On the Shari’ a (System of Laws)

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَوْلَ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- فَاصْبِرْ كَما صَبَرَ أُولُوا الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ‌[3] فَقَالَ نُوحٌ وَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ وَ مُوسَى وَ عِيسَى وَ مُحَمَّدٌ ص قُلْتُ كَيْفَ صَارُوا أُولِي الْعَزْمِ قَالَ لِأَنَّ نُوحاً بُعِثَ بِكِتَابٍ وَ شَرِيعَةٍ وَ كُلُّ مَنْ جَاءَ بَعْدَ نُوحٍ أَخَذَ بِكِتَابِ نُوحٍ وَ شَرِيعَتِهِ وَ مِنْهَاجِهِ حَتَّى جَاءَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ ع بِالصُّحُفِ وَ بِعَزِيمَةِ تَ

“Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘Exercise patience as the messengers who possessed determination had exercised patience. . . . ’(46:35) The Imam said, ‘They were Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad (a.s.).’ I then asked, ‘How did they become messengers

بُنِيَ الْإِسْلَامُ عَلَى خَمْسٍ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ وَ الزَّكَاةِ وَ الصَّوْمِ‌[2] وَ الْحَجِّ وَ الْوَلَايَةِ وَ لَمْ يُنَادَ بِشَيْ‌ءٍ كَمَا نُودِيَ بِالْوَلَايَةِ.

‘Islam is based on five principles. It is based on Prayer, Charity (al-Zakat) Fasting, Hajj and al-Wilayah (Divine Authority of A ’immah). The call to none of the other principles has been so emphatic as it has been to al-Wilayah.’”

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع أَوْقِفْنِي عَلَى حُدُودِ الْإِيمَانِ فَقَالَ شَهَادَةُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّداً رَسُولُ اللَّهِ وَ الْإِقْرَارُ بِمَا جَاءَ بِهِ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللَّهِ وَ صَلَوَاتُ الْخَمْسِ وَ أَدَاءُ الزَّكَاةِ وَ صَوْمُ شَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَ حِجُّ الْبَيْتِ وَ وَلَايَةُ وَلِيِّنَا وَ عَدَاوَةُ عَدُوِّنَا وَ الدُّخُولُ مَعَ الصَّادِقِينَ.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ’Isa from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al- Rahman from ’Ajlan ibn Salih who has said the following: “I requested abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) ‘Teach me, please, the principles of beliefs. The Imam said, ‘They are: to testify and affirm that there is no one who deserves to be worshipped exce