transgresses the boundaries of his own land — on the Day of Resurrection he will be compelled to bring it from the seven heavens and the seven earths. By Allah! If this burden were placed upon the four-legged beasts of the earth, they would not be able to bear it." Then he said: "O Abu Khadija! We, the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), are the masters (mawali) of every Muslim; whoever loves other than us, upon him be the curse of Allah. The 'hired worker' meant here is not one hired for a dinar or two, or a dirham or two; rather, the meaning is one who wrongs the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) in respect to the reward of his prophethood concerning his near relatives. Allah has said: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْموَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]; whoever wrongs the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) in the reward of his prophethood, upon him be the curse of Allah and the angels and all the people."

The Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) — Fatima, the daughter of Husayn (peace be upon him), said: My father informed me that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) was living in Medina, and every one of the Muhajirin who migrated to Medina would come and stay with the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). The Ansar decided to set aside a portion of their own wealth for the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) so that he could use it for his financial needs and for the expenses of those who came to him. They came to the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and said: "We have come so that we may set aside a portion of our wealth for your expenses." The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) lowered his head, then raised it and said: "I have not been commanded to take anything from you in return for prophethood. Get up and go. If such a command comes, I will inform you." Then Jibra'il descended and said: "O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)! Allah has heard what your people said and what they proposed. He has made something obligatory upon them: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]." They left the presence of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) saying: "The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) intends that people should be humble and lowly before the children of Abd al-Muttalib and be submissive to them until the Day of Resurrection." The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) sent for Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him). When he came, he said: "Go to the pulpit, gather the people and say to them: 'O people! Whoever pays his hired worker less than his wage will burn in the Fire; whoever attributes himself to other than his own masters is of the Fire; and whoever denies himself from his father and mother and cuts himself off from them will burn in the Fire.'" The Commander of the Faithful (peace be upon him) carried out the task. A man rose and said: "O Abu al-Hasan (peace be upon him)! What is the interpretation and explanation of these statements?" He said: "Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) know best." Then he came to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and reported what had happened. The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said three times: "Woe to Quraysh from the interpretation of these statements!" He said: "O Ali (peace be upon him)! Go and tell them that I am that hired worker whose love Allah has made obligatory from the heavens." Then he said: "You and I are the masters of the believers; you and I are the fathers of the believers." Then the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) went out and said: "O company of Muhajirin and Ansar, gather!" When they had gathered, he said: "O people! Ali (peace be upon him) was the first person to believe in Allah, the most steadfast of you regarding the commands of Allah, the most faithful of you regarding the covenant of Allah, the most knowledgeable of you regarding governance, the one who established equality in distribution better than all, the most merciful of you toward the people, and the one with the greatest merit of all of you before Allah." Then he said: "Allah showed me the image of my ummah in the substance of clay and taught me their names, just as He taught Adam (peace be upon him). Then He presented them to me, and the bearers of banners passed before me. I sought forgiveness for Ali (peace be upon him) and his Shia and asked Allah that after me He keep my ummah firm upon the leadership of Ali (peace be upon him). Allah did not accept, except that He would misguide whom He wills and guide whom He wills. Then, before I could say anything, Allah announced seven distinctions for Ali (peace be upon him): he is the first person to be raised from within the earth with me — I do not boast; he drives his enemies away from the pool of Kawthar just as a camel driver drives away a stray camel; the poor and needy Shia of Ali (peace be upon him) will, on the Day of Resurrection, intercede for a group whose number is the size of the tribes of Rabi'a and Mudar; he is the first to knock on the door of Paradise with me — I do not boast; he is the first to begin marriage with a houri along with me — I do not boast; he is the first to be given to drink from al-Rahiq al-Makhtum (the sealed pure wine), خِتامُهُ مِسْکٌ وَ فِی ذلِکَ فَلْیَتَنافَسِ الْمُتَنافِسُون [its seal is musk; and for that let the aspirers aspire]."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Sallam ibn al-Mustanir said: I asked Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) about this verse: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا المَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]. He said: "By Allah! What Allah has made obligatory upon the servants is this affection and love for the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): Zadhan narrates from Ali (peace be upon him) that he said: "None preserves our love except every believer." Then he recited this verse: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْموَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives].

