المعنى الاصطلاحي :

The wives of the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, his offspring, the Banu Hashim, the Banu Al-Muttalib, and their freed slaves.

الشرح المختصر :

"Ahl-ul-Bayt" are a group of the relatives of the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, for whom receiving charity is unlawful. This group includes: 1. The wives of the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, and they are the Mothers of all the Believers. 2. The offspring of the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, including his sons and daughters and their children until the Day of Judgment. 3. The Banu Hashim, who are the families of `Ali, `Aqeel, Ja`far, and `Abbas. 4. The Banu Al-Muttalib, who are the families of Al-Haarith ibn `Abdul-Muttalib and Abu Lahab ibn `Abdul-Muttalib. 5. The servants of the household of the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, and that includes the slaves freed by any of the Prophet’s wives, his children, or by the Banu Hashim or the Banu Muttalib. The beliefs of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah regarding Ahl-ul-Bayt are: 1. They consider it obligatory to love the household of the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, supporting all of them, revealing their virtues and merits, and refuting the claims of those who speak ill of them. 2. They acknowledge their rights, for Allah has made them entitled to a share in the one fifth (khums) and the war gains won without fighting (fay'), and has also ordered Muslims to invoke His peace and blessings upon them after invoking peace and blessings upon the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him. 3. They dissociate themselves from the "Nawaasib", who speak ill of "Ahl-ul-Bayt" and from the "Rawaafid" who exaggerate in praising them. 4. They support the wives of the Prophet, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, ask Allah to be pleased with them, acknowledge their rights, and believe that they are the Prophet’s wives in this world and the hereafter. 5. They do not exceed the permissible limits in their description of "Ahl-ul-Bayt", so they do not exaggerate in praising them nor do they believe that they are infallible; rather, they believe that they are humans who err like others. 6. They believe in the virtues and merits of "Ahl-ul-Bayt" like the fact that Allah has purified them from despicable acts and blameworthy morals, the virtue of Allah praising them and ordering the Muslims to invoke His peace and blessings upon them, in addition to favoring their Arab race and ordering Muslims to treat them kindly.