Are there any Verses sent down in the Quran about Imam Hussain ᴾᴮᵁᴴ?
The answer
The Verse of ‘Mobaheleh’
Should anyone argue with you concerning him, after the knowledge that has come to you, say, ‘Come! Let us call our sons and your sons, our women and your women, our souls and your souls, then let us
pray earnestly and call down Allah’s curse upon the liars. (Al-e-Emran/61).
The quotation regarding the subject of revelation of this Verse about Imam Hussain ᴾᴮᵁᴴ were stated in Sunni’s resources with authentic documentations.
Moslem Neishabouri related this quotation from Saad ibn Abivaqas (one of the Prophet’s companions) who was ordered by Moavieh to insult Imam Ali ᴾᴮᵁᴴ: when the Verse of Mobaheleh was sent down Prophet Mohammad ᴾᴮᵁᴴ called Imam Ali ᴾᴮᵁᴴ, Lady Fatimah (SA), Imam Hassan ᴾᴮᵁᴴ, and Imam Hussain ᴾᴮᵁᴴ; then, the Prophet prayed, “O God, they are my households.”
حدثنا قُتَيْبَةُ بن سَعِيدٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بن عَبَّادٍ وَتَقَارَبَا في اللَّفْظِ قالا حدثنا حَاتِمٌ وهو بن إسماعيل عن بُكَيْرِ بن مِسْمَارٍ عن عَامِرِ بن سَعْدِ بن أبي وَقَّاصٍ عن أبيه قال أَمَرَ مُعَاوِيَةُ بن أبي سُفْيَانَ سَعْدًا فقال ما مَنَعَكَ ان تَسُبَّ أَبَا التُّرَابِ فقال أَمَّا ما ذَكَرْتُ ثَلَاثًا قَالَهُنَّ له رسول اللَّهِ صلي الله عليه وسلم فَلَنْ اسبه لان تَكُونَ لي وَاحِدَةٌ مِنْهُنَّ أَحَبُّ الي من حُمْرِ النَّعَمِ … وَلَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هذه الْآيَةُ (فَقُلْ تَعَالَوْا نَدْعُ أَبْنَاءَنَا وَأَبْنَاءَكُمْ) دَعَا رسول اللَّهِ صلي الله عليه وسلم عَلِيًّا وَفَاطِمَةَ وَحَسَنًا وَحُسَيْنًا فقال اللهم هَؤُلَاءِ أَهْلِي.
Amer ibn Saad ibn Abivaqas quoted from his father that one day Moavieh ibn Abisofyan ordered Saad to insult Abo Torab (Imam Ali ᴾᴮᵁᴴ), but he disobeyed. Moavieh asked him, “Why don’t you insult Ali?” Saad answered, “because I heard three kinds of virtues from the Prophet ᴾᴮᵁᴴ about Imam Ali ᴾᴮᵁᴴ that I never dare to insult him. If I had only one of those virtues, it would be more precious for me than anything. …
The third virtue is that when the Verse of Mobaheleh was sent down the Prophet Muhammad ᴾᴮᵁᴴ requested the attendance of Imam Ali ᴾᴮᵁᴴ, Lady Fatimah (SA), Imam Hassan ᴾᴮᵁᴴ, and Imam Hussain ᴾᴮᵁᴴ and said, “O God, they are my household.”
Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, p. 1871, quotation 2404.
The Verse of ‘Tathir’
Indeed Allah desires to repel all impurity from you, O People of the Household, and purify you with a thorough purification (Ahzab/33).
The Verse of Tathir was also about the Prophet’s ᴾᴮᵁᴴ household that Imam Hussain ᴾᴮᵁᴴ was one of them. There are many valid Sunni quotations to prove it:
In the most authentic Sunni’s book, Sahih Moslim, which was accepted by Wahhabi’s it is stated that the Verse of Tat’hir is about five people of Aal’e Abaa including Imam Hussain ᴾᴮᵁᴴ.
