The case of those who would accept the religion of Allah but without accepting the Imam, Leader with Divine Authority

1. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad (from) ibn abu Nasr from abu al-Hassan (a.s.) who has said the following. “The words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, “Who strays more than one who follows his desires without guidance from God?. . “(28:50) The Imam (a.s.), “It refers to those who take their own opinions as their religion without an Imam from the Imams of guidance (Leadership with Divine Authority).”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad from al-Halabiy who has said the following: “I once asked abu ’Abd Allah (a.s.), about performing Salah (prayer) in fearful conditions. He (the Imam) said, ‘The Imam stands up and one group of his people comes and stands up behind him. The other group faces the enemy. The Imam performs one Rak‘at, then stands up and they also stand up. He remains standing but they perform the second Rak‘at, then say Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) to each other and end their Salah (prayer). They then stand up in place of the other group facing the enemy. Now this group comes and stands up behind the Imam who performs the second Rak‘at with them. The Imam then sits down and they stand up to perform another Rak‘at. He then says Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) and they also end their Salah (prayer) with his saying Salam.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘In al-Maghrib they do similarly. The Imam stands up and one group stands up behind him. He then performs one Rak‘at with them, then stands up and they also stand up. The Imam remains standing but they complete the two Rak‘at, say Tashahhud (testimonies of belief), Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) to each other and end their Salah (prayer). They then stand guard in place of the other group who joins the Imam for Salah (prayer). He performs with them a Rak‘at with recitation, then sits down and says Tashahhud (testimonies of belief). He then stands up and they also stand up with him. He performs one more Rak‘at with them, then sits down but they stand up to complete another Rak‘at, then he says Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) to them to end.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Safwan ibn Yahya from al-‘Ala’ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following. “I heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.) say, ‘Whoever follows the religion of Allah worshipping assiduously without an Imam, Leader with Divine Authority his toil will not be acceptable. In fact, he is lost and confused and Allah disdains his deeds. Such person’s case and example is like a sheep that has lost the shepherd and the flock that runs back and forth the whole day. As the night would fall that sheep would see a flock of sheep with a shepherd. The (lost) sheep would then join the flock affectionately that in fact is only a deception. The sheep would pass the night in their shelter but when the shepherd would lead the flock to the pasture the lost sheep would feel lost and away from the flock and the shepherd,. thus, run back and forth in search of the flock and the shepherd. Then it would find a flock of sheep with a shepherd and affectionately join them but, in fact, suffer a deception. This shepherd would shout at the lost sheep saying, “Go and find your own flock and shepherd you are lost, confused and without a flock and shepherd. The lost sheep then would run back and forth in confusion, fear and frustration without a shepherd to guide to the pasture and to the shelter. While the lost sheep is in such confusion a wolf would seize the opportunity and would kill the lost sheep for food. Thus, by Allah, O Muhammad is the case of a person from this ’Umma (nation) who would live without an Imam (Leader with Divine Authority) from Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, who is clearly supported with evidence and is just in his dealings. A person without such Imam is lost and confused and if he would die in such condition his death would be like dying in disbelief and hypocrisy. O Muhammad, bear in mind properly that the unjust Imams and their followers are far away from the religion of Allah. They are lost and misleading. Their deeds that they do are like the dust blown by the winds away in a windy day which, would go out of hand without benefits. Thus is straying far away from the truth.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from ‘Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban from ‘Abd al- Rahman ibn abu ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah performed Salah (prayer) with his followers during the armed expedition at Dhat al-Riqa‘ in a fearful condition. The Messenger of Allah divided his companions in two groups. One group was made to stand up facing the enemy and the other group behind him for Salah (prayer). He said Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) and they also did so. He recited and they remained silent. He performed Ruku‘ (bowing down on one’s knees) and they also did so. He performed Sajdah (prostration), and they also did so. The Messenger of Allah in order to complete remained standing but they performed one Rak‘at for themselves, then they said Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) to each other. They then went to stand guard in place of the group facing the enemy. This group stood behind the Messenger of Allah who performed one Rak‘at with them, then said Tashahhud (testimonies of belief) and Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) to them. They then stood up to perform one Rak‘at for themselves, then said Salam (the phrase of offering greeting of peace) to each other.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn Mahbub from ‘Abd ‘Aziz al-‘Abdi from ‘Abdallah ibn abu Ya‘fur who has said the following. “I said to abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.). ’I meet people and it increases my wonders when I find people who do not consider you as their guardians and Imams but they consider so and so as their Imam. However, they are trustworthy, truthful and loyal. I also find people who consider you as their guardian and Imam but are not that trustworthy, loyal and truthful.” The narrator has said that abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) then sat in an upright position and turned to me as if with anger and then said, “One follows the religion of Allah under the guardianship of an unjust Imam who possesses no Divine authority, he has no religion. There is no blame for the one who follows the religion of Allah under the guardianship of an Imam who is just in his dealings (possesses Divine authority).” I then said, “Yes, these have no religion and these will face no blame.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “That is correct “these have no religion and these will face no blame.” Then the Imam (a.s.) said, “Have you not heard the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, “God is the Guardian of the believers and it is He who takes them out of darkness into light. .” (2:257) It means that He takes them out of the darkness of sins to the light of repentance and forgiveness because of their love for and their being under the guardianship of the just Imams who possess Divine authority. He has also said, “The Devil is the guardian of those who deny the Truth and he leads them from light to darkness.. .” (2:257) It means that they were in the light of Islam but when they accepted the guardianship and the leadership of every unjust Imam who possessed no authority from Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, their guardianship took them out of the light of Islam to the darkness of disbelief. Allah then made it necessary for them to suffer in fire along with the unbelievers. “These are the dwellers of hell wherein they will live forever.” (2:257)

