Chapter 12: The Event of Cloak (Hadith Al-Kisa)

A famous event known as the "Event of the Cloak" was reported in the Shiite books regarding "the verse of purification." The context of the event is as follows:

Jabir Ibn Abdullah Ansari (Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the authority of Lady Fatima, the beloved daughter of the Holy Prophet (peace be on her) that she said:

"One day when my beloved father, the Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H.), visited me in my house,

he (P.B.U.H.) said: 'O Fatima! Peace be on you.'

I replied: 'O father! Peace be on you too.'

He then said: 'I am feeling some weakness within me.'

I said: 'Allah forbid that you may be sick.'

Then he said: 'Fatima! Fetch me a Yemenite cloak and wrap it round me.' I brought the Yemenite cloak and covered my dear father with it. I then noticed that his face was glowing like a full moon.

A moment later, my beloved son, Hassan came and said:

'O my dear mother! Peace of Allah be on you.'

1 replied: 'O my loving son, the apple of my eyes, the delight of my heart! Peace be on you too.'

He then said: 'O my dear mother! I am smelling the fragrance of my loving grandfather!'

I said:'Yes, your beloved grandfather is here under the cloak.'

Hassan then went forwards his grandfather and said: 'O my grandfather! Peace be on you. May I enter the cloak.'

My loving father replied: 'O my son, the owner of my fountain (of Kauthar)! Peace be on you too. Yes; you may enter.'

Thus Hassan entered the cloak. Soon after, my loving son, Hussain came and said: 'O my dear mother! Peace be on you.'

1 replied: 'O my loving son, the apple of my eyes, the delight of my heart! peace be on you too.'

He then said: 'O my dear mother! I am smelling the fragrance of my affectionate grandfather!' I replied: 'Yes, your loving grandfather and your elder brother Hassan, are inside the cloak.'

Hussain then went near the cloak and said: 'O my dear grandfather, the chosen Prophet of Allah! peace be on you.

May I also come inside the cloak to be with both of you.'

My loving father replied: 'O my son, the interceder of my Ummah! peace be on you too. Yes you may enter.'

Thus Hussain too entered the cloak.

Then Ali-Ibn Abu Talib came and said: 'O beloved daughter of the Holy Prophet! peace be on you.'

1 replied: 'O Abul-Hassan, Commander of the Faithful! peace be on you too.'

He then said: 'Fatima! I am smelling the fragrance of my brother, the son of my Uncle.'

I replied: 'Yes! He along with your two sons is inside the cloak'

Ali then proceeded towards the cloak and said: 'O Prophet of Allah! peace be on you. May I also come to you inside the cloak!'

My beloved father replied: 'Peace be on you also my brother, my vicegerent, my successor, my standard bearer! You may also come inside.'

Thus Ali also went inside the cloak

Then I went near the cloak and said: 'Peace be on you, O my loving father! O Prophet of Allah! May I also come to you inside the cloak.'

My loving father replied: 'Peace of Allah be on you also, my beloved daughter! All

dear heart! You too have my permission.'

Thus, I also went inside the cloak.

Now when all of us got assembled inside the Cloak,

my affectionate father held the two corners of the cloak and raising his right hand towards the sky said:

'O Allah! These are my Ahlul-Bayt.

They are my confidants and my supporters.

Their flesh is my flesh and their blood is my blood.

Whoever hurts them, hurts me.

Whoever displeases them, displeases me.

Whoever makes peace with them, will make peace with me.

Whoever has enmity against them, will have enmity against me.

Whoever is a friend to them, is a friend of mine. It is because they belong to me and I belong to them.

O Allah! Bestow Your peace, Benevolence, Mercy, forgiveness and Your Pleasures on me and on them.

And keep them aloof from uncleanliness and keep them pure and thoroughly purified.'

Then the Lord, Almighty Allah said:

'O my Angels! O inmates of the heavens!

I created this solid firmament, well-stretched earth,

well-lighted moon, shinning sun, rotating planets, rippling oceans, floating boats,

and all other things for the sake and love of these five persons who are inside the cloak.'

At this, the Archangel Gabriel asked:

'O Lord! Who are they inside the cloak?'

The Lord said:

'They are Ahlul-Bayt of the Prophet and the assets of the Prophethood. They are Fatima, her father, her husband and her two sons.'

Gabriel said:

'O Lord! permit me also to descend to earth and join them as the sixth inside the cloak.'

The Lord said: 'You are permitted.'

Thus Gabriel, the Archangel came down to earth and said:

'O Prophet of Allah! peace be on you. The Gracious Lord, the Almighty Allah sends His Greetings to you to bestow on you His Grace and Mercy and says:

"By My Grace and Grandeur! I have created this solid

firmament, well-stretched earth, well-lighted moon,

shining sun, rotating planets, rippling oceans, floating boats and

all other things for the sake and love of you and

your chosen people."

And the Lord, Almighty has given me the permission to join you inside the cloak

O Prophet of Allah!

May I come in and be with you?'

The Holy Prophet replied:

'O Bearer of the Divine revelations! Peace be on you also. Yes, you may come in.'

Then Gabriel too came inside the cloak

Thereafter, he spoke to my affectionate father:

'Allah sends His revelation to you people and says:

"Surely, Allah has decided that He should keep you and your Ahlul-Bayt clean of all pollution and purify you people with a thorough purification."'

Then Ali said to my loving father:

'Tell me! What merit the coming under this cloak has before Allah ?'

The Holy Prophet replied:

'By that Being, Who made me His Prophet and Who, for the salvation of mankind appointed me to prophethood! When any of our Shiites and supporters will assemble in a

gathering of the inmates of this earth and narrate this Hadith, Allah will bestow on them His Blessings and Mercy; angels will encircle them and as long as they do not disperse,

the angels will pray for the forgiveness of their sins.'

At this, Ali said:

'By Allah! We and our Shiites have now become triumphant.'

Then the Holy Prophet said:

'O Ali! By that Being, Who made me the righteous prophet and appointed me to the prophet-hood for the sake of people's salvation, whenever in the gathering of the inmates of this earth our Shiites and friends will assemble and narrate this Hadith of ours, and if some-one amongst them will be in agony, Allah will remove his trouble; and if someone was sorrowful, Allah will relieve him of his sorrows; will answer his needs.'

Then Ali said:

'By Allah! At this moment we have been crowned with success and Blessings; and by the Lord of Kaabah, in the same way our Shiites too have become triumphant and blessed in this world and the Hereafter.'

Note: (We have depended on the good translation of our brothers in the Islamic Seminary of Pakistan to include this event in the book)