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): I advise you to heed the counsels which your guiding Prophet, Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family), gave; among his counsels is the discharge of the reward of his messengership, for Allah said: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا المَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]. Whoever fulfills the reward of Muhammad's (peace be upon him and his family) messengership — which is love for his Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) — has truly discharged this trust. But whoever does not discharge this trust, it is as if he has shown enmity toward the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and whoever shows enmity toward the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), Allah's wrath will grip him; [such a person] will be caught in Allah's wrath, and his abode will be Hell — and what an evil abode! (Anfal/16)

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Jabir narrates from Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) concerning this word of Allah: "And at the time when the buried-alive girls will be asked: for what sin were they killed? (Takwir/8-9)" that he said: "It is one who has been killed for love of us. The proof of this is this saying of Allah to His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family): قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا المَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]."

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): Hold fast to the love of the family of your Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), for indeed this is Allah's right upon you. And He has made this right obligatory upon you. Do you not see that Allah the Exalted has said: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْموَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives].

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Allah has commanded love and affection for us: what is there after truth except misguidance? So where are you turning away to? (Yunus/32).

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Habib ibn Abi Thabit entered the mosque of Quba and saw a group of the Ansar seated. Ali ibn al-Husayn (peace be upon him) had come for prayer, and they greeted him. Then they said: "Our fathers have said: we went to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) during the illness in which he passed away, and we said: 'Allah has honoured us and guided us through you, and we have believed and gained standing. Now dispose of our wealth however you wish.' The noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: 'قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives], he commanded us to love you, the family.'"

Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him): When Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him) was brought and made to stand on the steps of the mosque of Damascus, a man from the people of Sham stood up and said: "Praise be to Allah who killed you and destroyed you and put an end to the horn of sedition." Ali ibn al-Husayn (peace be upon him) said to him: "Have you read the Quran?" He said: "Yes." He asked: "Have you recited the Ha-Mims?" He said: "I have read the Quran, but I have not read the Ha-Mims." He said: "Have you read this verse: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]?" He said: "Are you that family?" He said: "Yes."

Imam Rida (peace be upon him): And again, praise be to Allah who bestowed upon the Ahl al-Bayt of His Messenger the inheritances of prophethood (that is, He made leadership exclusive to them) and entrusted knowledge and wisdom to them and made them the fountainhead of Imamate and leadership and authority over the people, and made their love obligatory upon all, and placed their station and rank high and lofty, and commanded His Prophet to ask the Ummah for love and affection for them; as He said: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا المَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim said: I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) say: "Sometimes a person loves someone but does not love his children. Allah the Mighty and Majestic made love for the children of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) obligatory, so that whoever undertakes this duty has performed an obligation, and whoever abandons it has abandoned an obligation. And He revealed this verse: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]."

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family): When the verse قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives] was revealed, Jibra'il said: "O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)! Every religion has a root, a pillar, a trunk and a foundation. The root and pillar of the religion is saying لا إِلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ [there is no god but Allah], and the structure and foundation of the religion is love for you, the Ahl al-Bayt, and allegiance to you in whatever accords with the truth and calls to it."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]; the reward and recompense of the prophethood is that they should not harm the relatives of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), should not cut off relations with them, should not anger them, should attach their hearts to them, and should honour their covenant regarding them. According to the explicit statement of this verse: "And those who join what Allah has commanded to be joined" (Ra'd/21). The Ansar came to the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and said: "We did not fall short in helping you and we fulfilled our duty; take whatever you wish from our wealth." Allah revealed this verse: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives] — meaning love for his Ahl al-Bayt.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): Regarding the words of the Exalted قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]: The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) entered Madinah, and in Madinah difficulties and obligations came upon him and he did not have anything to meet them. The Ansar said: "This man is the one through whom Allah has guided us, and he is your sister's son. Difficulties and obligations have come upon him and he has nothing to meet them. Gather from your wealth an amount that will not harm you and bring it to him, so that he may use it to help meet his difficulties." They did so, and came to the Prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family)! You are our sister's son, and Allah has guided us through you, and difficulties and obligations have come upon you and you have nothing to meet these difficulties. We decided to gather something from our wealth and bring it to you so that you may seek help from it in what has burdened you — and here it is." Then Allah revealed the verse قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]. He says: except that you love me concerning my kinsfolk.

