Re: what is the definition of Ahl ul Bayt
Wathilah Ibn Asqa'
al-Tabari while commenting on the verse 33:33, Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, al- Hakim who considers the tradition to be authentic according to the criteria of Muslim and al-Bukhari, also Bayhaqi, al-Tahawi, and Haythami quote Abu Ammar as having said (the wording is of al-Tabari):
I was sitting with Wathilah Ibn Asqa' when a discussion took place about Ali and the people abused him. When those present rose to leave he said to me: 'Keep sitting so that I may talk with you about the man whom they have been abusing. I was with the Holy Prophet when Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan and al-Husain approached him and the Holy Prophet spread his cloak on them and said: "O Allah! These are the members of my family. Ward off every uncleanness from them and keep them clean and pure."
Sunni references:
Tafsir al-Kabir, by Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, v22, p6
al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v2, p416; v3, p417
Musnad, by Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v6, p107
Majma' al-Zawa'id, by al-Haythami, v9, p167
Mushkil al-Athar, by al-Tahawi, v1, p346
Sunan, al-Bayhaqi, v2, p152
Also Ibn al-Athir quoted Shaddad Ibn Abdullah saying:
I heard from Wathilah Ibn Asqa' that when the head of (Imam) al-Husain was brought, one of the Syrians abused (Imam) al-Husain and his father, Wathilah stood up and said: "I swear by Allah that ever since I heard the Holy Prophet say about them: 'O People of the Prophet's House! Allah intends to keep you pure from uncleanness and blemish and to purify you with a thorough purification,' I have always loved Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan and al-Husain (Peace be upon them).'"
Sunni reference: Usdul Ghabah, by Ibn al-Athir, v2, p20
Ali Ibn al-Husain, Zain al-Abideen (AS)
While commenting on the verse 33:33, al-Tabari, Ibn Kathir and al-Suyuti have stated in their exegesis:
Ali Ibn Husain said to a Syrian: "Have you read this verse in Surah al-Ahzab, O people of the House! Allah intends to keep you pure from blemish and to purify you with a thorough purification (Quran 33:33)?"
The Syrian said: "Does this verse pertain to you?" The Imam replied: "Yes, it pertains to us."
Sunni references:
Tafsir al-Kabir, by Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, v22, p7
Tafsir Ibn Kathir, v3, p486
Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthoor, by al-Hafidh al-Suyuti, v5, p199
l-Kharazmi has quoted this very narration in his Maqtal in the following words:
When, after the martyrdom of (Imam) al-Husain the grandson of the Holy Prophet, (Imam) Zain al-Abideen and other prisoners belonging to the House of the Holy Prophet were carried to Damascus and stationed in a jail located by the side of the Grand Mosque of Damascus, an old man approached them and said: "Praised be Allah who killed you and annihilated you and relieved the people from your men and provided the Commander of the Faithful (Yazid) with authority over you." Ali Ibn al-Husain said: "O old man! Have you read the Holy Quran?" He replied: "Yes." Then the Imam said: "Have you read the verse: Muhammad! 'Say, I do not ask you of any reward for my preaching except the love of my kinsfolk'?" The old man said: "Yes. I have read it."
The Imam said: "Have you read the verse: 'So give what is due to the near ones, the needy and the wayfarer.' and the verse: 'Know that whatever (income) you gain, one fifth belongs to Allah, the Messenger, his near ones, orphans the needy and the wayfarers, if you believe in Allah and what We revealed to Our servant in the Holy Quran'?" The old man replied: "Yes. I have read them."
The Imam said: "I swear by Allah that the word 'near ones' refers to us and these verses have been revealed about us. (The Imam added): And have you also read this verse in the Holy Quran wherein Allah says: 'O people of the Prophet's House...' (33:33)?" The old man said: "Yes. I have read it". The Imam said: "What is meant by people of the Prophet's House! It is we whom Allah has especially associated with the verse of Tat'hir (purification)."
