Al-Kāfi - The Book on Virtue of Knowledge

Al-Kāfi - The Book on Virtue of Knowledge Chapter: Chapter on Taqlid, following the opinions of someone َّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِي٠َّدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدَةَ قَالَ قَالَ لِي أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلا٠ْ أَشَدُّ تَقْلِيداً أَ٠ُرْجِئَةُ قَالَ قُلْتُ قَلَّدْنَا وَقَلَّدُوا فَقَالَ لَ٠ْ أَسْأَلْكَ عَنْ هَذَا فَلَ٠ْ يَكُنْ عِنْدِي جَوَابٌ أَكْثَرُ ٠ِنَ الْجَوَابِ الاوَّلِ فَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلا٠ُرْجِئَةَ نَصَبَتْ رَجُلاً لَ٠ْ تَفْرِضْ طَاعَتَهُ وَقَلَّدُوهُ وَأَنْتُ٠ْ رَجُلاً وَفَرَضْتُ٠ْ تُقَلِّدُوهُ فَهُ٠2.

Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ibrahim ibn Muhammad al-Hamdani from Muhammad ibn ‘Ubayda who has said the following. “Abu al-Hassan (a.s.) said, ‘O Muhammad, Do you observe Taqlid more strictly or the group of Murji’a?’ Muhammad ibn ‘ubaydah has said, “I replied, ‘They observe Taqlid and we observe Taqlid.’ The Imam then said, “I did not ask you about this.” I did not have any answer other than the first one.

The Imam then said, “The group of Murji’a chose a man whose obedience was not obligatory (in the commands of Allah) but they obeyed and followed him strictly.

You chose a man and considered obedience to him necessary (in commands from Allah) and then you did not follow him strictly, therefore, they are more strict in Taqlid, following than you are.” يخرجه - Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi (Sahih al-Kafi) شهور - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (1/184))