Imam Askari (peace be upon him): Had it not been for Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and his family, you would have been wandering like cattle, and you would never have been able to recognise Allah's commands. Can one enter a place other than through its door? When Allah, after His Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), placed upon you the favour of appointing His guardians and successors, He addressed you in the Noble Qur'an, saying: "Today I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favour upon you and have accepted Islam as [an everlasting] way for you." (al-Ma'idah/3) He made obligatory upon you rights which He has laid down for His guardians and required you to render them, so that through this what you possess of wives, wealth, food and drink may become lawful for you, and by carrying out this command He guaranteed for you blessing, growth and prosperity, so that it may be known who among you obeys Him in secret. Allah says in the Qur'an: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]. Know that whoever is miserly is miserly only against himself, and Allah is the Self-Sufficient and you are all the needy. (Muhammad/38).

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): We are a tree whose root is the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), whose trunk is Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), whose branches are Fatimah (peace be upon her), the daughter of the Prophet, and whose fruits are Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them). We are ... Allah raised up His Messenger among them, and the angels of Allah descend upon them, and the tranquillity and sakinah of the Lord is sent down upon them, and the Trustworthy Spirit descends upon them. On account of the grace and favour Allah has bestowed on them, He has granted them this distinction, adorned them with taqwa (Allah-consciousness) and strengthened them with wisdom. They are pure branches and blessed roots. They are the treasury of knowledge, the heirs of forbearance, and the possessors of piety, command, light and radiance. They are the heirs of the prophets (peace be upon them), and the last of the awsiya (successors) is from that household. From among them is the pure-natured, good-named Muhammad al-Mustafa (peace be upon him and his family), the Ummi and distinguished Prophet. From among them is the resplendent sovereign and the fierce lion, Hamzah ibn Abd al-Muttalib. From among them is the one through whom rain was sought on the day of drought, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, the uncle of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the counterpart of his father. And Ja'far ibn Abi Talib Dhul-Janahayn (possessor of the two wings), the one who prayed towards the two qiblahs, made the two hijrahs (migrations) and gave the two pledges of allegiance, of pure lineage and luminous spirit, is of this household. And from this family is the brother and beloved of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) and his successor after him, the possessor of proof, ta'wil (interpretation) and tafsir (exegesis), Amir al-Mu'minin (peace be upon him), the guardian of the believers and the executor of the will of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him). These are the ones whose love and wilayah (guardianship) Allah has made obligatory upon every Muslim man and woman, and has said in the Noble Qur'an: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی وَ مَنْ یَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِیها حُسْناً إِنَّ اللهَ غَفُورٌ شَکُورٌ [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it except love for my near relatives; and whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein; indeed Allah is Forgiving, Grateful]. Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: "یَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً — it is the love of us, the Ahl al-Bayt."

