Biography & family
Ahle Bayt
The family of the Prophet ﷺ
Meet the people of his household, understand their relationships, and read the references behind each section.
إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيرًاAllah wills to remove impurity from the people of the household and to purify them completely.
A guide to the household
One family, several relationships
Choose a group to begin. Each section identifies the relationship and lists its references.
Names appear in transliteration and Arabic.
- 11 wives
Mothers of the Believers
أُمَّهَاتُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَThe standard seerah list of the Prophet’s wives. Maria and Rayhana are discussed in separate notes.Open - 7 children
Children of the Prophet ﷺ
أَوْلَادُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺThree sons and four daughters, with their mothers identified in the reading section.Open - 4 family members
People of the cloak
أَهْلُ الْكِسَاءِAli, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn, gathered under the cloak with the Prophet ﷺ in Aisha’s report.Open - 4 named families
The wider Hashimite family
بَنُو هَاشِمThe families of Ali, Aqil, Ja‘far and Abbas named in Zayd ibn Arqam’s explanation.Open - 15 people
Family tree
شَجَرَةُ الْعَائِلَةFrom the Prophet ﷺ through his children to selected early descendants.Open
Understanding Ahle Bayt
Ahle Bayt means “people of the household”. The Qur’anic passage in Al-Ahzab 33:32–34 addresses the Prophet’s wives. Sahih Muslim 2424 also records Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn being gathered beneath his cloak.
This overview uses commonly cited Sunni seerah accounts. The scope of Ahle Bayt is discussed differently across Islamic traditions; notes identify differences relevant to this chapter.
Mothers of the Believers
أُمَّهَاتُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
The standard seerah list of the Prophet’s wives. Maria and Rayhana are discussed in separate notes.
Married toQur’an · Al-Ahzab 33:6
The standard list contains eleven wives. Khadijah and Zaynab bint Khuzaymah died during the Prophet’s lifetime; nine wives survived him. Qur’an 33:6 calls his wives the mothers of the believers.
Numbers help with reading; the lists do not establish an exact chronological order.
Children of the Prophet ﷺ
أَوْلَادُ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ
Three sons and four daughters, with their mothers identified in the reading section.
The usual seerah account names three sons and four daughters. Their mother was Khadijah, except for Ibrahim, whose mother was Maria al-Qibtiyya. The sons died in childhood.
People of the cloak
أَهْلُ الْكِسَاءِ
Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn, gathered under the cloak with the Prophet ﷺ in Aisha’s report.
People of the cloakSahih Muslim 2424
Aisha reports that Hasan, Husayn, Fatimah and Ali joined the Prophet ﷺ beneath his cloak, after which he recited the purification passage of Qur’an 33:33. The report is Sahih Muslim 2424.
Sahih al-Bukhari 3714 records the Prophet’s special closeness to Fatimah. His affection for Hasan is also recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari 3746.
The wider Hashimite family
بَنُو هَاشِم
The families of Ali, Aqil, Ja‘far and Abbas named in Zayd ibn Arqam’s explanation.
The wider Hashimite familySahih Muslim 2408a
In Sahih Muslim 2408a, Zayd ibn Arqam names the families of Ali, Aqil, Ja‘far and Abbas while discussing the relatives prohibited from accepting zakat. This is a specific explanation within the report.
Banu Hashim is the wider clan. These four entries are the families named in this report, and the list is not a census of the whole clan.
Family tree
شَجَرَةُ الْعَائِلَة
From the Prophet ﷺ through his children to selected early descendants.
Arrows run from parent to child. Tap any name to read about their life.
The diagram shows selected branches; other children and descendants are outside this overview.
Muhammad al-Baqir’s mother was Umm Abdullah bint al-Hasan.
References & reading notes
The paragraphs are editorial summaries. Arabic passages are marked as excerpts. Hadith numbers identify the relevant reports. Reference names are listed below for further reading.
- Qur’anQur’an · Al-Ahzab 33:32–34
- Qur’anQur’an · Al-Ahzab 33:33
- Qur’anQur’an · Al-Ahzab 33:6
- HadithSahih Muslim 2408a
- HadithSahih Muslim 2424
- HadithSahih al-Bukhari 3714
- HadithSahih al-Bukhari 3746
- Scholarly explanationIslam Q&A · Wives of Prophet Muhammad · 47072
- Scholarly explanationIslam Q&A · Maria al-Qibtiyya · 47572
- Scholarly explanationIslamweb · Rayhana bint Zayd · 398938
- Scholarly explanationIslamweb · Names of the children · 87374
- BiographyIslamweb · The children of Prophet Muhammad
- HadithSahih al-Bukhari 3091 · Sahih Muslim 1979
- HadithSahih al-Bukhari 3623–3624
- HadithSahih al-Bukhari 4240 · Sahih Muslim 1759
- GenealogyIbn Hazm · Jamharat Ansab al-‘Arab, ed. Harun · pp. 37–38, 52–59
- Biographyal-Dhahabi · Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’ · 13/120–122, and entry Muhammad ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn
- BiographyIbn Kathir · al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah · vol. 9, entry Abu Ja‘far al-Baqir
References consulted · 1 October 2026
Read the chapter
Short, referenced sections to read in order or explore individually.
