Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

PART 5

The one who denies one Imam is like the one who denies all Imams

Kulaini and others have, with reliable chains of narrators, narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that:

One who denied one Imam has denied all Imams.

Ibne Babawayh, Nomani and others have, with reliable chains of narrators, narrated from Aban bin Uqaab that: I asked Imam Sadiq (a.s.) is he a believer who knows all the past Imams but denies (does not recognize) the Imam of his own time? He replied: No. I asked: Is he a Muslim? He said: Yes. Ibne Babawayh says that Islam means confession of three facts whereby his life and property become secure and the reward of the Hereafter depends on Faith. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has said: The one who testified to the Oneness of Allah and my Prophethood has secured his life and property, (from being executed or confiscation of property) and his accountability is with Allah on the Day of Judgement.

He has also narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that: You should know that if someone denies the Messengership of Isa (a.s.) and believes in the Prophethood of all other messengers is not a believer. Seek the path of Allah by search and want of that Imam whose sign is Haqq (truth) and when your Imam is hidden, search for the signs, writings and words of the Imams, which are before you and perfect your religious affairs. Then you will have believed in your Lord.

He has narrated with authentic chains of narrators from Imam Reza (a.s.) that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said:

O Ali! You and the Imams from among your sons are, after me, the Hujjat (proofs) of Allah over the creation and they are the signs of the path of Allah for the people. The one who denied anyone of them denied me and who disobeyed anyone of them disobeyed me and the one who oppressed any of them has oppressed me and the one who behaved nicely and righteously with them has behaved, loved fully and affectionately with me. Whoever obeyed you has obeyed me who befriended you has befriended me and who became your enemy has become my enemy because you are born of me and my loins and I am from you.

Nomani has narrated from Bin Numaa, that I said to Imam Reza (a.s.) that such and such person is your slave and a Shia and sends salutation (Salaam) to your honour and says: You please be my surety in Qiyamat and assure that you will intercede in my favor. The Hazrat asked: Is he from our Shias and friends? I said: Yes. Then the Hazrat said: He does not need to make a request for intercession. Then I said: There is a man who befriends Ali (a.s.) but does not recognize the legatees (Wasis) thereafter. The Hazrat said: He is misguided. Then I said: He believes in all the Imams but the denies the Imam of the last age (Aakhiruz Zaman). The Hazrat said: He is like the man who testifies the Messengership of Isa (a.s.) but denies the Prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) or believes in Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) but denies Isa (a.s.). I seek refuge of Allah against the one who denies any of the Proofs (Hujjats) of Allah.[15]

Kulaini and Nomani have narrated with reliable chains of narrators from Muhammad bin Muslim that he said to Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that a Yemeni says that if you know the last Imam of the time (your time) it is enough and that there is no harm if you do not recognize the prior (earlier) Imams. The Hazrat said: Curse of Allah be on him. I look at him, as an enemy even though I do not either knows him or do not recognize him. He cannot know the last Imam but through the earlier Imam.

Kulaini has narrated with authentic chains of narrators from Imam Baqir (a.s.) that the Hazrat said: A servant (anybody) cannot be a believer unless he knows Allah and the Messenger and all the Imams and the Imam of his time and turns towards him for clarification of doubtful matters and obeys him. Then he added: How can he know the last Imam when he does not know the first Imam and is not aware of his Imamate?

Moreover, he has narrated from Zurarah (r.a.) with correct chains of narrators from Imam Baqir (a.s.) that he says: I asked Imam Baqir (a.s.): Will you kindly let me know whether it is compulsory for the entire creation to know the Imam? The Hazrat replied: The Lord of the worlds has appointed Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) with His Messengership over the entire creation and he was the Hujjat of Allah for the entire creation on earth. So who believes in Allah and His Prophet, obeys him and has testified about him is required to know the Imam. And a man who did not put faith in Allah and does not follow and testify him and does not recognize his right, how can such a person be made incumbent to know the hidden Imam when he neither believed in Allah and His Prophet nor recognized their rights? Zurarah said: Then what do you say about a man who put faith in Allah and His Messenger and testified to all the things revealed to His messenger? Is it incumbent on such person to know you? The Hazrat said: Yes. Do not the Ahle Sunnat, consider it necessary and compulsory to recognize Abu Bakr and Umar despite their weakness? Zurarah said: Yes, they do. Then the Hazrat said: Do you imagine that Allah has put the recognition of the two in their hearts? No, by Allah, none but the devil has put it in their hearts and, by Allah, none but Allah has put our recognition in the hearts of the believers.

