Who is included when a bequest is made to 'Ahl Bayt' (People of the House) or 'Ahl Qaraba' (Relatives)?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Bequests
Primary text
The mother and her relatives, maternal uncles, maternal aunts, the mother's ascendants, their children, and everyone recognized by kinship are included when the term 'Ahl Bayt' is used. The established position from Ahmad, based on reliable narration, is that this term is equivalent to the term 'kinship' (Qaraba). Ahmad reasoned that the Prophet stated, 'Charity (Sadaqa) is not lawful for me nor for my Ahl Bayt,' establishing the share of relatives (Dhuwi al-Qurba) as compensation for the Sadaqa forbidden to them, thus equating Dhuwi al-Qurba mentioned in the Quran with the Ahl Bayt to whom Sadaqa is forbidden. This includes the families of Ali, Aqil, Ja'far, and Al-Abbas, as narrated from Zayd ibn Arqam.
Supporting text
Al-Qadi mentions that Thaalab defined Ahl al-Bayt among Arabs as the man's fathers and children, such as grandfathers, paternal uncles, and their children, equally including males and females. However, this is refuted as the Prophet's descendants are certainly among his Ahl Bayt and kin to whom Sadaqa is forbidden, and they are among his closest relatives, evidenced by the supplication concerning Fatima, her two sons, and her husband.