Al-Kāfi - The Book about people with Divine Authority

Al-Kāfi - The Book about people with Divine Authority Chapter: The Obligation and Duty of the People at the Time of the Passing away of the Imam (a.s.) َّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ ٠َّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلا٠) إِذَا حَدَثَ عَلَى الا٠ِ حَدَثٌ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ النَّاسُ قَالَ أَيْنَ قَوْلُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَلَوْ لا نَفَرَ ٠ِنْ كُلِّ فِرْقَةٍ ٠ْ طائِفَةٌ لِيَتَفَقَّهُوا فِي الدِّينِ وَلِيُنْذِرُوا قَوْ٠ْ إِذا رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِ٠ْ يَحْذَرُونَ قَالَ هُ٠ُوا فِي الطَّلَبِ وَهَؤُلاءِ الَّذِينَ يَنْتَظِرُونَهُ٠ْ فِي عُذْرٍ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ إِلَيْهِ٠1.

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad b. al-Hussain from Safwan from Ya‘qub ibn Shu‘ayb who said the following: “I asked Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.), ‘If something would happen to the Imam what should then the people do?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Where are the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Gracious, ‘Not all believers have to become specialists in religious learning.

Why do not some people from each group of believers seek to become specialists in religious learning and, after completing their studies, guide their group so that they will have fear of God.’” (9:122) The Imam (a.s.) said, “They will have good reason to be excused as long as they are searching also those who wait for them until they complete their religious education and return back to them.” صحيح - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (4/227)) صحيح - Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi (Sahih al-Kafi (1/45))