حدثنا أبو بَكْرِ بن أبي شَيْبَةَ وَمُحَمَّدُ بن عبد اللَّهِ بن نُمَيْرٍ واللفظ لِأَبِي بَكْرٍ قالا حدثنا محمد بن بِشْرٍ عن زكريا عن مُصْعَبِ بن شَيْبَةَ عن صَفِيَّةَ بِنْتِ شَيْبَةَ قالت قالت عَائِشَةُ خَرَجَ النبي صلي الله عليه وسلم غَدَاةً وَعَلَيْهِ مِرْطٌ مُرَحَّلٌ من شَعْرٍ أَسْوَدَ فَجَاءَ الْحَسَنُ بن عَلِيٍّ فَأَدْخَلَهُ ثُمَّ جاء الْحُسَيْنُ فَدَخَلَ معه ثُمَّ جَاءَتْ فَاطِمَةُ فَأَدْخَلَهَا ثُمَّ جاء عَلِيٌّ فَأَدْخَلَهُ ثُمَّ قال (إنما يُرِيدُ الله لِيُذْهِبَ عَنْكُمْ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًا)
Safieh bent Shaibah related this quotation from Ayesha: One day the Prophet ᴾᴮᵁᴴ went out in the morning wearing a patterned cloak made by black fur. Imam Hassan ᴾᴮᵁᴴ came and the Prophet took him under the cloak. Then, Imam Hussain ᴾᴮᵁᴴ came and went under it. Next, Lady Fatimah (SA), and finally Imam Ali ᴾᴮᵁᴴ came under the cloak. At this time, Prophet Mohammad ᴾᴮᵁᴴ said, “Indeed Allah desires to repel all impurity from you, O People of the Household, and purify you with a thorough purification.”
Sahih Muslim, Vol. 4, p. 1883, quotation 2424.
The Verse of ‘Mavaddat’ (friendship)
Say, ‘I do not ask you any reward for it except love of [my] relatives.’(Shoura/23)
This Verse has been called the Verse of “Mavaddat” among commentators. In Sunni’s resources, there are many quotations connecting this Verse to the Prophet’s household.
Ahmad ibn Hanbal in his book “Fazel-al-Sahabeh” related this quotation from Ibn Abbas: Someone asked the Prophet, “to whom our friendship is mandatory?” He replied, “Ali, Fatimah, and her two sons.”
وفيما كتب إلينا محمد بن عبد الله بن سليمان الحضرمي يذكر ان حرب بن الحسن الطحان حدثهم قال نا حسين الأشقر عن قيس عن الأعمش عن سعيد بن جبير عن بن عباس قال لما نزلت قل لا اسألكم عليه اجرا الا المودة في القربي قالوا يا رسول الله من قرابتنا هؤلاء الذين وجبت علينا مودتهم قال علي وفاطمة وابناها عليهم السلام
Fazael-al-Sahabeh, ibn Hanbal, Vol. 3, p. 47, quotation 2641 & Vol. 11, p. 444, quotation 12259
The validity of this quotation has been authenticated by Sunni scholars, since Ibn Hajar Heithami wrote in his book, “al-Savaegh al-Moharraghe”
أخرج أحمد والطبراني وابن أبي حاتم والحاكم عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما أن هذه الآية لما نزلت قالوا يا رسول الله من قرابتك هؤلاء الذين وجبت علينا مودتهم قال (علي وفاطمة وابناهما) وفي سنده شيعي غاللكنه صدوق. وأخرج البزار والطبراني عن الحسن رضي الله عنه من طرق بعضها حسان أنه خطب خطبة من جملتها من عرفني فقد عرفني ومن لم يعرفني فأنا الحسن بن محمد صلي الله عليه وسلم … ثم قال وأنا من أهل البيت الذين افترض الله عز وجل مودتهم وموالاتهم فقال فيما أنزل علي محمد صلي الله عليه وسلم قل لا أسألكم عليه أجرا إلا المودة في القربي.
Ahmad, Tabarani, Ibn Abi Hatam, and Hakem quoted from Ibn Abbas as follows: when this Verse was sent down, many asked the Prophet Mohammad ᴾᴮᵁᴴ, “who are your relatives that their friendship is made mandatory?” The Prophet replied, “Ali, Fatimah, and her sons.” There is one Exaggerator Shia in quotation line of this narrative, but he is truthful. Bazaar and Tabarani quoted from Imam Hassan ᴾᴮᵁᴴ through different lines. Imam Hassan ᴾᴮᵁᴴ preached a sermon and said, “I am among the household that God made their friendship mandatory for people.” Then, he uttered this Verse:
al-Savaegh al Moharraghe ala Ahl al-Rafz val-Zilal val-Zandeqa, Vol. 2, p. 487
Verses in the Surah of ‘al-Ensan’
Indeed the pious will drink from a cup seasoned with Kāfūr,a spring where the servants of Allah drink, which they make to gush forth as they please. They fulfill their vows and fear a day whose ill will be widespread. They give food, for the love of Him, to the needy, the orphan and the prisoner, [saying,] we need you only for the sake of Allah. We do not want any reward from you nor any thanks (al-Ensan/5-9).
