And as for the afterlife, it is the eternal abode.

And as for the afterlife, it is the eternal abode.’[^8] One day, an argument took place between Ahmed and Abul Huthayl where Ahmed proved the necessity of imamate.

Here is the argument: Ahmed said to Abul Huthayl, ‘I come to you to ask you about something.’ Abul Huthayl said, ‘Ask whatever you like and I ask Allah for preservation (infallibility)’ Ahmed said, ‘Is it not from your religion that infallibility and success do not come except from Allah and not due to a deed of yours?’ Abul Huthayl said, ‘Yes, it is.’ Ahmed said, ‘Then, what does your supplication mean?

Do and take!’ Abul Huthayl said, ‘Offer your question!’ Ahmed said, ‘My master, if I ask you about a question that you neither find in the Book of Allah, nor in the Sunna of the messenger of Allah, nor in the sayings of his (the Prophet’s) companions nor in the answers of jurisprudents, what will you do?’ Abul Huthayl said, ‘Ask!’ Ahmed said, ‘My master, ten men, who were all impotent. All of them made love with a woman in the same period after one of her menstruations.

Some of them could satisfy some of his need (lust), others as far as they could. Is there, now, anyone who knows the legal punishment of each one of them according to the extent of sin he has committed to be punished in this life and purified in the afterlife? That is to be known that religion is complete.. Abul Huthayl said, ‘How far!’[^9] Ahmed bin Hammad was one of the famous, reliable scholars of the Shia.

Some criticism was mentioned in some traditions against him but al-Khoo’iy refuted them and proved their falseness.[^10] 6. Ahmed Bin Isaaq Al-Ash’ari Al-Qummi He was the deputy of the people of Qum to the infallible imams (a.s) to take juristic issues from them. He narrated traditions from Imam al-Jawad (a.s) and Imam al-Hadi (a.s). He was a scholar and an author. He had written “Ilal as-Salat” and “Massa’il ar-Rija li Abil Hasan ath-Thalith”.

It was mentioned in al-Khulasa that he was reliable and was the deputy of the people of Qum. He narrated from Abu Ja'far the second and Abul Hasan. He was a close companion to Abu Muhammad and he was the chief of the people of Qum. He had seen Imam al-Mahdi (a.s) the Man of Time (may Allah hasten his reappearance). Ahmed bin Isaaq had a high position near the imams of Ahlul Bayt (a.s).