Love for the Ahl al-Bayt is obligatory

O lovers of the companions and Ahl al-Bayt! Know that love for the Prophet’s family is a part of faith. Therefore, it is necessary upon us all to love and honour all of the Prophet’s sons, his daughters, his grandsons Ḥasan and Ḥusayn رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُم, and all his blessed descendants that have come until today.

Allah Almighty states:

قُلْ  لَّاۤ اَسْـَٔلُکُمْ عَلَیْہِ  اَجْرًا  اِلَّا الْمَوَدَّۃَ  فِی الْقُرْبٰی ؕ

“Say, ‘I do not ask you for any recompense for the message, except love for our kinship.’”^[1]

ꜤAllāmah al-Baghawī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه writes that one meaning of this verse is: “[O people! I teach you about Islam so you can gain goodness in both worlds.] I do not ask for a reward in exchange of this, but I advise you to love my kinship.” So, we learn that love for the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and his blessed family is from the obligations of religion.^[2]

A complete believer

The Greatest and Final Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

لَا یُؤْمِنُ عَبْدٌ حَتّٰی اَکُوْنَ اَحَبَّ اِلَیْہِ مِنْ نَفْسِہٖ وَذَاتِیْ اَحَبَّ اِلَیْہِ مِنْ ذَاتِہِ وَتَکُوْنَ عِتْـرَتِیْ اَحَبَّ اِلَیْہِ مِنْ عِتْـرَتِہِ وَاَہْلِیْ اَحَبَّ اِلَیْہِ مِنْ اَہْلِہِ

“No one is a believer until I am more beloved to him than himself, my being is more beloved to him than his own, my family is more beloved to him than his, and until the Ahl al-Bayt are dearer to him than the people of his household.”^[3]