These Verses was also about Imam Ali, Lady Fatimah, Imam Hassan, and Imam Hussain ᴾᴮᵁᵀ.
Zamakhshari narrated the subject of revelation of this Verse in this way:
عن ابن عباس قال: إن الحسن والحسين مرضا، فعادهما رسول الله صلي الله عليه وسلّم في ناس معه، فقالوا: يا أبا الحسن، لو نذرت علي ولدك، فنذر عليٌ وفاطمة وفضة جارية لهما إن برآ مما بهما أنْ يصوموا ثلاثة أيّام، فشفيا وما معهم شيء فاستقرض عليّ من شمعون الخيبري اليهودي ثلاثة أصوع من شعير، فطحنت فاطمة صاعاً واختبزت خمسة أقراص علي عددهم فوضعوها بين أيديهم ليفطروا فوقف عليهم سائل فقال: السلام عليكم أهل بيت محمّد، مسكين من مساكين المسلمين، أطعموني أطعمكم الله من موائد الجنّة، فآثروه، وباتوا لم يذوقوا إلاّ الماء، وأصبحوا صياماً، فلمّا أمسوا ووضعوا الطعام بين أيديهم وقف عليهم يتيم، فآثروه، ووقف عليهم أسير في الثالثة ففعلوا مثل ذلك، فلمّا أصبحوا أخذ علي رضي الله عنه بيد الحسن والحسين، وأقبلوا إلي رسول الله صلّي الله عليه وسلم، فلما أبصرهم، وهم يرتعشون كالفراخ من شدة الجوع، قال: ما أشدّ ما يسوؤني ما أري بكم، وقام فانطلق معهم فرأي فاطمة في محرابها قد التصق ظهرها ببطنها وغارت عيناها، فساءه ذلك، فنزل جبرائيل وقال: خذها يا محمّد، هنّأك الله في أهل بيتك فأقرأه السورة.
Ibn Abbas narrated that Imam Hassan and Hussain ᴾᴮᵁᵀ became sick. The Prophet with some of his companions came to visit them and told Imam Ali ᴾᴮᵁᴴ, “it’s a good idea to make a vow for your children’s healing.” Then, Imam Ali, Lady Fatimah, and their servant, Fezzeh, decided to fast for three days in case their sons become well.
Soon after they were healed while the family did not have anything to eat. Imam Ali borrowed nine Kilos of barley from the Jewish Sham’un and Lady Fatimah (SA) floured and baked bread. At the time of fast breaking, a poor man knocked on the door and said, “hello the Prophet’s household. I’m a poor Muslim;
Give me some food and God May give you the Heaven’s food.” The family gave all they have to the poor man and ate/drink nothing but only water.
They fasted the second day and at the time of breaking the fast when they were ready to eat (barley bread) an orphan came. This family donated all their food again (they only drank water and fasted again the next day).
The third day at dusk a prisoner came to the house and they also gave all the bread to him. In the morning, Imam Ali ᴾᴮᵁᴴ brought Imam Hassan and Hussain ᴾᴮᵁᵀ and came to meet the Prophet Mohammad ᴾᴮᵁᴴ. The children were shaking because of hunger when the Prophet saw them. He said, “this is so painful for me.” Then, he stood up and went to their house. When they arrived the Prophet looked at Lady Fatimah (SA) praying in Mehrab and her stomach stuck to her back because of starving. Also her eyes appeared sunken. Thus, the Prophet became so sad.
At this time, Jebrail was sent down and said, “O Mohammad ᴾᴮᵁᴴ, take this Surah; God blesses you with this household. Then, Jebrail uttered the Surah of “al-Ensan”.
Tafsir al-Kashaf, Vol. 4, p. 670
There are many Verses in the Quran about the households, including Imam Hussain ᴾᴮᵁᴴ and also different books were written to collect the Verses. But here (in this paper) those quotations which have been stated by the Sunni’s viewpoint about the virtues of Imam Hussain ᴾᴮᵁᴴ are considered. In fact, in Shia’s thinking, the Surah of Fajr, especially the last Verses, the Surah of Esra (the Verse 33), the beginning split letters of the Surah of Maryam (SA), the Surah of Takvir (the Verse 9), the Surah of Safat (the Verse 107) and so forth altogether are about Imam Hussain ᴾᴮᵁᴴ that you can find the quotations in this regard in the book ‘Tafsir al-Borhan’ under these Verses.