The old man said: "I ask you by Allah! Are you of the same family?" The Imam replied: "I swear by my grandfather the Prophet of Allah that we are the same people."
The old man was stunned and expressed regret for what he had said. Then he raised his head towards the sky and said: "O Allah! I ask forgiveness for what I have said, and forsake enmity against this family and hate the enemies of the progeny of Muhammad."
Sunni reference: Maqtal al-Husain, by al-Khateeb al-Kharazmi
But whoever disputes with you in this matter after what has come to you of knowledge, then say: Come let us call our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and our selves and your selves; then let us be earnest in prayer and invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars. (Quran 3:61).
-Suyuti who was a great Sunni scholar, wrote:
In the above verse (3:61), according to what Jabir Ibn Abdillah al-Ansari (the great companion of the Prophet) said, the word "sons" refers to al-Hasan and al-Husain, the word "women" refers to Fatimah, and the word "our selves" refer to the Prophet and Ali. Thus Ali is referred as "the self" of the Prophet (Nafs of the Prophet).
Reference: al-Durr al-Manthoor by al-Hafidh Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, v2, p38
It follows that just as it is unlawful to seek to be superior to the Prophet, similarly it is unlawful to supersede Ali (who is the "self" of the Prophet according to the words of Allah). Any one who presumed to supersede Ali, was, in essence, presumed to supersede the Prophet! This is another Quranic proof for the right of Imam Ali as the immediate successor of the Prophet (PBUH&HF).
Muslim and al-Tirmidhi both confirm the above incident, and recorded the following tradition in their authentic collections of traditions:
Narrated Sa'd Ibn Abi Waqqas:
...And when the verse 3:61 was revealed, the Prophet called Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan, and al-Husain. Then the Prophet said: "O Lord! These are my family members (Ahli)."
Sunni references:
Sahih Muslim, Chapter of virtues of companions, section of virtues of Ali, 1980 Edition Pub. in Saudi Arabia, Arabic version, v4, p1871, the end of tradition #32.
Sahih al-Tirmidhi, v5, p654
al-Mustadrak, by al-Hakim, v3, p150, who said this tradition is authentic based on the criteria set by two Shaikhs, al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Dhakha'ir al-Uqba, by Muhibbuddin al-Tabari, p25
On the day of consultation, Ali argued with the committee members saying: "I adjure you in the name of Allah, is there anyone amongst you closer in relationship to the Messenger of Allah than me? Is there any other man whom the Prophet made him 'his (own) soul' (Nafs), and that he made his children 'his (own) children', and his women 'his (own) women'?" They replied: "No, by God!"
Sunni reference:
al-Darqunti, as per:
al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p239
t is also narrated that:
The Prophet (PBUH&HF) said: "Verily, Allah, to whom belong Might and Majesty, has placed the progeny of each prophet into his backbone (Sulb), and He, Exalted, has placed my progeny into the backbone of Ali Ibn Abi Talib."
Sunni references:
al-Tabarani
Abul-Khair al-Haakimi, on the authority of al-Abbas
al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 11, section 1, p239
al-Kunooz al-Mataalib
It is also narrated that:
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said: "Me and Ali are from one tree, and the rest of people are from different trees."
Sunni references:
al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch. 9, section 2, p190
Tarikh al-Khulafaa, by Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, p171
al-Awsat, by al-Tabarani, from Jabir Ibn Abdillah al-Ansari
In another Sunni commentary of Quran, it is narrated on the authority of Abdullah Ibn Umar that:
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said: "Had there been any soul on the whole earth better than Ali, Fatimah, al-Hasan and al-Husain, Allah would have commanded me to take them along with me to Mubahala. But as they were superior in dignity and respect to all human be beings, Allah confined His choice on them only for participation in Mubahala."
Sunni reference: Tafsir al-Baidhawi, under the commentary of Verse 3:61