Their status would not have been confirmed had they not been...

Their status would not have been confirmed had they not been the obvious Proofs of Allah and the fountainhead of His Jurisprudence, the obvious Proofs of Allah, the fountainhead of His Jurisprudence, the ones who represent the Messenger of Allah in bidding or forbidding, his own deputies in the most clear terms. Whoever loves them, therefore, is also a lover of Allah and His Messenger, and whoever hates them is an enemy of Allah and His Messenger.

He, peace be upon him and his progeny, has said: "None loves us except a God­fearing and sincere believer, and none hates us except a hypocritical wretch."[^15] It is for these reasons that al­Farazdaq, the poet, has said these verses in their praise: You are ones loving whom is belief, hating an abomination; Nearness to you is indeed a rescue and a salvation. If the pious ones are counted, you will be their Imams; it is true. If one asks: "Who are the best of man?" the answer will be you.

The Commander of the Faithful, peace be upon him, used to say: "I and the virtuous among my descendants are the best in manners when young, and the most learned when old. Through us does Allah obliterate lies, and through us does He turn the wild fox's teeth ineffective. Through us does Allah cure your barrenness, and through us does He emancipate you.

Through us does Allah begin and conclude."[^16] Suffices us a reason for preferring them over others the fact that Allah, the Sublime, the Almighty, has preferred them over all others, making sending prayers unto them part of the obligatory prayers, albeit if the one saying his prayer were a Siddiq or Faruq, with one light, or two, or with numerous lights. Nay! Everyone who…