One of the most frequently asked questions about love for the Ahl al-Bayt in practice is: what does it mean today, when the Prophet ﷺ has been gone for fourteen centuries? The answer is that the Ahl al-Bayt are not only historical figures to be honoured in memory — they are a living reality. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has millions of living descendants — known as Sadat, Sharifs, or Hasani/Hussaini descendants — in every corner of the Muslim world. And the Prophet ﷺ gave explicit instructions about how to treat them.
Who Are the Sadat?
The Sadat — singular Sayyid — are those who trace their lineage to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through Sayyidah Fatima al-Zahra عليها السلام and Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه, through either or both of their sons Sayyiduna al-Hasan and Sayyiduna al-Husayn رضي الله عنهما. Those who trace through Sayyiduna al-Hasan رضي الله عنه are called Hasanis. Those who trace through Sayyiduna al-Husayn رضي الله عنه are called Hussainis. The term Sharif (plural Ashraf) is also used — particularly in Makkah, Madinah, Morocco, and the broader Arab world. The Hashimite royal family of Jordan and the Moroccan royal family are among the most publicly recognised Sharifs today.
The Ba Alawi Tradition
Among the most celebrated traditions of prophetic descendancy is the Ba Alawi tradition — originating in Hadramawt (present-day Yemen) and spreading throughout the Indian Ocean world, East Africa, and Southeast Asia. The Ba Alawi are Hussaini Sadat whose scholars and missionaries have been among the most effective transmitters of Islam in the modern world. The tradition of Imam al-Haddad رحمه الله, whose Ratib and collected works are among the most widely practiced devotional texts in Sunni Islam, emerges from this lineage.
The Prophet’s Instructions on Honouring Them
The Prophet ﷺ gave direct instructions about his descendants, including: “Keep my memory alive through my Ahl al-Bayt.” Classical scholars understood these instructions to include: greeting the Sadat with the respect their lineage deserves, using the title Sayyid appropriately, not troubling or dishonouring them, and supporting them financially where they are in need — because the Prophet ﷺ forbade zakah to his family and left them dependent on honourable provision.
Practical Honouring Today
For a Sunni Muslim today, honouring the living Sadat means: addressing them with the title Sayyid or Sharif as appropriate; not speaking ill of them or their lineage; seeking knowledge and spiritual guidance from those among them who are scholars; supporting their charitable and educational efforts; and recognising that in meeting a descendant of the Prophet ﷺ one is meeting someone whose lineage connects directly to the man Allah ﷻ describes as a mercy to all the worlds.
Explore this theme in depth in The Deeper Link.
Who are the Sadat and how do they trace their lineage?
The Sadat are descendants of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through Sayyidah Fatima al-Zahra عليها السلام and Sayyiduna Ali رضي الله عنه. Those through Sayyiduna al-Hasan رضي الله عنه are Hasanis; those through Sayyiduna al-Husayn رضي الله عنه are Hussainis. All living descendants of the Prophet ﷺ pass through Sayyidah Fatima عليها السلام.
Are there living descendants of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ today?
Yes — millions worldwide. The Hashimite royal family of Jordan, the Moroccan royal family, the Ba Alawi scholars of Hadramawt and Southeast Asia, and countless families across the Muslim world trace documented lineage to the Prophet ﷺ through Sayyidah Fatima عليها السلام.
How should Sunni Muslims treat the living Sadat?
With the respect their lineage deserves — using the title Sayyid appropriately, not speaking ill of them, seeking knowledge from those among them who are scholars, and recognising that the Prophet ﷺ instructed his community to keep his memory alive through his Ahl al-Bayt. This is an expression of love for the Prophet ﷺ directed toward those who carry his light in the world today.