Aslam

Praise be to Allah.

Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah was asked about a man who

said that ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib was not one of the Ahl al-Bayt (members

of the Prophet’s household) and that it is not permissible to send blessings

upon him, and that sending blessings upon him was bid’ah (an innovation).

He replied:

With regard to ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib being one of the Ahl

al-Bayt, this is something concerning which there is no difference of

opinion among the Muslims. It is so obvious to the Muslims that there

is no need for evidence to prove it. Rather he is the best of the Ahl

al-Bayt, the best of Bani Haashim after the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). It was proven that the

Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) threw his cloak over ‘Ali,

Faatimah, Hasan and Husayn and said, “O Allaah, these are the members

of my household, so to remove Ar-Rijs (evil deeds and

sins) from them and purify them with a thorough purification [cf. al-Ahzaab

33:33].”

With regard to sending blessings exclusively upon him,

this issue leads us to another issue, which is whether it is permissible

to send blessings exclusively upon anyone other than the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), such as saying, “O Allaah

send blessings on ‘Umar, or ‘Ali (Allaahumma salli ‘ala ‘Umar

etc.)”. The scholars disputed concerning that. Maalik, al-Shaafa’i and

a group of the Hanbalis said that we should not send blessings exclusively

upon anyone except the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as it was narrated that

Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “I do not know that blessings should be sent upon

anyone except the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Imaam Ahmad and most of

his companions said that there was nothing wrong with that, because

‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib said to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, “May Allaah send

blessings upon you.” This is the more correct view. But singling out

one of the Sahaabah or relatives of the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), such as ‘Ali, or anyone

else, to send blessings upon them, is a form of making them rival the

Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), in such a way that this

phrase becomes like a symbol or slogan that is attached to his name,

this is what is bid’ah.