SHAFAQNA – Whoever wants to believe and obey Allah (SWT), must obey the commands of the Imam of the time (AS), and in order to succeed in this, must know the Imam (AS) and accept/believe Imamate. It is narrated from Imam Baqir (AS) who said: No servant of God is a believer unless he/she knows about Allah (SWT), the Prophet (PBUH), all the Imams (AS), and his/her Imam of the time (AS); and coordinates all cases in life with the Imam (AS), and submits to the commands of the Imam (AS) [1]. And for this important reason, Ahlul Bait (AS) recommended that to request Allah (SWT) for how to know/recognize by this Dua which says: O’ Allah (SWT), Make known to me Your Proof, whom if You do not make him known to me, I will deviate from the Divine Path, and will be led astray [2].
[1] Kafi (Tehran), Vol. 1, Hadith 2, Page 180.
[2] Kafi, Vol. 1, Hadith 5, Page 337.