In Ghaibat Nomani it is narrated from Imam Abu Abdillah Sadiq (as) that he said...

In Ghaibat Nomani it is narrated from Imam Abu Abdillah Sadiq (as) that he said: “A tradition that you understand is better than ten that you narrate (without understanding them). Every truth has a fact and every rightness has a light. By Allah, we do not consider a Shia as a jurisprudent until a mistake is committed before him and he notices the mistake.

Amirul Momineen (as) has said from the pulpit of Kufa: There will be dark, blind and dim seditions awaiting you, from which no one will be saved except the ‘Nooma’. People asked: What is the ‘Nooma’? He said: It is one, who knows people but people do not know him.” Then he added: Know well that the world will not be empty of an authority (Hujjah) from Allah but Allah will make His people not see His authority because of their injustice, oppression and excessiveness in disobedience.

If the world remains without an authority (from Allah) for an hour, it will sink with its people. The authority knows people but they don’t know him. It is like Prophet Yusuf (as), who knew people but they denied him.”[^3] In the same book also through the author’s own chain of narrators it is mentioned about Imam Abu Abdillah Sadiq (as) that one of his companions came to him and said: “May I be sacrificed on you! By Allah, I love you and love whoever loves you.

O my master, how numerous your Shias are!” His Eminence said, “Would you please mention them?” The man said, “They are too many.” He said, “Could you count them?” The man said, “They are much more than to be counted.” Abu Abdillah as-Sadiq (as) said, “If the number becomes three hundred and a little more, then what you want will happen.

Our Shias are those, whose voice does not pass beyond their ears, nor does their zeal go beyond their body, nor do they praise us openly, not quarrel with anyone because of us, nor sit with anyone criticizing us, nor talk with anyone abusing us, nor love whoever hates us and do not hate whoever loves us.” The man said, “Then how do we deal with these different groups, who pretend that they are Shias?” He said, “They will be tried, purified and distinguished.

Years that will perish them, a sword that will kill them and disagreement that will scatter them. Our real Shias are those, who do not growl like a dog, do not covet like a crow and do not ask people for alms even if they die of hunger.” The man said, “May I be sacrificed on you, where can I find such a kind of people?” He said, “You can find them in the far sides of the world.