Hadith No. 27

Allah is not worshipped except through a living and visibly present Imam.

رَوَى عَلِيُّ بْنُ بَابَوَيْهِ [ت329ه‍] فِي «الْإِمَامَةِ وَالتَّبْصِرَةِ»[1]، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي الْخَطَّابِ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ، عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ السَّرَّاجِ، قَالَ:

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ -يَعْنِي جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّادِقَ- عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: تَبْقَى الْأَرْضُ بِلَا عَالِمٍ حَيٍّ ظَاهِرٍ يَفْزَعُ إِلَيْهِ النَّاسُ فِي حَلَالِهِمْ وَحَرَامِهِمْ؟ فَقَالَ لِي: إِذًا لَا يُعْبَدُ اللَّهُ يَا أَبَا يُوسُفَ!

Translation:

Ali ibn Bābawayh [Died in 329 AH] has narrated in the book of “al-Imāmah wa al-Tabsirah”, from Muhammad ibn Yahyā, from Muhammad ibn Hussain ibn Abi al-Khattāb, from Hasan ibn Mahbub, from Ya’qub al-Sarāj that said:

I said to Abu Abdullah — meaning Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq — peace be upon him that said: Does the earth be without a present living Imam in whom people take refuge considering their Halal and Haram? So he said to me: Then God would not be worshipped, O Abā Yusuf!

Attestation No. 1

وَرَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَرِيرٍ الطَّبَرِيُّ [ت‌بعد411ه‍] فِي «دَلَائِلِ الْإِمَامَةِ»[2] -وَهُوَ غَيْرُ صَاحِبِ التَّارِيخِ- قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْمُفَضَّلِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الشَّيْبَانِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْعَبَّاسِ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ زَكَرِيَّا، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ، عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ السَّرَّاجِ، قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ -فَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ.

Translation:

Also, Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari [Died after 411 AH], who is someone other than the owner of the history book, has narrated in the book of “Dalā’il al-Imāmah”, has said: Abu Mufadhdhal Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Shaybāni narrated to us, he said: Abu al-Abbās Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Sa’id al-Hamdāni narrated to us, he said: Yahyā ibn Zakaryā narrated to us, from Hasan ibn Mahbub, from Ya’qub al-Sirāj that said: I said to Abu Abdullah (Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq) peace be upon him –then he narrated the same as the above narration.

Attestation No. 2

وَرُوِيَ فِي كِتَابِ «الْإِخْتِصَاصِ»[3] الْمَنْسُوبِ إِلَى مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ النُّعْمَانِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ الْحَلَبِيِّ، قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ: «مَنْ مَاتَ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ إِمَامٌ حَيٌّ ظَاهِرٌ مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً».

Translation:

Also, in the book of “al-Ikhtisās” attributed to Muhammad ibn Muhammad Nu’mān, it has been narrated from Muhammad ibn Ali al-Halabi that said: Abu Abdullah (Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq) peace be upon him, said: Whoever dies while there is not a present and living Imam for him, he has died a death of ignorance.

Attestation No. 3

وَرُوِيَ فِيهِ[4] عَنْ أَبِي الْجَارُودِ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ مَاتَ وَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ إِمَامٌ حَيٌّ ظَاهِرٌ مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً»، قُلْتُ: إِمَامٌ حَيٌّ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ؟! قَالَ: «إِمَامٌ حَيٌّ».

Translation:

Also, it has been narrated from Abu Jārud in this book that said: I heard Abu Abdullah (Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Sādiq) peace be upon him say: Whoever dies while there is not a present and living Imam for him, he has died a death of ignorance. I said: A living Imam may I be your sacrifice?! He said: A living Imam.

Attestation No. 4

وَرُوِيَ فِيهِ[5] عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الْأَوَّلِ -يَعْنِي مُوسَى بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ- عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ مَاتَ بِغَيْرِ إِمَامٍ مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً، إِمَامٍ حَيٍّ يَعْرِفُهُ»، فَقُلْتُ: لَمْ أَسْمَعْ أَبَاكَ يَذْكُرُ هَذَا -يَعْنِي إِمَامًا حَيًّا- فَقَالَ: «قَدْ وَاللَّهِ قَالَ ذَاكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ»، قَالَ: «وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ: <مَنْ مَاتَ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ إِمَامٌ يَسْمَعُ لَهُ وَيُطِيعُ مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً>».

Translation:

Also, it has been narrated from Umar ibn Yazid in this book that said: I heard the first Abu al-Hasan — meaning Musā ibn Ja’far — peace be upon him say: Whoever dies without having an Imam, he has died a death of ignorance, a living Imam whom he knows. I said: I did not hear your father (Ja’far ibn Muhammad) say it — meaning a living Imam —! Then he said: I swear to God, the Messenger of God peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, has said it. The Messenger of God peace and blessings of God be upon him and his family, has said: whoever dies while he does not have an Imam from whom he hears and obeys, he has died and ignorant death.

