We quote the following statement from Articles of Islamic Acts (Agha Khoei)...

We quote the following statement from Articles of Islamic Acts (Agha Khoei), pages1-2 (ref. 3). ‘It is necessary for a Muslim to believe in the fundamentals of faith (Usool-e-Deen) on the basis of proof and he cannot follow anyone in this respect, i.e., he cannot accept the word of another with regard to the fundamentals without demanding proof.

However, in order to act on Islamic code (Faroo-e-Deen) a person must adopt one of the following methods: The man concerned should be a Mujtahid himself and should be knowing the Articles of Acts on the basis of Ijtihad and reason; (ii) If he is not a jurist himself he should follow a jurist , i.e., he should act according to the judgement (fatawa) of the jurist without demanding proof ; (iii) If he is neither a jurist nor a follower (Muqallid) [4] he should act after taking such precaution that he should become sure of his having performed his religious duty.’ In some books [5] , which are written in support of Taqleed, it is also stated that it is ‘Wajib’ (compulsory) for a non-Mujtahid to follow a well-versed Mujtahid.

And in support of their claim, a hadith from Imam Hazrat Hassan Askari -asws is cited: ‘it is compulsory for people to follow those’Fuqha’ who control their personal splendour , strive to safeguard ‘Deen’, refrain from devious desires and who obey Allah -azwj , Rasool Allah -saw and Masomeen -asws .

Fact 1: Now, we analyse the claims made by the Mujtahid [6] , and their supporters, against the Book of Allah -azwj and Masomeen -asws ’s traditions, by answering the resulting three questions from Myth no. 1 : How ‘Amal [7] ’ of a ‘Momin’ [8] are accepted? Is it Allah -azwj ’s Obligation to follow a ‘non-masoom’ without demanding a proof? What are the true meanings of Hadith of Imam Hazrat Hassan Askari -asws ? (1) How ‘Amal’ of a ‘Momin’ are accepted?

Amal are related with ‘Aman’ [9] , according to several traditions of Masomeen -asws e.g., Imam Jafar-e-Sadiq -asws said [10] : ‘No act (leading to sin) will be harmful if one has Aman but no deed (of worship) will be beneficial in the absence of Aman.

Don’t you see Allah -azwj Says ‘The reason that prevents them from having their expenditures accepted from them is merely that they have disbelieved in Allah -azwj and His messenger and do not come to pray except when they are lazy, nor do they spend anything unless they are reluctant (Repentance, 9, verse, 54 [11] )’ .