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

“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).”

“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.”

“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)

“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.”

“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.”