He has also narrated with reliable chains of narrators from Jabir who says that he heard Imam Baqir (a.s.) saying: No one either knows or worships Allah but the one who knows Allah and knows the Imam of his time from us Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). And the person who does not recognize Allah and Imam of his time from we Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), of course knows [believes in] others than Allah and worships other than Allah and, by Allah, he goes astray due to ignorance and misguidance.

Also he has narrated with reliable chains of narrators from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that the Hazrat said: You people cannot be righteous and good until you know the Imam and you cannot get the required knowledge unless you do not testify and you did not testify until you obey and follow the four things mentioned in the verse.

The four things which are true are repentance, faith, good deeds and the guidance gained through the guardianship (Wilayat) and obedience of the Imams. Then he added….their beginning is not improved but through the end of Imamate and they cannot benefit but through Wilayat and those who do not believe in the said three things are wayward. Verily Allah does not accept but good deeds but then He does not accept the good deeds but with the completion and fulfilment of the conditions mentioned in the verse. Therefore the one who fulfils the conditions put by Allah and acts upon the things about which Allah has taken an undertaking from them in the Holy Quran, then only he gets the rewards which have been promised to him by the Lord of the world. Verily Allah has made His servants aware of the true path and He has also put signs on that path and has informed them how to proceed on this path saying:

إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنْ الْمُتَّقِينَ.

Allah only accepts from those who guard (against evil). 5:27

So the one who fears Allah regarding the matters commanded by Allah meets Allah with Faith in the things brought by Muhammad (s.a.w.s.). Alas, alas, how distant this group is from Grace. Many groups passed away before gaining guidance through the obedience and Wilayat of the true Imams and their people were imaging that they had believed in Allah though they had, due to their ignorance, indulged in polytheism by associating others with Allah. The one who enters the house from its door is rightly guided and the one who enters from any other door treads the path of destruction and the gate of the knowledge of the messenger are the true Imams, as the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) has said: I am the city of knowledge and wisdom and Ali is its gate and Allah has said:

وَلَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِأَنْ تَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهَا وَلَكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ اتَّقَى وَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِنْ أَبْوَابِهَا وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ.

And it is not righteousness that you should enter the houses at their backs, but righteousness is this that one should guard (against evil); and go into the houses by their doors and be careful (of your duty) to Allah, that you may be successful. 2:189

Allah has connected the obedience of the Ulil Amr (one vested with authority), that is, of the true Imams, with the obedience of the Prophet and joined the obedience of the prophet with His own obedience saying:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا.

O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those in authority from among you; then if you quarrel about anything, refer it to Allah and the Apostle, if you believe in Allah and the last day; this is better and very good in the end. 4:59

So the one who discards the obedience of the true Walis has obeyed neither Allah nor the messenger. And their obedience is the confession of what Allah has said:

خُذُوا زِينَتَكُمْ عِنْدَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍ.

Decorate yourself near every mosque… 7:31

It is understood from traditions that the mosque means prayer and decoration means both bodily as well as spiritual beauty and among the spiritual beauties, the best is the beliefs of faith without which worships are not accepted and among them the best is Wilayat and obedience of the true Imams. Then added: Seek those houses about which, Allah has said, in Surah Noor, which is revealed in praise of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.):

فِي بُيُوتٍ أَذِنَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تُرْفَعَ وَيُذْكَرَ فِيهَا اسْمُهُ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ فِيهَا بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ.

In houses which Allah has permitted to be exalted and that His name may be remembered in them; there glorify Him therein in the mornings and the evenings… 24:36

Which, according to the explanation by traditions, means that this Radiance (Noor) is found in those houses in which Allah has allowed it and decided that they should always remain high in fame and rank and that the remembrance of Allah must continue therein. Thereafter the Hazrat said: You have been certainly informed as to which are those houses and who are their residents. It is mentioned:

رِجَالٌ لَا تُلْهِيهِمْ تِجَارَةٌ وَلَا بَيْعٌ عَنْ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَإِقَامِ الصَّلَاةِ وَإِيتَاءِ الزَّكَاةِ يَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا تَتَقَلَّبُ فِيهِ الْقُلُوبُ وَالْأَبْصَارُ.

Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverts from the remembrance of Allah and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of poor-rate; they fear a day in which the hearts and eyes shall turn about… 24:37

Then the Hazrat said:

Surely Allah has chosen the messengers and prophets for His affairs, viz for the guidance of the creation and for the explanation of the conditions of Shariat (religion). Then He selected a group from them who may testify to the warning given by the messenger as Allah has expressed through the tongue of his messenger:

There is no community in which Allah did not send a warner of chastisement. The one who is unwise is restlessly wandering and the one who is wise is guided and that here sight means the heart as says the Lord of the universe:

فَإِنَّهَا لَا تَعْمَى الْأَبْصَارُ وَلَكِنْ تَعْمَى الْقُلُوبُ الَّتِي فِي الصُّدُورِ.

Eyes are not blind but blind hearts within their chests. 22:46

How can the one get guidance whose heart is blind and how can one be seeing who does not ponder over verses and traditions? Follow the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and his Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and confess what has been revealed by Allah and follow the signs of guidance which are the true Imams. Doubtlessly they are the signs of trust, religiousness and righteousness.

Also it has been reliably narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that Abdullah bin Alkawar, who was a Khariji, went to Ali (a.s.) and requested for the explanation of the verse:

وَعَلَى الْأَعْرَافِ رِجَالٌ يَعْرِفُونَ كُلًّا بِسِيمَاهُمْ وَنَادَوْا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ أَنْ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ لَمْ يَدْخُلُوهَا وَهُمْ يَطْمَعُونَ.

And on the most elevated places there shall be men who know all by their marks, and they shall call out to the dwellers of the garden: Peace be on you; they shall not have yet entered it, though they hope. 7:46

The Hazrat said: It is we who will be in the elevated planes (Araaf) and who will recognize our friends from the signs on their foreheads. We are the Araaf whom the world-lovers cannot know except through our recognition. We are the Araaf through whom Allah will send our friends and foes to the Sirat bridge. So no one will enter Paradise but the one who will recognize us and whom we know and none will go to Hell but the one whom neither we know nor who knows us. Had Allah so willed He would have Himself made His slaves recognize Him but it is His strategy that He made us the door for His recognition and it the straight road and the path of salvation. We are the cause of Allah whereby one can reach Allah. So the one who denies our Wilayat or gives preference to others over us has strayed from the true path. Those whom people have begun to follow are not equal to us because those non-Shias have joined muddy ponds who commit envy upon envy and those who have come towards us have come to such a clear springs which are always running by the order of Allah the Lord of the universe. These springs never dry up nor ever interrupted.[16]

It is also narrated with reliable chains from Abu Hamza Thumali that Imam Baqir (a.s.) told him: Whenever anyone of you goes on a journey of even a few miles he is accompanied by a guide so that he may not go astray. You are less aware of the heavenly paths in comparison with the earthly roadways. So search for a guide from you for your guidance. What is meant by the heavenly paths is that they are some beliefs and deeds whereby man attains higher ranks near Allah and in heavens (Paradise).

Moreover, it is narrated with reliable sources that Imam Sadiq (a.s.) was asked to explain the meaning of the holy verse:

وَمَنْ يُؤْتَ الْحِكْمَةَ فَقَدْ أُوتِيَ خَيْرًا كَثِيرًا.

Who is given wisdom has been granted a great good. 2:269

The Hazrat replied that what is meant by wisdom is the obedience of Allah and the recognition of the Imam.[17]

Moreover, it is reported with authentic chains of narrators that someone had asked Imam Baqir (a.s.) to explain the meaning of the verse:

أَوَمَنْ كَانَ مَيْتًا فَأَحْيَيْنَاهُ وَجَعَلْنَا لَهُ نُورًا يَمْشِي بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ كَمَنْ مَثَلُهُ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ لَيْسَ بِخَارِجٍ مِنْهَا.

Is the dead man whom We make alive creating a Noor (light) for him wherein he walks among people is like the one who is in the darkness of unbelief and ignorance wherefrom he never comes outs? 6:122

The Hazrat replied: Here dead means the one who knows nothing and who does not obtain the knowledge of true beliefs. The Noor (Light) in which he walks among people is the Imam whom people follow. The man who is in darkness is the one who does not recognize his Imam.

