Ayat ut Tatheer: To Whom Does the Purification Verse Refer To?

Regrouping & Reflecting

After extensively studying and analyzing the first possibility, do we find that our minds accept it? What conclusion do we reach which forces itself upon us after seeking it, finding it, and being sure of it? The mind, logic, faith, wisdom, proofs, and evidence all assure (without any doubt) the fact that this 1st possibility, which is often supported by many, is totally invalid and incorrect!

Not only that, but we also reach the important conclusion that the wives are excluded and eliminated from the possibility of being those referred to by the purification verse. It is not at all possible for them to even share in the reference or be from those purified individuals. It is as if the presence of the purification verse among the verses that addresses the wives of the Prophet (SA) made it even more clear and presented a stronger proof which proves the exact opposite of what some say!

Maybe if the purification verse was located elsewhere in the Qur’an in a different Surah, it might not have been possible to prove the elimination and exclusion of the wives of the Prophet (SA), as it was when this verse was positioned among the verses that was revealed in Surat Al-Ahzab. It is as if Allah (SWT) purposefully meant by its location to prove that the wives are not the ones intended or referred to by the purification verse. It is as if Allah (SWT) desired for us not to fall into that grave mistake which we would undoubtly fall in, if this verse were revealed elsewhere in the Qur’an.

All praise and thanks be to Allah (SWT), the Lord of the Worlds who revealed the truth in His Book which does not get tainted by falsehood and is the source of guidance, clarification, and explanation for everything. The Holy Book which is a revelation from the Mighty and the Merciful, and which leaves no excuse after that for the nonbelievers, the rejecters, the stubborn, the foolish, the deniers, or the hypocrites.

Since we’ve reached this logical conclusion about the wives of the Prophet (SA) and therefore excluded the first possibility, we can also eliminate the third possibility since it is without basis. The reason why is because this third possibility states that the purified individuals are the wives of the Prophet (SA) in addition to Ali, Fatima, Hasan, and Husain (AS).