Discussion Regarding Ahlul Bayt
Question
Your assessement on Sura Al-Ahzab chapter 33 verse 33 is correct if looked on the surface. The context is the prophets wives. But if you look deeply the last clause changes from feminine to masculine. The verse starts addressing feminine gender(Buyutikunna, waakimna, waatiyna, etc) which ofcourse means the wives of the prophet, and then in the last clause it changes to masculine gender (ankumur-rijsa,wayutahhirakum). If the verse was strictly for the wives then why the change in pronouns to masculine? I have an explanation. The portion of this verse relating to the divinely effected purity of the Holy Ahlul Beyt needs a proper explanation, commenting with reference to it's correct context. This portion of this verse is separate ayat by itself revealed separately on particular occassions but placed here as it deals with the wives of the Holy Prophet. The transition in the grammatical use of the language, makes it quite obvious that the clause is for a different group of people other than the previous one, and has been suitably placed here to show a coparative position of the Ahlul Beyt in contrast to the wives of the Holy prophet.
Muslim in his sahih muslim part 15, page 194 recorded that Ayesha said: The messenger of God came out wearing a wide cloak, made of black hair. Fatima, Hassan, Hussein, and Ali came successively, then he covered them with his cloak and recited the clause "Certainly God wants to keep all abominations away from you, ye members of the House of Mohammad and make you pure, spotless".
On your other point you are right to follow the Quran for guidance but there is a lot we need to expound about the Quran and it's profound meanings, that is why the prophet in many occassions said that I am leaving you two weighty things The Quran and my Ahlul Beyt and if you follow them you shall never go astray.
One example that re-inforces that advise is that the Quran instructs us to Pray (Salat) it doesn't demonstrate how? But the sunnah and the Hadith's breaks that down for us. Similarly there are a lot of issue's we need guidance on and we shia's look upto the teachings of the prophet and imams for guidance.
I am grateful for this opportunity and I hope you will post this comment and your response on the website, so that anybody can have access and post an additional comment on this subject.
Response
Your observation regarding the change in the gender is very correct. However, in my opinion, I think this is a result of simple Arabic grammar rule, which is that construction 'Nisaa Nabi' (نِسَاء النَّبِيِّ) (wives of the prophet) is feminine while the construction 'أَهْلَ الْبَيْت' (people of the house) would be considered masculine in Arabic and hence the masculine gender.
This is evident from other verses of the Quran as well. For instance, in verses 11:71-72 the angels sent from Almighty give tidings of a son to Abraham and his wife in the old age. She remarks with the following,
In the verse above, the angels are addressing the wife of prophet
Abraham (pbuh), which is also evident by the phrase 'أَتَعْجَبِينَ'
which is a singular feminine second person form. However, in the same
sentence, when the next construction comes with
Similarly, in Surah Qasas, reading the story of prophet Moses (pbuh) as an infant, the following verse is encountered,
Similarly in this verse, the phrase 'أَهْلَ الْبَيْت' is used clearly in the context of a lady, while the gender is masculine again 'يَكْفُلُونَهُ' and 'وَهُمْ'.
In both these verses, the addresses are the women which are addressed with the phrase 'أَهْلَ الْبَيْت'. This also shows that really this phrase primarily includes one's wives.
Having understood the exact implication of this phrase from the Quran, in my opinion, the hadith should be understood in the light of this understanding. The following are my observations with respect to the hadith.
1. The first is that in most of the reliable narrations of this hadith that I have come across, there is no mention of a clear context. It cannot be claimed that prophet (pbuh)'s this statement was with respect to the interpretation of this verse or not. However, it is beyond any doubt that the phrase 'أَهْلَ الْبَيْت' simply means 'people of the house' and all these people mentioned in the hadith would generally be considered prophet (pbuh)'s people of the house. As a result, it cannot be claimed that they are a part of verse 33, neither can it be claimed, using this hadith, otherwise.
2. While it is possible that that verse can be extended to include the other members of the prophet (pbuh)'s family, however, when the context of that verse is looked upon, and other verses of Quran which use the exact same words, it becomes clear that in all three cases the ladies are really implied by the phrase 'أَهْلَ الْبَيْت'.
3. Lastly, the narration that you have quoted is not implying an interpretation of this verse. It is an act of the prophet (pbuh) in which he seems to have prayed to the Almighty for his family members using this verse. However, it cannot be said, especially based on the Quranic evidence, that the Quranic verse itself means what apparently seems to be the case from the narration. There is a difference between the Quranic verse and this act of the prophet (pbuh). For instance, there are many prayers of many prophets in the Quran that are recited by Muslims both in the prayers and otherwise in order to ask for help of the Almighty. In addition, they are recited in different contexts and different places. However, the circumstances under which these are recited do not define the meaning of those supplications, rather it is based on the supplication that it is chosen to be recited at a particular occasion.
The second hadith regarding the Quran and two weighty things has many narrations in the books of hadith. Some of those narrations say 'Quran and Sunnah' while some mention 'Quran' only. Due to the nature of hadith in general, I think we as Muslims cannot base our beliefs on hadith directly. In fact, all the beliefs in Islam are based on Quran: Oneness of God, Prayer, Fasting, Almsgiving, Pilgrimage, Paradise, Hell, Hereafter, Angels, Jinns, Prophethood, Freewill and Predestination, Day of Judgment and so forth. There is not even a single belief that was taught to us by the prophet (pbuh) outside of Quran. Consequently, if there is a belief that we must follow the progeny of the Prophet (pbuh), it must also come from the Quran.
What prophet (pbuh) has given us are the practices. The commandment of offering prayers is in the Quran, it is only the practical aspect that is taught by the prophet (pbuh). As a result, I do not think that any thing other than the Quran can introduce any beliefs in our system.