These thoughts just came to my mind.

These thoughts just came to my mind.” The Imam (as) said, “the things which came to you as an intuition are recorded in the books of Ibrahim and Musa (as).” Imam Zainul ‘Abidin (as) has said, “we are the Vicegerents of Allah and the Prophet (S) for the people of this world. We are the Masters of the pious and the shield against the retribution of Allah for them, the same way as the stars are the shields for the inhabitants of the sky.

We are the people for whom, and because of whom, Allah has protected and kept the earth intact. With our intercession the rain falls. If the earth were devoid of us, the Imams (as), then it would break and its inhabitants would perish in the debris.” Then the Imam (as) added, “Ever since Allah created Adam (as), the earth has never been without a Vicegerent ( Hujjat). This Hujjat or Caliph of Allah has always been there, either publicly proclaimed or in the state of hiding.

If such was not the case, then there wouldn’t have been the worshippers of Allah on this earth.” The narrator adds that he asked the Imam (as), “O son of the Prophet (S)! If the Hujjat or Imam remains in hiding, then what advantage will be there?” The Imam (as) replied, “The Imam (as) remaining in hiding is like the time when the sun goes into hiding.

You do understand the advantage accruing while the sun remains in hiding!” Jabir Jaafi narrates that he asked Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (as) about the need of the people for prophets and Imams. The Imam (as) replied, “The Prophet (S) or his Vicegerents are necessary for the human race to remain in a constant state of progress and protect them from Allah’s Punishment through their Intercession.” Therefore, Allah has Himself observed, “O My Habeeb ( the endearment Allah has used for the ) !

As long as you are on the earth, I shall not inflict My azaab (punishment) on its inhabitants” The Prophet of Allah (S) has said, “The stars provide protection to the denizens of the skies so also my Ahl-ul-Bayt, the members of my family, are a guarantee for the protection of the people of the earth. If the stars are obliterated from the sky, the sky wouldn’t exist.

Similarly, if my Vicegerents are not on the earth, then the earth too would vanish.” The Prophet (S)’s Ahl-ul-Bayt is the group of Infallible members of the Prophet (S)’s family about whom Allah says, “O believers!