Ahl al-Bayt is a phrase meaning people of the house, or family, which refers to the household of Muhammad . It consists of his daughter Fatima, his successor and son-in-law, Imam Ali, their two sons Imam Hasan and Imam Husain (peace be upon them all). With the above mentioned verse, known as the Tathir verse, Allah declares Ahl-i bayt as the persons purified by Him.

With the love of Ahl al-Bayt hearts are filled with light. To whom Allah gives deeds, to him/her He gives the love of ahl-i bayt, and observes him/her in every situation. This is the result of Prophets law. Who loves Allah, loves his prophet and his Ahl al-Bayt.

And Allah only wishes to remove all abomination from you, ye members of the Family, and to make you pure and spotless. Quran: 33:33

“The secret was revealed to me when I became mad in love of Allah.”
Jafer Sadiq

“He who renounces the love of the world relishes the love of God and attains to it.”
Ma`ruf Karhi

It is erroneous to imagine that a Sufi end up with the fruits of Sufism, which are inner light, certainty and knowledge of Allah, without having maintained an outer protective shell which is based upon adherence to the requirements of the outer laws. This correct outer behaviour – physical behaviour – is based on making supplications and doing the prayers and all the other ritual acts of worship established by the Prophet Muhammad in order to achieve watchfulness of the ‘heart’, with its accompanying moods and states. Then one can profess on the purification ladder from one’s base intentions towards higher aspirations, from the awareness of greed and pride towards humility and noble contentment. This inner work needs to be continued in a well contained and maintained outer situation.

The basic concept which underlies Sufi movement is the intention to bring about the development of the whole person, and not a fragment of a person with practice and discipline. Thinking that Sufis are ezotericists is wrong. If some Sufis have emphasized esoteric teachings, it is because they judged that the priority need at the time was the science of understanding the self and inward purification. The real Sufi is not ignorant about the other dimentions of man, such as his role in society and in all matters pertaining to life in general. For man, according to Sufism is a microcosm of the totality of existence.

Being a servant of Allah is highest state of the one can reach. The one aspires to remember Allah in every moment, with each and every breath. This is chanting of the heart.

To attain Allah, abandon your ego; therein lies the way to Him. Whosoever has annihilated his self in the Lord, he finds that He is everything.