The one who ponders the meaning of the Qur'an will have no doubt that the wives of the Prophet are included among those who are referred to in the Ayah:

﴿إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُـمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيــراً﴾

(Allah wishes only to remove Ar-Rijs from you, O members of the family, and to purify you with a thorough purification.) The context clearly refers to them. Allah then says:

﴿وَاذْكُـرْنَ مَا يُتْـلَى فِى بُيُوتِكُـنَّ مِنْ ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ وَالْحِكْــمَةِ﴾

(And remember, that which is recited in your houses of the Ayat of Allah and Al-Hikmah.) meaning, `act in accordance with that of the Qur'an and Sunnah which Allah revealed to His Messenger in your houses.' This was the view of Qatadah and others. `And remember this blessing with which you alone of all the people have been favored, that the revelation comes down in your houses and not those of other people.' `A'ishah As-Siddiqah bint As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with them, was foremost among them with in this blessing and was the most fortunate, and the most favored with this mercy. For the revelation did not come to the Messenger of Allah in the bed of any of his wives except hers, as he stated. Some of the scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, said: "This was because he did not marry any other virgin besides her, and no man slept with her in her bed before him , may Allah be pleased with her.'' So it was befitting that she should be singled out for this blessing and high status. But if his wives are members of his household, then this title is even more fitting for his own relatives. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Jamilah said: "Al-Hasan bin `Ali, may Allah be pleased with them both, was appointed as Khalifah when `Ali was killed.'' He said: "While he was praying, a man leapt on him and stabbed him with a dagger.'' Husayn claimed that he heard that the one who stabbed him was a man from Banu Asad, and Al-Hasan, may Allah be pleased with him, was prostrating at the time. He said, "They claimed that he received the wound in his hip. He was ill as a result for many months, then he recovered. He ascended the Minbar and said: `O people of `Iraq! Have Taqwa of Allah concerning us, for we are your leaders and your guests, and we are members of the family (Ahl Al-Bayt) concerning whom Allah said:

﴿إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ لِيُذْهِبَ عَنكُـمُ الرِّجْسَ أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ وَيُطَهِّرَكُمْ تَطْهِيــراً﴾

(Allah wishes only to remove Ar-Rijs from you, O members of the family, and to purify you with a thorough purification.)' He kept saying this until there was no one left in the Masjid who was not weeping and sobbing.''

﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ لَطِيفاً خَبِيراً﴾

(Verily, Allah is Ever Most Courteous, Well-Acquainted with all things.) means, `by His kindness towards you, you have reached this status, and by His knowledge of you and that you are qualified for that status, He has given this to you and singled you out for it.' Ibn Jarir, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "And remember how Allah blessed you by causing the Ayat of Allah and Al-Hikmah to be recited in your houses, so give thanks to Allah for that and praise Him.

﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ لَطِيفاً خَبِيراً﴾

(Verily, Allah is Ever Most Courteous, Well-Acquainted with all things.) means, `He is kind towards you, for He has caused the Ayat of Allah and Al-Hikmah to be recited in your houses,' and Al-Hikmah means the Sunnah. And He is Well-Acquainted with you means, `He chose you as wives for His Messenger.' Qatadah said:

﴿وَاذْكُـرْنَ مَا يُتْـلَى فِى بُيُوتِكُـنَّ مِنْ ءَايَـتِ اللَّهِ وَالْحِكْــمَةِ﴾

(And remember, that which is recited in your houses of the Ayat of Allah and Al-Hikmah.) "He is reminding them of His favor.'' This was narrated by Ibn Jarir. `Atiyah Al-`Awfi commented on the Ayah:

﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ لَطِيفاً خَبِيراً﴾

(Verily, Allah is Ever Most Courteous, Well-Acquainted with all things.) "He knows when and where to reveal Al-Hikmah.'' This was recorded by Ibn Abi Hatim, then he said: "This was also narrated from Ar-Rabi` bin Anas from Qatadah. ''

﴿إِنَّ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَـتِ وَالْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَـتِ وَالْقَـنِتِينَ وَالْقَـنِتَـتِ وَالصَّـدِقِينَ وَالصَّـدِقَـتِ وَالصَّـبِرِينَ وَالصَّـبِرَتِ وَالْخَـشِعِينَ وَالْخَـشِعَـتِ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ وَالْمُتَصَدِّقَـتِوالصَّـئِمِينَ والصَّـئِمَـتِ وَالْحَـفِظِينَ فُرُوجَهُمْ وَالْحَـفِـظَـتِ وَالذَكِـرِينَ اللَّهَ كَثِيراً وَالذَكِرَتِ أَعَدَّ اللَّهُ لَهُم مَّغْفِرَةً وَأَجْراً عَظِيماً﴾

(35. Verily, the Muslims: men and women, the believers: men and women, the Qanit: men and the women, the men and women who are truthful, the men and the women who are patient, the Khashi`: men and the women, the men and the women who give Sadaqat, the men and the women who fast, the men and the women who guard their chastity and the men and the women who remember Allah much with their hearts and tongues, Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward.)