He said...

He said: They have Wilayat and love for us but they do not have the same beliefs as you, so you want to be aloof from them? I replied: Yes. He said: So there are some things that you are also not aware of, thus would it be better for us to be aloof from you? I said: May I be sacrificed on you, no. He said: In the same way, there are some matters that are with Allah and not with us, so should not Allah be aloof of us? I said: No, by Allah, may I be sacrificed on you.

He said: So have love for them and do not be aloof from them, some of the Muslims have one, some two, some three portions of faith…”[^5] This is a lengthy tradition and it is mentioned in the chapter of levels of faith in Usool Kafi .

In the chapter of ‘Love for Allah’ in the above book, it is narrated from His Eminence, Abu Abdillah Sadiq (as) that he said: “Among the most solid grasps of faith is that: One should love for Allah, be angry for Allah, give for Allah and prohibit for Allah.”[^6] And also in the same chapter, it is narrated from His Eminence, the Messenger of Allah (S) that he said: “Which is the most firm handle of faith? The companions said: Allah and His Messenger know better.

And some said: Prayer, some said, Zakat , some said fasting and others said Hajj and Umrah, while yet others said Jihad . At that moment the Holy Prophet (S) said: There is an excellence in everything that you have mentioned but it is not what I asked.

The firmest handle of faith is love in the path of Allah, hatred in the path of Allah, devotion to the friends of Allah and aloofness from the enemies of Allah.” It is also related from His Eminence, Sadiq (as) that he said: “One who does not love for the sake of religion and does not become angry for the sake of religion, does not have religion.”[^7] I say: These are some traditions that have come in connection with the necessity of having regard for the Awliya and friends of Allah.

And since the matter has now become clear, I say: There is no doubt that one who has more perfect faith would also have deeper love for the people of faith; and one who is a more perfect believer, it is necessary that love towards him should be more intense because this love is as a result of the connection of faith that exists between the believers.

By this logic it becomes necessary for you to have more intense love for the Imam of your time who is the root and handle of faith and the mountain of Wilayat and its fort, than your love for other believers.