It has also been said that the family of the Prophet are his believing relatives. (1) Those who hold this view restrict it to his believing relatives, thereby excluding all others and excluding every disbeliever among the Prophet’s relatives. However, the first view is correct: the family are his followers. Yet, if the term “family” is coupled with something else, such as: “upon Muhammad, his family, and his followers,” then “his family” refers to his believing relatives.

“Just as You sent blessings upon the family of Abraham; indeed, You are Praiseworthy, Glorious.”

His statement, “just as You sent blessings upon the family of Abraham”: is the particle kāf here for comparison or for explanation of the reason?

The answer is that most scholars say it is for comparison. But in doing so, they raise an objection that requires an answer: the established rule is that what is compared is inferior to that with which it is compared. Accordingly, have you asked Allah to send blessings upon Muhammad and his family that are inferior to the blessings sent upon the family of Abraham? Yet it is known that Muhammad and his family are superior to Abraham and his family. This is where the difficulty arises, since it conflicts with the agreed-upon rule that what is compared is lower than that with which it is compared.

They answered this in several ways.

Some scholars said: Muhammad is included among the family of Abraham, for he is from his family and Abraham is his forefather. It is therefore as though blessings were requested for the Messenger twice: once in a specific sense—“O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad”—and once in a general sense—“just as You sent blessings upon the family of Abraham.” But there is something problematic about this answer, and it is not clear.

Other scholars said that it—that is, the kāf—is for explanation of the reason, and that this