Even though their fathers knew nothing and did not follow the right way (5...

Even though their fathers knew nothing and did not follow the right way (5:104) \n When he said to his father and his people: What are these images, to which you are devoted? They said: We found our fathers worshipping them.

He said: Indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error (21:52-54) \n The Imams further encouraged the role of the fuqaha and the mujtahids, even during their Imamate: \n Narrates Al-Askari, from his grandfather Al-Sadiq, peace be upon them both: “ if there is anyone among the fuqaha who is in control over his own self, protects his religion, suppresses his evil desires and is obedient to the commands of his Master, then the people should follow him ” (Al-Ihtijaj, Al-Tabrasi, vol 2, p 263) \n Concerning the four great fuqaha: Abul Hasan Zurarah Ibn A’yan, Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibn Muslim, Abu Basir Layth Ibn Al-Bakhtari and Abul Qasim Barid Ibn Mu’awiyah, who were among his students, Imam Al-Sadiq (S) said: “ they are the trustees of Allah for the administration of the permissible and forbidden in religion ” (The Development of Shi’i Islamic Jurisprudence on Death and Dying from the Fourth\/Tenth to the Eighth\/Fourteenth Centuries, Hasnain Kassamali) \nWhen Umar Ibn Hanzalah asked Al-Sadiq (S) who the Shia should refer to when they dispute, He replied: “ They must seek out one of you who narrates our traditions, who is versed in what is permissible and what is forbidden, who is well-acquainted with our laws and ordinances, and accept him as judge and arbiter, for I appoint him as judge over you .

If the ruling which he based on our laws is rejected, this rejection will be tantamount to ignoring the order of Allah and rejecting us is the same as rejecting Allah, and this is the same as polytheism ” (Furu’ Al-Kafi, Al-Kulayni, vol 7, p 412) \nI mam Al-Ridha (S) approved Zakariyyah Ibn Adem Al-Qummi and Yunus Ibn Abd Al-Rahman, as judges for the people in their regions .