Consideration

قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُعْبَدُ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِإِمَامٍ مَيِّتٍ؛ لِأَنَّ عِبَادَتَهُ فِيهَا إِقَامَةُ حُدُودِهِ وَتَنْفِيذُ أَحْكَامِهِ وَإِدَارَةُ أَمْوَالِهِ وَجِهَادُ أَعْدَائِهِ وَهِيَ مُحْتَاجَةٌ إِلَى إِمَامٍ حَيٍّ، فَإِنْ مَاتَ أَوْ قُتِلَ أَبْدَلَ اللَّهُ مَكَانَهُ مِثْلَهُ أَوْ خَيْرًا مِنْهُ عَلَى سُنَّتِهِ فِي النَّسْخِ وَالْإِنْسَاءِ؛ كَمَا قَالَ: ﴿مَا نَنْسَخْ مِنْ آيَةٍ أَوْ نُنْسِهَا نَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ مِنْهَا أَوْ مِثْلِهَا ۗ أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ﴾[6] وَإِلَى قَوْلِي هَذَا أَشَارَ جَعْفَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِمَا السَّلَامُ -فِيمَا رُوِيَ عَنْهُ- إِذْ قَالَ لِعِيسَى بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ: أَمَا إِنَّكَ يَا عِيسَى لَا تَكُونُ مُؤْمِنًا حَتَّى تَعْرِفَ النَّاسِخَ مِنَ الْمَنْسُوخِ، قَالَ: جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ وَمَا مَعْرِفَةُ النَّاسِخِ مِنَ الْمَنْسُوخِ؟ قَالَ: أَلَيْسَ تَكُونُ مَعَ الْإِمَامِ مُوَطِّنًا نَفْسَكَ عَلَى حُسْنِ النِّيَّةِ فِي طَاعَتِهِ فَيَمْضِي ذَلِكَ الْإِمَامُ وَيَأْتِي إِمَامٌ آخَرُ فَتُوَطِّنُ نَفْسَكَ عَلَى حُسْنِ النِّيَّةِ فِي طَاعَتِهِ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: هَذَا مَعْرِفَةُ النَّاسِخِ مِنَ الْمَنْسُوخِ وَرُوِيَ أَنَّ الْمُعَلَّى بْنَ خُنَيْسٍ سَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْحَدِيثِ الَّذِي يُرْوَى عَنِ الْإِمَامِ الْمَاضِي، فَقَالَ: خُذُوا بِهِ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَكُمْ عَنِ الْحَيِّ، فَإِنْ بَلَغَكُمْ عَنِ الْحَيِّ فَخُذُوا بِقَوْلِهِ.

ثُمَّ قَالَ الْمَنْصُورُ حَفِظَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى: إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُعْبَدُ فِي الْأَرْضِ بِإِمَامٍ غَائِبٍ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُ فِي غَيْبَتِهِ أَنْ يُقِيمَ الْحُدُودَ وَيَأْخُذَ الصَّدَقَاتِ وَيُنَفِّذَ الْأَحْكَامَ وَيُجَاهِدَ الْأَعْدَاءَ وَلَوْ تَنَاوَلَ ذَلِكَ غَيْرُهُ عَجَزَ عَنْ كَثِيرٍ؛ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِيهِ وَلَا يُوَفِّقُهُ وَلَوْ أَدْرَكَ شَيْئًا لَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهُ؛ لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يُدْرِكْهُ مِنَ الْوَجْهِ الَّذِي أَمَرَ اللَّهُ بِهِ وَقَدْ قَالَ اللَّهُ: ﴿وَلَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِأَنْ تَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِنْ ظُهُورِهَا وَلَكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنِ اتَّقَى ۗ وَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِنْ أَبْوَابِهَا ۚ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ﴾[7].

Translation:

Mansoor may God protect him, said: Indeed, God would not be worshipped on earth through a deceased Imam; because His worship on it is establishment of the limits and enforcement of the laws and management of the properties and performing Jihad against His enemies, and these works need a living Imam. So if he dies or get killed, God replaces him with someone like him or better than him, according to His tradition regarding abrogating and making forgotten; as He has said: “Any sign which We abrogate or make it to be forgotten, We bring a sign better than it or like it. Have you not known that God is Capable in doing everything?” and Ja’far ibn Muhammad peace be upon them, referred to this speech of mine, in that which has been narrated from him, when he said to Isā ibn Abdullah: Know that O Isā, you will not be faithful until you know the abrogator from the abrogated, he said: May I be your sacrifice, what is to know the abrogator from the abrogated? He said: Is it not that you are with the Imam while you have made yourself obey him with goodwill, then he passes away and another Imam comes, then you make yourself obey him with goodwill? He said: Yes, he said: This is to know the abrogator from the abrogated, and it has been narrated that Mu’allā ibn Khunays asked him about a narration which has been received from the past Imams, so he said: Take it as long as it comes to you through a living Imam, then if it came to you through a living Imam, take his speech.[8]

Then Mansoor may God protect him, said: Indeed, God would not be worshipped on earth through an absent Imam; because he cannot establish the limits and collect the charities and enforce the laws and fight against the enemies in his absence, and if someone other than him carries them out, he will fail in many of them; because God would not guide him and would not bestow the success on him, and if he accomplishes something, it will not be accepted from him; because he has not accomplished it through the way God had commanded, whereas God has said: “Beneficence is not that you enter houses from behind them, but the benefactor is someone who acts upon piety, and enter houses through their doors, and fear God, may it be that you gain salvation”.