...say: no wage do I ask for it except the love in al-Qurba....
Al-Qurba apparent meaning here is the near kin of Mohammad. It meaning "closeness" or "kinship" would have words after it to give closeness to what, kinship to what.
However, we read else where in Quran:
مَا أَفَاءَ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَىٰ فَلِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينِ وَابْنِ السَّبِيلِ كَيْ لَا يَكُونَ دُولَةً بَيْنَ الْأَغْنِيَاءِ مِنْكُمْ ۚ وَمَا آتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانْتَهُوا ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ
Sahih International: And what Allah restored to His Messenger from the people of the towns - it is for Allah and for the Messenger and for [his] near relatives and orphans and the [stranded] traveler - so that it will not be a perpetual distribution among the rich from among you. And whatever the Messenger has given you - take; and what he has forbidden you - refrain from. And fear Allah ; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.
Pickthall: That which Allah giveth as spoil unto His messenger from the people of the townships, it is for Allah and His messenger and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, that it become not a commodity between the rich among you. And whatsoever the messenger giveth you, take it. And whatsoever he forbiddeth, abstain (from it). And keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is stern in reprisal.
Yusuf Ali: What Allah has bestowed on His Messenger (and taken away) from the people of the townships,- belongs to Allah,- to His Messenger and to kindred and orphans, the needy and the wayfarer; In order that it may not (merely) make a circuit between the wealthy among you. So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. And fear Allah; for Allah is strict in Punishment.
Shakir: Whatever Allah has restored to His Messenger from the people of the towns, it is for Allah and for the Messenger, and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, so that it may not be a thing taken by turns among the rich of you, and whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it, and from whatever he forbids you, keep back, and be careful of (your duty to) Allah; surely Allah is severe in retributing (evil):
Muhammad Sarwar: Whatever God grants to His Messenger (out of the property) of the people of the towns, belongs to God, the Messenger, the kinsfolk, the orphans, the destitute and to those who may become needy while on a journey, so that it will not circulate only in the hands of rich ones among them. Take only what the Messenger gives to you and desist from what he forbids you. Have fear of God; God is severe in His retribution.
Mohsin Khan: What Allah gave as booty (Fai') to His Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from the people of the townships, - it is for Allah, His Messenger (Muhammad SAW), the kindred (of Messenger Muhammad SAW), the orphans, AlMasakin (the poor), and the wayfarer, in order that it may not become a fortune used by the rich among you. And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it) , and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Severe in punishment.
Arberry: Whatsoever spoils of war God has given to His Messenger from the people of the cities belongs to God, and His Messenger, and the near kinsman, orphans, the needy and the traveller, so that it be not a thing taken in turns among the rich of you. Whatever the Messenger gives you, take; whatever he forbids you, give over. And fear God; surely God is terrible in retribution.
In this verse, we see that whatever has been granted to the Messenger of the Fai, it belongs to Allah and his Messenger and Thul-Qurba, and the orphans, and the poor, and the wayfarer.
Now here it's not saying what has been granted to believers so as to say "Thul-Qurba" refers to the kin of the believers. It refers obviously then to the kin of Mohammad.
This also shows the khums verse also refers to the kin of Mohammad.
We see therefore the family of Mohammad are referred to in Quran when mentioned as the near kin. It makes sense then 42:23 is about the same kin.
It would be a huge corruption in the religion however if money given in khums or restored from the towns as booty that went to the Rasool simply went to his kin, for being kin. It obviously is referring to chosen family concept by which they too are leaders of the nation and is due to their status and leadership role that such rights belong to them.
The verse 42:23 obviously is saying, if you want to appreciate the message and show thankfulness to God for the message, then loving al-Qurba is the way.
As kinship in general cannot be something in which the entire message would be shown gratefulness to by loving, it's not the meaning either. General meaning of kin cannot be the meaning either as that is not linked to being grateful to the message. Whatever al-Qurba means here, it has to be integral part of the message, a central role, the inward point of it, the goal of it, that showing loving towards it, would be showing gratefulness to the message.
34:47 Say: whatever I have asked of you of a wage, it is for yourselves, verily my wage is with God and he is a witness upon all things.
This verse shows this in fact was not the wage of Mohammad (saw), for his wage was with Allah (awj), as Allah is a witness upon all things, God witnessing his acts was where his reward truly lied, instead of a reward from the people. The truth was he was rather asking a wage for our sake. The same Surah emphasized "O family of Dawood, do acts of thankfulness/gratefulness, and verily few of my servants are grateful/thankful".
The wage asked by Mohammad (saw) was asked on behalf of God, as God told him to ask this wage, and was a way to be grateful to him for the message. If we truly appreciate the message Mohammad (saw) came with, we will appreciate Al-Qurba and love Al-Qurba, as Al-Qurba are the central part of the message.
Now on reflection, as they have been linked to showing gratefulness to the message, they have be chosen for the religion. This cannot be but a chosen exalted family type meaning. The true family of Mohammad (saw) which like the family of Nuh (as) cannot include those who act other then righteously. And like the family of Ibrahim (as), is of the chosen ones only.
25:57 Say: No wage have I asked of you for it, except for who wants to take towards his Lord a path.
This shows Al-Qurba are a path to the whole nation, and are hence always ahead of the believers, are the path for everyone to take no matter how high they are. This shows they are the best of the nation.
Furthermore, this shows loving their light is loving the path of Worship of God. Not only that, but it means to love their light which is found in less degrees in all of humanity and creation.
Their love includes a higher level that brings one near to God and includes an encompassing love of their light that makes one love good human beings as well.
The path of virtue and goodness is that which is loved as well.
When God makes a people a means towards himself and wants them to be a path towards him, it's obviously not normal people, but special exalted people.
In Quran, we see Iblis didn't prostate to Adam. He couldn't recognize the Ayatallah in Adam and hence was of the disbelievers in God's Ayat.
The Noor of Ahlulbayt is such that it is holy exalted and sacred, and that is why attachment to them is always a path to God.
Allah has always tried people with his chosen ones, and we see here the family of Mohammad have been given the designation of being the path towards God.
The love of them really takes reality when one comes to know their station and being attached to their holy spirits. It takes submission to their position as divine guides and following their noble beauty and glory.
The issue is almost all of humanity has a love towards God, but it's another thing to really love the true light of God and submit to his representatives who manifest his holy names and attributes most best.
The interpretation of Al-Qurba being closeness would have to have words "ilallah" or go against the convention of langue. It would also be deceptive of God to give the impression that he is referring to kin of Mohammad which is the first impression but then mean something else entirely when he could of stated that it in different words.
The sunni interpretation that it means kinship between Mohammad and Quraysh also holds no ground from first impression and would be deceptive, and it also goes against the fact that the wage of the message was to take a path to God and that it being saying all he asks is love in the kinship between him and quraysh goes against the fact he was asking them to worship God, to submit to Islam, etc, etc...and would go against the fact that he did ask a wage for the message.
The wage verses through out Quran are linked to emphasis on attachment and following his chosen ones. For example, in Suratal Ana'aam, we see it's midst of emphasizing those were given Prophethood, and saying to Mohammad (saw) to follow their guidance, and then tells us that he asks us no wage that is but a reminder/remembrance to the worlds.