The Messenger (peace be upon him and his family)- Jabir said: We were in the company of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) in one of the gardens of Banu Haritha when a mangy, thin camel came and prostrated before the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). We said to Jabir: "Did you see this incident?" He said: "Yes! I saw that it placed its forehead on the ground before the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)." The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) turned to Umar and said: "Umar! This camel prostrated to me and took refuge with me. Go and buy it and set it free, and let no one have any dealing with it." Umar bought the camel and set it free. Then he came to the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and said: "This is an animal that prostrated to you; we are more deserving of prostrating [to you]. In return for the guidance and direction you have given us, ask whatever you wish; ask of us some deed as recompense." The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said: "If I were to order anyone to prostrate to anyone, I would order the wife to prostrate to her husband." Jabir said: "By Allah! We did not leave that garden until this verse was revealed: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him)- Hajjaj al-Khashshab said: I heard Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) saying to Abu Ja'far al-Ahwal, regarding the verse: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]: "What do the people of your area say [about it]?" He replied: "Hasan al-Basri claimed that the meaning of the verse concerns affection and love toward my relatives from the Arab lineage." Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: "But I say to Quraysh that this verse pertains specifically to us." They say: "It belongs to us and to you [both]." I reply to them: "When a difficult matter would befall the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), whom did he single out? Did he not single out us? Was it not us he took along in the matter of the mubahala against [the people of] Najran? He took the hand of Ali (peace be upon him), Fatima (peace be upon her), Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them) and took them along. And in the battle of Badr, he sent Ali (peace be upon him), Hamza and Ubayda ibn al-Harith forward. But they do not accept this. Is it right that the sweetness should belong to them and the bitterness and hardship should be for us?"

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Abd al-Rahman ibn Kathir said: Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: "This verse was revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]. Jibra'il descended upon him and said: 'O Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)! You have completed your mission and the term of your prophethood has come to an end. Now entrust the Greatest Name, the inheritance of knowledge, and the traces of the knowledge of prophethood to Ali (peace be upon him). I do not leave the earth empty of a scholar who guides to My command, makes them acquainted with the religion, and is a proof (hujjah) among the people during the interval between the passing of one prophet and the sending of another.'" The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) appointed Ali (peace be upon him) as his successor and entrusted to him the inheritance of knowledge and the traces of the knowledge of prophethood, and opened for him a thousand doors of knowledge, from each door of which another thousand doors would open, and each sentence contained a thousand sentences. And he passed away on a Monday. He said: "O Ali (peace be upon him)! You must not leave the house for three days until you compile the Qur'an, lest Satan add anything to it or take anything from it! You must act contrary to the way of the successor of Sulayman (peace be upon him) [it is narrated that Satan placed the book of sorcery beneath the coffin of Sulayman (peace be upon him) and this misled the people]." Ali (peace be upon him) did not put on his cloak to leave the house until he had compiled the Qur'an, and consequently Satan did not add anything to it nor take anything from it.

Imam Hasan (peace be upon him): When this verse was revealed: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives], some people said: "Allah did not reveal this verse; rather, he (the Prophet) wants to raise the status of his cousin (Ali (peace be upon him))." They said this out of envy and enmity toward the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), and Allah the Exalted revealed this verse: أَمْ یَقُولُونَ افْتَری عَلَی اللهِ کَذِباً فَإِنْ یَشَإِ اللهُ یَخْتِمْ عَلی قَلْبِک [Or do they say: He has forged a lie against Allah? But if Allah pleased, He would seal your heart].

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): He said: "Whoever does not love my family, his nature is one of three things: either he is a hypocrite, or born of adultery, or a person whose mother conceived him in a state of impurity."

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): He said: We were sitting in the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) when Jibra'il the Trustworthy descended upon him holding a goblet of red crystal filled with musk and ambergris, and beside the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) were seated Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him) and his two sons Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them). Up to where he says: "When that vessel came into the hand of Husayn (peace be upon him), [the vessel] said: بِسمِ اللهِ الرَّحمنِ الرَّحیمِ قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]."

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Imam Baqir (peace be upon him) said: "As for the enemies of Allah and the followers of Satan, who denied prophethood and rejected it, He revealed this verse: [O Prophet]! Say: 'I ask you no reward for the call to prophethood, and I am not of those who pretend! [My words are clear and accompanied by proof]!' (Sad/86) This is a distress for them, that he should ask of them something for which they are not worthy. At that moment, the hypocrites said to one another: 'Was it not enough for Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) that he brought us under his command for twenty years, and now he wants to impose his family on our shoulders? Allah did not reveal this verse — he made it up himself, wanting to grant his family lordship over us. If Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family) is killed or dies, we will take this position away from his family and will never return it to them.' Allah informed His Prophet of their decision and made him aware of their secret words. In this verse: 'Or do they say: He has forged a lie against Allah? But if Allah please, He would seal your heart.' (Ash-Shura/24) They say he has forged a lie against Allah; if Allah wills, He will cut off the revelation from you so that you do not speak about the virtue of your family and love for them. And He has said in this verse: 'Allah blots out falsehood and confirms the truth by His words.' (Ash-Shura/24) The truth which is exclusive to your family is the wilayah (guardianship). Indeed, He is aware of what is in the hearts. (Ash-Shura/24) — of what decision they have made regarding your household, that after you they will wrong them."

Imam Kazim (peace be upon him): On the day of Mubahalah [the 24th of Dhul-Hijjah, you say this supplication]: Praise be to Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth. (Fatir/1) Praise be to Allah, to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. (Saba/1) Praise be to Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth, and made the darknesses and the light. (An'am/1) Praise be to Allah, Who made known to me what I did not know; and had He not made it known to me, I would have been destroyed. For He, Whose word is truth, said: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives], and He clarified for me the near relatives [of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family)] and said: إِنَّما یُرِیدُ اللهُ لِیُذْهِبَ عَنْکُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَیْتِ وَ یُطَهِّرَکُمْ تَطْهِیراً [Allah only wishes to remove impurity and sin from you, O Ahl al-Bayt, and to purify you thoroughly]. (Ahzab/33) And after the kinship, He clarified for me the Ahl al-Bayt [as well]. And Allah the Exalted, clarifying the truthful — those with whom He commanded us to be and to whom to turn — said: یا أَیُّهَا الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللهَ وَ کُونُوا مَعَ الصَّادِقِینَ [O you who believe! Fear [disobedience of] Allah and be with the truthful]. (Tawbah/119) And He said: فَقُلْ تَعالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْناءَنا وَ أَبْناءَکُمْ وَ نِساءَنا وَ نِساءَکُمْ وَ أَنْفُسَنا وَ أَنْفُسَکُمْ ثُمَّ نَبْتَهِلْ فَنَجْعَلْ لَعْنَتَ اللهِ عَلَی الْکاذِبِینَ [Say: Come, let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves, then let us pray earnestly and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars]. (Al-Imran/61) And with this speech He made them plainly distinct and made their characteristic clear. O my Lord, thanks be to You, for You guided me and directed me until the Ahl al-Bayt and the near relatives of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) were not hidden from me and I came to know them. And You made known to me their women, their children and their men.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): So whatever is for Allah is for His Messenger, and whatever is for His Messenger is for his near relatives, and we are the near relatives. Allah the Exalted says: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives].

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): [Allah] divided the khums into five portions and said: ما أَفاءَ اللَّهُ عَلی رَسُولِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُری فَلِلَّهِ وَ لِلرَّسُولِ وَ لِذِی الْقُرْبی وَ الْیَتامی وَ الْمَساکِینِ وَ ابْنِ السَّبِیلِ کَیْ لا یَکُونَ دُولَهًًْ بَیْنَ الْأَغْنِیاءِ [Whatever Allah has restored to His Messenger from the people of these towns is for Allah and the Messenger and his near relatives, and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, so that [these great wealths] may not circulate among the rich of you!]. (Hashr/7). So whatever is for Allah is for His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family), and whatever is for His Messenger (peace be upon him and his family) is for his near relatives, and we are the near relatives. Allah the Exalted says: قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives].

Imam Ali (peace be upon him): O people! Is there anyone among you whose love Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, has commanded in the Quran, when He says: (قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی) [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]? Has it been said concerning anyone other than me?

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Muhammad ibn Muslim narrated from Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): Allah never sent any prophet except that he said to his people: لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا المَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives]. Then he said: "Have you not seen a person who loves a man, but does not love his relatives, and so there is something in his heart against him? Allah loved that there be nothing in the heart of the Prophet against his ummah; if they carry it out, they have carried out an obligation, and if they abandon it, they have abandoned an obligation. I asked about the verse وَ مَنْ یَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فیها حُسْنا [And whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein]." He said: "That is submission to us, truthfulness concerning us, and not fabricating lies against us."

