Hadith No. 10
The Earth is never without an Imam through whom one is guided toward Allah.
رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ بَابَوَيْهِ [ت381ه] فِي «كَمَالِ الدِّينِ وَتَمَامِ النِّعْمَةِ»[1]، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ وَصَفْوَانِ بْنِ يَحْيَى جَمِيعًا، عَنْ ذَرِيحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ -يَعْنِي جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّادِقَ- عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ:
وَاللَّهِ مَا تَرَكَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ الْأَرْضَ قَطُّ مُنْذُ قَبَضَ آدَمَ إِلَّا وَفِيهَا إِمَامٌ يُهْتَدَى بِهِ إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، وَهُوَ حُجَّةُ اللَّهِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ، مَنْ تَرَكَهُ هَلَكَ وَمَنْ لَزِمَهُ نَجَا، حَقًّا عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.
Translation:
Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Babawayh [d. 381 AH] has narrated in the book Kamal al-Din Wa Tamam al-Ni‘mah, (in this manner that) he has said: My father narrated to us, he said: Abdullah ibn Ja‘far narrated to us, from Muhammad ibn Isa, from Ja‘far ibn Bashir and Safwan ibn Yahya both, from Dharih, who said: I heard Abu Abdullah—meaning Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq—
say:
By Allah, since the time He took Adam from the world, Allah, Exalted and Majestic, has not left the Earth without an Imam on it, through whom one is guided toward Allah, Exalted and Majestic, and who is the proof of Allah over servants. Whoever abandons him is doomed, and whoever accompanies him is saved. This is a right upon Allah, Exalted and Majestic.
