and they are not lawful for Muhammad nor for the family of Muhammad.”

The family of Muhammad enjoys privileges that no one else shares. With regard to the spoils of war allocated as state revenue (fay’), they possess a special entitlement, for the Most High says: “And know that whatever gains you obtain, then indeed, for Allah is one-fifth of it, and for the Messenger, and for the relatives” (Al-Anfal 41)—meaning the Prophet’s kin ﷺ.

They possess honor, nobility, and leadership; therefore charity and the obligatory zakah are unlawful for them, because such alms are the impurities of people. Allah says: “Take from their wealth a charity by which you cleanse them” (Al-Tawbah 9:103). Hence, charity is not permissible for them; they are too distinguished and elevated to receive it. Instead, they are compensated from the one-fifth share.

Zayd ibn Arqam’s narration states that on the Day of Ghadir Khumm—a pond between Mecca and Madinah where the Prophet ﷺ stopped, exhorted, reminded, urged adherence to the Quran, and declared that it is healing and light—he then urged concern for his household, saying: “I remind you by Allah concerning my family, I remind you by Allah concerning my family, I remind you by Allah concerning my family.”

He did not, however, claim that his family is infallible or that their statements must be followed like the Quran, as the Rāfidah assert. They are not infallible; they err as others err and are correct as others are correct. Their distinction lies in their kinship to the Prophet ﷺ, as already noted.

His words “I remind you by Allah concerning my family” mean: acknowledge their rights, do not wrong them, and do not transgress against them. This is merely an emphatic reminder—for every believer has rights over his brother; it is forbidden to transgress against him or wrong him—but