Understanding Ahle Bayt
Ahle Bayt means “people of the household”. The Qur’anic passage in Al-Ahzab 33:32–34 addresses the Prophet’s wives. Sahih Muslim 2424 also records Ali, Fatimah, Hasan and Husayn being gathered beneath his cloak.
This overview uses commonly cited Sunni seerah accounts. The scope of Ahle Bayt is discussed differently across Islamic traditions; notes identify differences relevant to this chapter.
The wives of the Prophet ﷺ
The standard list contains eleven wives. Khadijah and Zaynab bint Khuzaymah died during the Prophet’s lifetime; nine wives survived him. Qur’an 33:6 calls his wives the mothers of the believers.
Numbers help with reading; the lists do not establish an exact chronological order.
- Wife of the Prophet ﷺخديجة بنت خويلد
- Wife of the Prophet ﷺسودة بنت زمعة
- Wife of the Prophet ﷺعائشة بنت أبي بكر
- Wife of the Prophet ﷺحفصة بنت عمر
- Wife of the Prophet ﷺزينب بنت خزيمة
- Wife of the Prophet ﷺأم سلمة — هند بنت أبي أمية
- Wife of the Prophet ﷺزينب بنت جحش
- Wife of the Prophet ﷺجويرية بنت الحارث
- Wife of the Prophet ﷺأم حبيبة — رملة بنت أبي سفيان
- Wife of the Prophet ﷺصفية بنت حيي
- Wife of the Prophet ﷺميمونة بنت الحارث
His sons and daughters
The usual seerah account names three sons and four daughters. Their mother was Khadijah, except for Ibrahim, whose mother was Maria al-Qibtiyya. The sons died in childhood.
- Sonالقاسم
- Sonعبد الله — الطيب والطاهر
- Daughterزينب
- Daughterرقية
- Daughterأم كلثوم
- Daughterفاطمة
- Sonإبراهيم
The narration of the cloak
Aisha reports that Hasan, Husayn, Fatimah and Ali joined the Prophet ﷺ beneath his cloak, after which he recited the purification passage of Qur’an 33:33. The report is Sahih Muslim 2424.
- Cousin and son-in-lawعلي بن أبي طالب
- Daughter; wife of Aliفاطمة بنت محمد
- Grandson; son of Ali and Fatimahالحسن بن علي
- Grandson; son of Ali and Fatimahالحسين بن علي
Sahih al-Bukhari 3714 records the Prophet’s special closeness to Fatimah. His affection for Hasan is also recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari 3746.
Banu Hashim and the wider family
In Sahih Muslim 2408a, Zayd ibn Arqam names the families of Ali, Aqil, Ja‘far and Abbas while discussing the relatives prohibited from accepting zakat. This is a specific explanation within the report.
- Cousin and son-in-lawعلي بن أبي طالب
- Cousin of the Prophet ﷺعقيل بن أبي طالب
- Cousin of the Prophet ﷺجعفر بن أبي طالب
- Paternal uncle of the Prophet ﷺالعباس بن عبد المطلب
Banu Hashim is the wider clan. These four entries are the families named in this report, and the list is not a census of the whole clan.
Selected early descendants
This diagram follows selected early parent–child relationships described in the cited biographical articles. It can be expanded as further branches are checked.
Open the family treeMuhammad al-Baqir’s mother was Umm Abdullah bint al-Hasan.
References & reading notes
The paragraphs are editorial summaries. Arabic passages are marked as excerpts. Hadith numbers identify the relevant reports. Reference names are listed below for further reading.
- Qur’anQur’an · Al-Ahzab 33:32–34
- Qur’anQur’an · Al-Ahzab 33:33
- Qur’anQur’an · Al-Ahzab 33:6
- HadithSahih Muslim 2408a
- HadithSahih Muslim 2424
- HadithSahih al-Bukhari 3714
- HadithSahih al-Bukhari 3746
- Scholarly explanationIslam Q&A · Wives of Prophet Muhammad · 47072
- Scholarly explanationIslam Q&A · Maria al-Qibtiyya · 47572
- Scholarly explanationIslamweb · Rayhana bint Zayd · 398938
- Scholarly explanationIslamweb · Names of the children · 87374
- BiographyIslamweb · The children of Prophet Muhammad
- HadithSahih al-Bukhari 3091 · Sahih Muslim 1979
- HadithSahih al-Bukhari 3623–3624
- HadithSahih al-Bukhari 4240 · Sahih Muslim 1759
- GenealogyIbn Hazm · Jamharat Ansab al-‘Arab, ed. Harun · pp. 37–38, 52–59
- Biographyal-Dhahabi · Siyar A‘lam al-Nubala’ · 13/120–122, and entry Muhammad ibn Ali ibn al-Husayn
- BiographyIbn Kathir · al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah · vol. 9, entry Abu Ja‘far al-Baqir
References consulted · 1 October 2026