It is authentically narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that Abu Abdullah Jadali went to Amirul Momineen (a.s.). The Hazrat told him: O Abu Abdullah! Do you want me to explain to you the purport of the verse:

مَنْ جَاءَ بِالْحَسَنَةِ فَلَهُ خَيْرٌ مِنْهَا وَهُمْ مِنْ فَزَعٍ يَوْمَئِذٍ آمِنُونَ. وَمَنْ جَاءَ بِالسَّيِّئَةِ فَكُبَّتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ فِي النَّارِ هَلْ تُجْزَوْنَ إِلَّا مَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ.

Whoever brings good, he shall have better than it; and they shall be secure from terror on the day. And whoever brings evil, these shall be thrown down on their faces into the fire; shall you be rewarded (for) aught except what you did? 27:89-90

Meaning: The one who brings good in the presence of Allah has a reward better than it because (he gets) the higher in place of lower and the everlasting in place of the passing, rather Allah grants him upto ten or even upto seven hundred times more reward and such people will have no feeling of fear and horror on the Day of Judgement. And the one who brings forth evil and sins (many scholars say here evil means polytheism) (should know that) such people will be thrown head down in Hell. Will you not be given the reward of only those deeds, which you were doing?

Abu Abdullah replied: Yes, O Amirul Momineen, may my parents be sacrificed for you. The Hazrat said: Here ‘good’ means our Imamate and Wilayat and also the love of we Ahlul Bayt (a.s.). And here ‘evil’ means denial of our Imamate and Wilayat and enmity against we Ahlul Bayt (a.s.), which drives them with disgrace from this world to Hereafter to be thrown in Hell.

PART 6

It is obligatory to obey the True Imams

Kulaini and others have with reliable chains of narrators, narrated from Imam Baqir (a.s.) that the loftiness of religious affairs, its greatness, its key and the door of all good affairs and the pleasure of the Merciful Allah is to obey the Imam after recognizing him. Then he said: Allah Almighty has said:

مَنْ يُطِعْ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ تَوَلَّى فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا.

Whoever obeys the Apostle, he indeed obeys Allah, and whoever turns back, so We have not sent you as a keeper over them. 4:80

Meaning: One who obeys the messenger has obeyed Allah and if one disobeys him then (it does not matter), O Messenger! We have not sent you as their watchman, (so that you may be responsible for his deeds, nor have you to take their account). Your only job is to convey Our commandments and the job of taking their accounts and to reward or punish them is Our job.[18]

According to reliable source Abu Sabah has narrated that I give witness that I have heard Imam Sadiq (a.s.) saying: Ali (a.s.) was the Imam whose obedience was made obligatory by Allah, and similarly Hasan, Husain and Ali bin Husain (a.s.) were the Imams whose obedience was made compulsory by Allah.

Also the same Imam Baqir (a.s.) is reported to have said that: We are same group of Imams whose obedience has been made obligatory by Allah for the people and you should follow those (Imams) for knowing whom is not impossible for the people.

The same gentleman is reported to have said that Imam Baqir (a.s.) has, explaining the Divine words about the descendants of Abraham (Aale Ibrahim), meaning:

وَآتَيْنَاهُمْ مُلْكًا عَظِيمًا.

We have granted them a great kingdom… 4:54

said the great kingdom means compulsory obedience. We have made their obedience a must for the entire creation and that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and his Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) are included in Aale Ibrahim.

Imam Sadiq (a.s.) is reported to have said to Abul Hasan Attar: Include the prophets and their legatees in the said obedience, that is, just as the obedience of the prophets is compulsory so is the obedience of their legatees (Awsiya).

Moreover, according to reliable sources, he is reported to have also said: We are the group whose obedience has been made obligatory for all by the Creator of the universe, and He has allotted booty (Anfal) to us, that is, the produce of all mountains and lands etc which has been mentioned at relevant places. And so also we are entitled to the war booty and that we are perfect in knowledge and steadfast and that our knowledge is certain and that we are the envied about whom Allah has said:

أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَا آتَاهُمْ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ.

Are the people envious of what We have granted to them out of Our Grace? 4:54

Likewise, it is reported by Husain bin Alaa that he said: I presented the beliefs of the Shias to Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that the obedience of legatees has been made obligatory by Allah. The Hazrat said: Yes, the legatees are the people about whom Allah has ordained:

Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those vested with authority (Ulil Amr) among you. 4:54

After this, Allah willing, we would mention and explain that Ulil Amr means the Infallible Imams who are related to Imamate and the obedience of whose orders is obligatory and that only they are the persons about whom Allah has said:

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمْ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ.

