Tƒlalib) the chief of the believers and the guide (Imam) for...

Tƒlalib) the chief of the believers and the guide (Imam) for those who guard themselves against evil. May peace of Allah be upon him. Both of them (the Prophet and `Ali, his executor) were comrades and close associates. Each one of whom bore witness to the integrity of the other. (،¥Ali) the Imam spoke for God about (the import) of His book (Qur'an) in respect of the imperatives, God has imposed upon the people for His obedience and the obedience of the Imam (the divinely appointed guide).

He also spoke (towards God), about the rule and rights of the Imam, through whom God intended perfecting His religion, expressing His commands, offering His reasons and arguments and (finally) His effulgence (guidance). He did all this through those who were the fountain spring of all divinely chosen, the unique, the righteous, belonging to the house (progeny) of our , may peace of Allah be upon him and upon his progeny.

God the Almighty explained His religion through them and lighted through them the path that leads to Him and through them He unearthed the deep springs of divine knowledge. God appointed them as the milestones on the highways of God conscious-ness, sign posts for His religion and ushers between Himself and His creation. He made them the doorways which lead to divine rights, secrets and the realisation of obligations of God consciousness. Further, God informed them His secrets and mysteries.

Whoever among the Imams died, he used to nominate after him his successor as a declared luminous, righteous guide (Imam). Who would guide people (towards the Truth) and would be constant in his guidance. These guides (Imams) called the people towards Allah as His demonstrators and are designated by God as the patrons for His crea-tion. Because of their guidance the people adopt religion and Godliness and due to them the cities get illuminated (with Truth and guidance).

God the Almighty designated them as the life and soul of the people, beacon lights in darkness, keys to the fort of knowledge and as the bedrock of His religion (Islam). God determined obedience and sub-mission to the Imams as obedience and acme of submission to Himself and His religion, in respect of the commands known to them. Regarding God's commands unknown to them, God wanted them to refer to Imam (to know the Truth), forbidding all other people to pass hasty verdicts.