You are lost from, and bewilder over, your shepherd and your flock.

You are lost from, and bewilder over, your shepherd and your flock.’ So, the sheep runs away in fear, bewilderment and loss, having no shepherd to guide it to a pasture or back to its own place. Being like this, a wolf takes advantage of its being lost, and eats it. Thus is it, by Allah, O Mohammed, he who wakes up in this community without having an Imam (appointed) by Allah, the Great and Almighty, who is manifest and just, wakes up astray and lost.

If such a person dies in this condition, he dies the death of unbelief and hypocrisy. O Mohammed, know unjust Imams and their followers have been expelled from the religion of Allah. They are misguided and they misguide. So, the deeds which they perform are as ashes whereon the wind blow strong upon a tempestuous day. They have no power over what they have earned- that is the far error.”[^3] Indeed the Imams of the members of the House (ahl al-Bayt), peace be on them, must be known.

That is because they were the custodians of the revelation and the trustees of the Apostle of Allah, may Allah bless him and his family, and his successors over his community. They were unlike the Umayyad and the ‘Abbasid kings who committed all sins and spread oppression and corruption in the earth. To obey the Imam is obligatory To obey the Imam is a religious obligation.

Allah, the Most High, has mentioned that in the Koran: “Obey Allah and obey the apostle and those in authority among you.”[^4] Many traditions have mentioned that.

Zarara reported on the authority of Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, who said: “The apex of the thing, the height of it, the key to it, the gate to everything and the good pleasure of (Allah), the Most Merciful, the Blessed, is to obey the Imam after knowing him.”Then he said: “Surely, Allah, the Blessed, the Most High, says: ‘Whoever obeys the Apostle, surely obeys Allah.

And whoever turns his back- We have not sent you to be a watcher over them.’”[^5] The Right of the Imam against People The Imam has a right against people. Meanwhile people have a right against the Imam. Imam Abu Ja‘far (al-Baqir), peace be on him, talked about that when Abu Hamza asked him: -What is the Imam's right against people? -His right against them is to listen and obey (him). -What is their right against them?