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali al-Washsha’ from Hammad ibn ‘Uthaman from abu Basir who has said the following: “I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), say, ‘If you are in a land where you are afraid of thieves or beasts, perform Salah (prayer) on your stumper.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

4. He has narrated from Hisham ibn Salim from Habib al-Sajistani from abu Ja‘far (a.s.) who has said the following. “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has said, ’I will cause to suffer punishment all those who live a religious life in Islam under the guardianship of unjust Imams who possesses no authority from Allah even though such followers would be virtuous and pious in their deeds. I will forgive all those who live a religious life in Islamunder the guardianship of an Imam who is just in his dealings and possess authority from Allah even though such followers in their dealings would be unjust sinners.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Khalid from his father from Zur’ah from Sama‘ah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about a man who is a captive of the pagans. It becomes time for Salah (prayer) and they do not allow him to perform Salah (prayer). He (the Imam) said, ‘He makes gestures as gestures are made.”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

5. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from ibn Jumhur from his father from Safwan from ibn Maskan from ‘Abdallah ibn Sinan from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “Allah will not be ashamed to punish an ’Umma (nation) who has lived a religious lile under the guardianship of an unjust Imam who has said the following.would possess no authority form Allah even though such people would be virtuous and pious in their deeds. However, Allah will be ashamed to punish a people who lived a religious life under the guardianship of an Imam who is just in his dealings and possesses authority from Allah even though they would be unjust in their dealings and have committed sins.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il who has said the following: “I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about my traveling between Makkah and al-Madinah and in the time of Salah (prayer), we disembark where Arabs are found. Can we perform the obligatory Salah (prayer) on the ground and recite just al-Fatihah, or perform it when riding and recite al-Fatihah al-Kitab and Surah (chapter) as well? He (the Imam) said, ‘If you are afraid, then perform the obligatory Salah (prayer) and other Salah (prayer) on your stumper. If you recite al-Hamd and Surah (chapter) it is more beloved to me and I do not see anything harmful in what you have done.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

6. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu ‘Abd Allah who has said the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘. . . if you are afraid then it is on foot or riding. . . .’(2:240), ‘How is this Salah (prayer) performed and what do you say if one is afraid of beasts or thieves?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘He says Takbir (Allah is great beyond description) and makes gestures with his head as gestures are made.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.