Explanation

Yazīd ibn Hayyān reported: I went along with Husayn ibn Sabrah and ‘Amr ibn Muslim to Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him). As we were sitting with him, Husayn said to him: O Zayd, you have acquired a great virtue by seeing the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) listening to his words directly, fighting by his side, and praying behind him. You have, in fact, earned a great virtue. Could you narrate to us what you heard from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)? He said: I have grown old, and it has been long. I have forgotten some of the narrations I memorized from Allah's Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him); so accept whatever I narrate to you, and what I do not narrate, do not compel me to narrate. He then said: One day, the Messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) stood up to deliver a sermon in a valley that had a water known as Khumm located between Makkah and Madīnah. He praised Allah, extolled Him, and reminded us of observing the right of servitude to Allah, which we were distracted from by our preoccupation with our families and dependents. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then said: O people! I am only a human being, and I am about to die, but I am leaving with you two great and significant things: the first is the Qur'an, in which there is right guidance and light. So, follow it and force yourselves to adhere to it. He urged us to follow the Qur'an and adhere to its rope. Afterwards, he prompted us to be kind to his household, to obey Allah in them and observe their rights. He said that twice. Husayn asked Zayd about his household, and whether or not his wives were members of his family. Zayd said that his wives were members of his family as they lived with him and were under his responsibility. He commanded us to respect and honor them. However, generally speaking, his household are the ones for whom obligatory charity is forbidden, and those were the household of ‘Ali, ‘Aqīl, Ja‘far, and ‘Abbās. All of these are forbidden from taking any of the obligatory charity (i.e. Zakah, vows, and expiation). In another narration: Indeed, I am leaving behind two great matters: one of them is the Book of Allah. It is His covenant and the only means to His pleasure and mercy. It is His light by which He guides. So whoever follows it through observing its commandments and refraining from its prohibitions is following guidance, which is the opposite of error, and whoever turns away from its commandments and prohibitions is on error.