Moreover...

Moreover, according to reliable sources, he is reported to have also said: We are the group whose obedience has been made obligatory for all by the Creator of the universe, and He has allotted booty (Anfal) to us, that is, the produce of all mountains and lands etc which has been mentioned at relevant places.

And so also we are entitled to the war booty and that we are perfect in knowledge and steadfast and that our knowledge is certain and that we are the envied about whom Allah has said: أَمْ يَحْسُدُونَ النَّاسَ عَلَى مَا آتَاهُمْ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ. Are the people envious of what We have granted to them out of Our Grace?

(Sura Nisa:54) Likewise, it is reported by Husain bin Alaa that he said: I presented the beliefs of the Shias to Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that the obedience of legatees has been made obligatory by Allah. The Hazrat said: Yes, the legatees are the people about whom Allah has ordained: Obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those vested with authority (Ulil Amr) among you.

4:54 After this, Allah willing, we would mention and explain that Ulil Amr means the Infallible Imams who are related to Imamate and the obedience of whose orders is obligatory and that only they are the persons about whom Allah has said: إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمْ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ. Your Guardian is only Allah and His Messenger and those who establish Prayer and who pay Zakat while they are bowing.

(Sura Maida 5:55) All have agreed among Shias and Ahle Sunnat that none except Amirul Momineen (a.s.) has ever paid Zakat (sadaqah-alms) while bowing in Prayer and, according to some narrations, this giving of alms while bowing down (in Rukoo) is a clear reference to the holy Imams and the use of plural sign (those) is in support of it. It is narrated according to reliable chains of narrators that a man from Fars asked Imam Ridha (a.s.): Is your obedience compulsory? He said: Yes.

He asked: Is it obligatory as was the case with Amirul Momineen (a.s.). He replied: Yes. Again, according to reliable sources, Abu Baseer has reported that he asked Imam Ridha (a.s.): Are all the Imams (a.s.) like one person in the matter of Imamate and is the obedience to them compulsory? Does the command apply to all of them? He replied: Yes.

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