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Umm Salama said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said to Fatima al-Zahra (peace be upon her): "Bring your husband and your two sons." She brought them, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) threw a cloak over them and raised his hand and said: "اللَّهُمَّ هَؤُلَاءِ آلُ مُحَمَّدٍ فَاجْعَلْ صَلَوَاتِکَ وَ بَرَکَاتِکَ عَلَی آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ فَإِنَّکَ حَمِیدٌ مَجِیدٌ [O Allah, these are the family of Muhammad, so place Your blessings and Your favours upon the family of Muhammad, for indeed You are Praiseworthy, Glorious]."

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): This verse was revealed concerning us, the Ahl al-Bayt and the People of the Cloak.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): وَ مَنْ یَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِیها حُسْناً [and whoever earns a good deed, We shall increase for him good in it]; iqtiraf (earning) means submission to us, truthfulness concerning us, and not attributing lies to us.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ مَنْ یَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِیها حُسْناً [and whoever earns a good deed, We shall increase for him good in it]; it is love for the family of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family).

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): وَ مَنْ یَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِیهَا حُسْناً [and whoever earns a good deed, We shall increase for him good therein]; whoever accepts the wilayah of the successors of the Household of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and follows their path and their guidance, this adds to his acceptance of wilayah, such that it is as if he has accepted the wilayah of the earlier prophets and the first believers, from his own time back to Adam (peace be upon him). This is an instance of the following verse, in which the Lord says: "Those who do a good deed shall have a reward better than it." (Naml/89). He also says: "Whatever reward I have asked of you is for yourselves." (Saba/47), meaning: the sole reward I have asked of you is also for yourselves. Through it you are guided, and on the Day of Resurrection you are delivered from the punishment.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah have mercy on him): When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) came to Medina and Islam grew strong, the Ansar said among themselves, "When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) arrives, we will say to him: 'All of our wealth is at your disposal — if any matter arises, use whatever you wish without any hindrance or restriction.'" They presented this to him, and the verse قُلْ لا أَسْئَلُکُمْ عَلَیْهِ أَجْراً إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِی الْقُرْبی [Say: I do not ask of you any reward for it but love for my near relatives] was revealed. He recited the verse to them and said, "Will you love my relatives after me?" The Ansar left, submitting to the command of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). The hypocrites said, "He has made this up himself in order to humiliate and belittle us before his relatives." Then this verse was revealed: أَمْ یَقُولُونَ افْتَری عَلَی اللهِ کَذِباً [Or do they say: He has forged a lie against Allah?]. He sent for them and recited it to them; they began to weep and were greatly distressed. Then this verse was revealed: هُوَ الَّذِی یَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبادِهِ [He it is who accepts repentance from His servants]. He sent for them and gave them the good news that their repentance was accepted. He said: وَ یَسْتَجِیبُ الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا [And He answers those who believe] — the believers accepted, they being those who submitted to the command of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Then Allah said: وَ مَنْ یَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِیها حُسْناً [And whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein].

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): This is the very love of the family of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family). Then He said: وَ مَنْ یَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً [and whoever earns a good deed]; what is meant by this good deed is acknowledgement of their Imamah, doing good to them, and love for and attachment to them. نَزِدْ لَهُ فِیها حُسْناً [We shall increase for him good in it], that is, I shall grant his reward and recompense with kindness.

Imam Baqir (peace be upon him): al-Ḥasanah [the good deed] is the wilayah of Ali (peace be upon him) and love for him, and al-Sayyi'ah [the evil deed] is enmity toward him and hatred of him, and with these two traits Allah does not accept any deed from a person. And regarding the meaning of the verse: وَ مَنْ یَقْتَرِفْ حَسَنَةً نَزِدْ لَهُ فِیها حُسْناً [And whoever earns good, We give him more of good therein], what is meant is love for Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him).