Your Guardian is only Allah and His Messenger and those who establish Prayer and who pay Zakat while they are bowing. 5:55

All have agreed among Shias and Ahle Sunnat that none except Amirul Momineen (a.s.) has ever paid Zakat (sadaqah-alms) while bowing in Prayer and, according to some narrations, this giving of alms while bowing down (in Rukoo) is a clear reference to the holy Imams and the use of plural sign (those) is in support of it.

It is narrated according to reliable chains of narrators that a man from Fars asked Imam Reza (a.s.): Is your obedience compulsory? He said: Yes. He asked: Is it obligatory as was the case with Amirul Momineen (a.s.). He replied: Yes.

Again, according to reliable sources, Abu Baseer has reported that he asked Imam Reza (a.s.): Are all the Imams (a.s.) like one person in the matter of Imamate and is the obedience to them compulsory? Does the command apply to all of them? He replied: Yes.

Moreover, according to reliable chains of narrators, Kulaini and others have narrated from Muhammad bin Zaid Tabari that: I was standing behind Imam Reza (a.s.) in Khorasan when a number of people of Bani Hashim were present including Ishaq bin Moosa bin Isa Abbasi. The Hazrat asked him: I have heard that people say that we claim that people are our slaves because of our near relation with the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.)? I have never said this nor have I heard it from any of our ancestors nor have I ever got news that anyone of our elders said so. But we do say that, in the matter of obedience people are our slaves meaning servants, that is, they are like slaves because it is compulsory for them to obey and thus all of them are our slaves in the affairs of Religion, that is, they have been freed from hellfire on account of obeying us. Hence it is incumbent on those who are present here to convey this to all those who are absent.

Kulaini has, according to reliable chains of narrators, narrated from Abi Salmah that he said: I have heard Imam Sadiq (a.s.) saying: We are the group whose obedience has been made a must for the creation by the Lord Almighty and people must recognize us (they cannot do without our recognition) and people are not helpless in knowing us and the one who knows us with our Imamate is a believer and the one who denies is a disbeliever and the one who neither knows us nor denies us is like a man of weak belief and misguided until he returns to our compulsory obedience, the obedience which has been made obligatory by Allah. If such a fellow dies in a condition of this misguidance, it is for the Almighty Allah either to punish him or to forgive him.

Also it has been reliably reported that people asked Imam Reza (a.s.) about the best thing by which servants (human beings) can get nearer to Allah. He replied: The best way to get closer to Allah is to obey Allah and to obey the Messenger and to obey the Ulil Amr and Imam Baqir (a.s.) said: Our friendship is faith and our enmity (being our enemy) is disbelief.

Likewise, he reports through reliable sources that: I asked Imam Baqir (a.s.): I want to describe before you my religion through which I worship Allah. He said: Do describe. I submitted: I give witness that Allah is One and that Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) is His messenger and I believe in all the things brought by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) from the Almighty Allah and I also accept (believe) that Ali (a.s.) was the Imam whose obedience was made obligatory by Allah and that after him was Imam Hasan (a.s.) who was such Imam and thereafter Imam Husain (a.s.) whose obedience was made compulsory by Allah and that after him was Imam Ali bin Husain (a.s.) whose obedience was a must according to Divine Command and thereafter I described the names of all the subsequent Imams until I mentioned his name and said that I accept his Imamate as a must. He said: Yes, this is the religion of Allah and the religion of the angels of Allah.[19]

PART 7

No guidance except through the True Imams

No guidance except through the True Imams who are the medium (Wasilah) between Allah and His creation. No salvation from Divine chastisement but through them

It is reported by Ibne Babawayh inMajalis and by other scholars with reliable chains of narrators quoting Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that he said: We are very much worried because of the people because when we call them towards us they do not respond and if we leave them to themselves they do not get guidance without us.

Similarly it is mentioned inKhisal that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said to Amirul Momineen (a.s.): There are three things which I can say on oath that they are absolutely true. One, the knowledge of Allah (Ma’refat) cannot be obtained but through you and through your legatees who know Allah truly. Two, since you are those who know Allah fully no one can enter Paradise but the one who knows you and whom you know. Third, since you are those who know Allah fully no one can enter Hell but the one who doesn’t know you and whom you don’t know.

