Merits of the Ahl al-Bayt (Hadith of the Cloak)

It is narrated from Umm al-Momineen, Umm Salamah that once Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was in her house lying on a mattress, covered with a cloak from Khaibar when his beloved daughter Fatima Zahra (pbuh) entered with a dish called al-Khazira (a kind of food). Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) asked her to call her husband, Imam Ali and her two sons, Imam Hasan and Imam Hussain. Fatima Zahra (pbuh) called them and as they all sat together to eat, Allah (SWT) revealed the following verse of purity (Ayat Al-Tathir) to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

"... Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying." [1]

Upon this Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) covered them all with his cloak and lifting his hands towards the sky said:

"O Allah (SWT)! This is my Ahlul-Bayt (Household) and the nearest of my kin, keep away from them uncleanness and keep them pure as pure can be."

Umm al-Momineen, Umm Salamah adds that thrice Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) repeated these words and when she poked her head under the cloak and asked him, Am I with you? In a refraining gesture, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said twice: "You are (also) among the righteous."[2]
Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal narrates from Anas b. Malik that when the verse of tathir (33:33) was revealed, for six months the Prophet used to call at the house of Ali and Fatimah every morning on his way to the mosque for the Dawn Prayer and say:

“Prayer, O People of the House! Allah only desires to keep away the uncleanness from you, O people of the House! And to purify you a (thorough) purifying."

Thus it is clear from above discussion that Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) daily habit of stopping at his daughter Fatima Zahra's (pbuh) house and addressing her household as Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt), was not without reason. In fact he was expounding the meaning of the term Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) and practically explaining to the Muslims the verse of purity (Ayat Al-Tathir) and the particular persons meant by it

Thus it is clear from above discussion that Prophet Muhammad's (pbuh) daily habit of stopping at his daughter Fatima Zahra's (pbuh) house and addressing her household as Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt), was not without reason. In fact he was expounding the meaning of the term Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) and practically explaining to the Muslims the verse of purity (Ayat Al-Tathir) and the particular persons meant by it. To be more precise, he was drawing the attention of the Muslim nation towards the significance of his Ahlul Bayt (Ahl al-Bayt) and their leadership after him so that the Muslims should love, obey and follow them.

[1] [33:33]
إِنَّمَا يُرِ‌يدُ اللَّـهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّ‌جْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَ‌كُمْ تَطْهِيرً‌ا
[2] Musnad by Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal, V6. P 323.
حدّثنا عبدالله، حدّثني أبي ثنا عفان ثنا حماد بن سلمة قال: ثنا علي بن زيد عن شهر بن حوشب عن أم سلمة أن رسول الله صلّى الله عليه وآله وسلّم قال لفاطمة: إئتينى بزوجك وابنيك فجاءت بهم، فألقى عليهم كساء فدكيا، قال ثمّ وضع يده عليهم ثمّ قال: «أللّهمَّ إنّ هؤلاء آل محمّد، فاجعل صلواتك وبركاتك على محمّد وعلى آل محمّد، إنّك حميد مجيد». قالت أم سلمة: فرفعت الكساء لأدخل معهم، فجذبه من يدي وقال: «إنّك على خير
[3] Musnad by Im am Ahmad b. Hanbal, inter national serial no. 13231. See also Sunan by al-T irm idhi, inter national serial no. 3130.
انّ رسول‏الله كان يمرّ بباب فاطمه (رضي الله عنه) ستة اشهر اذا خرج لصلاة الفجر يقول الصلاة ياا اهل‏البيت انما يريدالله ليذهب عنكم الرجس اهل‏البيت و يطهركم تطهيراً»