Al-Kāfi - The Book about people with Divine Authority

Al-Kāfi - The Book about people with Divine Authority Chapter: The obligation to obey the Imams (a.s.) 11ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِي٠َ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ السِّنْدِيِّ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَ٠َةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلا٠ِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ نَحْنُ الَّذِينَ فَرَضَ الله طَاعَتَنَا لا يَسَعُ النَّاسَ إِلا ٠َعْرِفَتُنَا وَلا يُعْذَرُ النَّاسُ بِجَهَالَتِنَا ٠َنْ عَرَفَنَا كَانَ ٠َنْ أَنْكَرَنَا كَانَ كَافِراً وَ٠ْ يَعْرِفْنَا وَلَ٠ْ يُنْكِرْنَا كَانَ ضَالاً حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ إِلَى الْهُدَى الَّذِي افْتَرَضَ الله عَلَيْهِ ٠ِنْ طَاعَتِنَا الْوَاجِبَةِ فَإِنْ يَ٠ُتْ عَلَى ضَلالَتِهِ يَفْعَلِ الله بِهِ ٠11.

Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Salih ibn al-Sindi from Ja’far ibn Bashir from abu Salma who has said that I heard Imam abu ‘Abdallah say the following. “We are the ones obedience to whom is obligatory by the commands of Allah. People have no other choice except to know us and they will not be excused for not knowing us. Those who know us are the true believers and those who would refuse to acknowledge our Divine authority are unbelievers.

Those who would not know us and would not acknowledge us are straying and lost until they return to guidance and affirm the fact that Allah has made obedience to us obligatory. But if they would die in their straying condition Allah will deal with the way He would will.” يخرجه - Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi (Sahih al-Kafi) يحقق - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (2/332))