Shaykh Syed An-Ninowy (hafithahu Allah) said: whoever dies on the love of Ahlul Bayt, dies as Shaheed, and the Love of Ahlul Bayt constitutes a shield from Hellfire.
Below are the evidence.
- Imam Al Qadi Iyyad narrates in his Shifa, 2nd volume, page 602, under the chapter Loving his Ahl:
"The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, said: (knowing AAL Muhammad is a shield from Hellfire, Loving AAL Muhammad is passing on the Siraat(bridge), and loyalty to AAL Muhammad is safety from punishment). This last narration was also narrated by Ibn Hajar in his Sawaeq, and Muhaddith Zabidi in the It'haaf, among others.
Furthermore, Imam Qurtubi in His Tafseer of Surat Shura, ayah 24( so do most of the Ulama of Tafsir, like Imam Razi, Imam Tha'labi, Imam Tha'aalibi, Imam Suyuti, and many others), the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam, said:
" Whoever dies on the love of AAL Muhammad, dies as a Shaheed. Whoever dies on the love of AAL Muhammad, Allah makes the visitors of his grave angels and mercy. Whoever dies on the dislike of AAL Muhammad, will be brought in the day of judgement written between his eyes: Hopeless from the Mercy of Allah. Whoever dies on the dislike of AAL Muhammad, will not smell the smell of Janna".
The narrations in that meaning are overwhelming, and is accepted not only to the Ulama of Tafsir of the Holy Qur'an, but also practiced by the Ulama of Tasawuff. As stated by a scholar of this time, the door of Wilayah of Allah is through the love of Ali bin Abi Taleb. That applies to everybody, from the Sahaba-e-kiraam until the last Muslim on earth, because of two Hadiths that are authentic that the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam, said about Ali.
1- In Sahih Muslim: only a believer loves you O'Ali.
Hence, all believers must love him to be believers, and Munafiqin don't.
2- The known authentic Mutawater Hadith, where the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam, says: whomsoever I am his Mawla, then Ali is his Mawla. Therefore, Ali is the Mawla of all belivers other than the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam.