descendants. There‟s no disagreement with that. The only disagreement exits concerning if anyone else is included.

One does not come from the family of „Ali except through Fātima because, otherwise, they will not be the descendants of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny. „Ali, upon him be peace, is included in the People of the House by designation. There is no use of including the “people” in the offspring and other than them unless it is metaphor and not true. Otherwise, the presumption must be evident. If one desired to enter the children of „Ali other than through Fātima, then al-Hassan and al-Hussein wouldn‟t have entered in the cloak. It was enough that „Ali and Fātima entered the cloak.

If you know this, then Zayn al-Abidīn, al-Bāqir, as-Šadiq, and the rest of the imams of the Imamites could enter. This includes the sons of both al-Hassan and al-Hussein. Whoever enters, enters and whoever leaves, leaves.

Regarding the meaning of the hadīth, it shows that they are on the truth because those that follow them are against error for the following points:

First: It was stated that if one was to hold to them that they will never go astray; therefore such a judgment counters the opposite of the judgment.

Second: It is stated that they are on the truth. Allah says: {…and what is after the truth except error?} (Q. 10:32).

Third: It is stated that they are with the Qur‟ān and they will never separate from it. It was not given with invalidation. There is no revelation after it from wisdom or praise. There is no doubt that error has occurred after the Qur‟ān.

Fourth: There are some narrations that say: ((Do not go before them or you will be destroyed. Do not cut them short or you will be destroyed. Don‟t teach them because they are your teachers)). The Hadīth of the Ark states that the ones who do not follow them will be destroyed. The Verse of Purification [i.e. Q. 33:33] proves that they are on the truth because error is “impurity” (rijs). This is similar to the Verse of Affection because Allah says: {you will not find people who believe in Allah and His Messenger having affection for the enemies of Allah and His Messenger} (Q. 58:22). Consequently, when we are commanded to have affection for them, they are not those who are enemies of Allah and His Messenger.

Now, the Imamites know the legitimacy of these verses and that it not only establishes a proof, but it also does not prove, either legally or intellectually, the establishing of anyone other than from the People of the House, upon him be peace. However, it also does not restrict them either.

The establishment of the Imamate amongst them can be proven by the Hadīth of the Two Weighty Things also from the following points:

First: He said: ((…leave for you…)) which refers to making successors for them. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny, was the judge for his community. It is the successor that appoints successors. That is why the Companions, may Allah reward them, called the imam “Successor to the Messenger of Allah”, peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny.

Second: It proves that they and their followers on the truth. It was unanimously agreed that they were designated. Al-Hassan Bin Yahya Bin Hussein Bin Zayd, Imam „Abdullah bin Hamza, al-Hussein bin Badr al-Din all narrated it unanimously. It was indeed witnessed. Their Shiites were present at all times. May Allah reward them. They claimed that they were upright. They sought that they will arise or request