It is mentioned inIlalush Sharai with true chains of narrators that Imam Hasan Askari (a.s.) wrote to Ishaq bin Ismail that the Lord of the Might, through His Mercy and kindness, made some things obligatory for you. It was not because Allah needed it. Rather it is Grace from Allah except Whom there is no Allah for you, so that He may separate the unholy from the holy and so that He may take your trial about the things which are in your hearts and may make pure the things which are in your hearts through it so that you may advance towards His Mercy and so that He may raise your ranks in Paradise. Therefore, He made it obligatory for you to establish Prayer and observe fasts and to perform Hajj and Umrah and to pay Zakat and to have faith in the Wilayat of Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) and He has kept a house so that through it the duties may be made available and so that they (Imams) may be the key to that house. If they would not have been from Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) and from the progeny of his legatees, you would be, certainly, wandering like the quadrupeds and you would have not known anything from your obligatory duties. Can you ever enter a city but through the gate? So Allah has been kind to you so profoundly by appointing, after His messenger, the Imams as your commanders. He declared on the Day of Ghadeer:

الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمْ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا.

Today, I have perfected your Religion for you and concluded My Mercy on you and selected for you the religion of Islam. 5:3

We ordered you to observe some rights of Our friends so that it may be lawful for you to keep your wives and your wealth and whatever you eat and drink and also so that you may recognize and know Us and so that We may grant abundance and increase in these said things so as to see who among you is obeying His commands both openly and privately. And then He said:

قُلْ لَا أَسْأَلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا إِلَّا الْمَوَدَّةَ فِي الْقُرْبَى.

(O Messenger!) Tell (them that) I do not want any remuneration from you for this Messengership except that you should love my near relatives. 42:23

So understand that whoever will be stingy in loving them will be showing stinginess towards his own self because it (love for my relatives) benefits only them and Allah is indeed needless and you are in dire need of Him. So now, when the truth has been revealed clearly you may do whatever you like. Hereafter Allah and His Messenger and the Faithful will observe your attitude because you are surely to return to the One Who knows every open and secret thing and who will show you your deeds and the better consequence is for the righteous and praise be to Allah the Lord of the worlds.

It is mentioned inManiul Akhbar that Imam Baqir (a.s.) is reported to have said that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) said: O Ali! On the day of Judgement, you and Jibraeel will sit on the Sirat Bridge and none will cross it but the one who will have the order of relief from hellfire due to you Wilayat.

Shaykh Tabarsi has, quoting Imam Sadiq (a.s.), narrated inMajalis that he (Imam) said: It is we who are the medium (Wasilah) between you and Allah.

He also has narrated from Imam Hasan (a.s.) that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) addressed Amirul Momineen (a.s.): O Ali! You and your companions and followers will be in Paradise.

He has also narrated from Abdullah bin Sulaiman inIhtijaj that he says: I was with Imam Baqir (a.s.) when a man from Basra told him that Hasan Basri says that those who hide their knowledge (faith) will harm the dwellers of Hell by their bellies. The Hazrat said: If it is so then believer of the people of Firon will be destroyed about whom Allah has said:

وَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مُؤْمِنٌ مِنْ آلِ فِرْعَوْنَ…

And a believing man of Firon’s people who hid his faith 40:28

Whereas Allah has praised him for hiding his belief. From the day Allah has sent Nuh (a.s.) with Messengership the knowledge has always remained hidden. So Hasan Basri may go either in the right or the left direction, the truth is that, by Allah knowledge cannot be availed but from the Ahlul Bayt (family members) of the Messenger. Therefore the Hazrat said: It is due to only such people, that our calamity has increased. If we call them to us they do not come and if we leave them alone they do not get guidance.

It is narrated with true chains of narrators inBasairud Darajat that Imam Baqir (a.s.) said: Allah is being worshipped due to us; it is only due to us that people recognize Allah with His attribute of being One and Only and the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w.s.) is in a veil, that is he is a medium between Allah and His creation.

And it is reported inBasharatul Mustafa with reliable chains of narrators that Imam Baqir (a.s.) said: A man who calls Allah through our mediation (Wasilah) gets success and welfare and the one who calls Allah without our mediation destroys himself and also others.