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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Last Luminary and Ways to Delve Into the Light Responsibility 54: Pledge of Allegiance to the Imam Another responsibility which the true believers must fulfill is to renew their pledge of allegiance to Imam al-Zaman (ajtf). According to the narrations, it is best that this act is done after every obligatory Salat or at least once a day and if this is not possible, then at least once a week.

The meaning of pledging allegiance to the Imam is that the person obligates himself to help the Imam. While fulfilling this promise, one must not show any remorse or regret if one needs to help the Imam with his life or wealth. One of the first times this sort of pledge was taken was during the speech of Ghadir when the Prophet commanded the entire nation to make a pledge of allegiance to all the infallible A`immah.

This pledge of allegiance is actually one of the necessary acts of true faith and in essence, a true believer will never have faith until he realizes and comprehends this pledge of allegiance and stays firm on it after making it. The following conditions must be observed in this pledge of allegiance: A person making the allegiance must have the intention in his heart to obey the Imam and must promise that he will help him.

In addition, a person must not show remorse if he has to give up his life or wealth to maintain this pact. The pledge of allegiance, intention to help the Imam and initiating this firm covenant must be done verbally. Of course, when the advent of the Imam takes place and when his government is established, the pledge of allegiance for these two issues will be done physically with the Imam by a shaking of hands.

It should be noted that the realization of this pledge of allegiance in which a person will place his hand in the hand of the person whom he is pledging to is obligatory and this can only take place when the person whom the allegiance is being made to is one of the Infallibles or one of their directly appointed representatives. Thus, it is not permissible to make this kind of pledge to anyone else!

Obviously, during the period of occultation, the fulfillment of this form of allegiance in which a person places his hand in the hand of Imam al-Zaman (ajtf) or his specific representative is not possible since according to the traditions, the Imam is hidden from the view of the people and thus, this form of the responsibility is limited to the time when he makes his advent.