Those who do not know Allah they worship Him just like that in misguidance.

Those who do not know Allah they worship Him just like that in misguidance." I then asked, may Allah take my soul in service for your cause, what the knowledge about Allah?" The Imam (a.s.) said, "Knowledge about Allah means is to acknowledge the existence of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, to acknowledge His messenger and to love Imam Ali (a.s.). Of such knowledge is to follow him and the Imams of guidance and to denounce before Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, their (Imams') enemies.

This is how the knowledge about Allah is." H 447, Ch. 7, h 2 Al-Husayn has narrated from Mu'alla al-Hassan ibn Ali from Ahmad ibn 'A'idh from his father from 'Udhayna who has said that more than one person has narrated to us from one the two Imams (a.s.) who has said the following.

"One will not be considered a Mu'min until he knows Allah, His Messenger and all of the Imams and the Imam of ones time, acknowledges his Divine authority and submits his affairs to the Imam (a.s.)." He then said, "How would one know the last one when one is ignorant of the first one." H 448, Ch. 7, h 3 Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from Zurara who has said the following.

"I said to abu Ja'far (a.s.), 'Is knowing the Imam from among you obligatory on all creatures?'" The Imam (a.s.) said, "Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, sent Muhammad to all people as His Messenger and as His authority over all creatures on earth. Those who have faith in Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger and have followed him and have acknowledged his message on such people it is obligatory to the Imam from us.

Those who do not have faith in Allah and in His messenger and who do not follow him and do not acknowledge him and do not acknowledge the rights of Allah and His messenger then knowing the Imam (a.s.) would be obligatory on them?

They do not have faith in Allah and in His messenger, do not follow him and do not acknowledge their rights." I then asked, "What would you say about those who have faith in Allah and His messenger who acknowledge His messenger in all the matters that have come from Allah, is it obligatory for them to know the Imam (a.s.) from you?" The Imam (a.s.) said, "Yes, it is obligatory.

Do they not know so and so?" I said, "yes, they do." The Imam (a.s.) then said, "Do you think Allah is the one who has placed such knowledge in their hearts?