Sulaym ibn Qays says: “I heard Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) say: “The Holy Prophet (S.A.W) said: [“You people fear three types of people relating to your religion. One is that person who recited the Quran until he saw its splendour on him like a cover of faith (Iman) – he changed it to a great extent, so he raised his sword on his Muslim brother and started calling him idol worshipper.”] So I asked: “O Messenger of Allah, who is more deserving to be called idol worshiper out of the two?” He replied: [“The one who accused the other of doing shirk (i.e. associating a partner to God)
And the other one is he who thought very little of hadith. When fabricated matters finished, he told a great lie. If he gets Dajjal, he will follow him.
And the other one is that man whom Allah has given the strength, so he started thinking that his obedience is Allah’s obedience and his disobedience is Allah’s disobedience, and he is a liar. A person cannot be obeyed in disobedience to Allah. One who disobeys Allah should not be obeyed.
Obedience is due only to Allah and His Messenger and that Ulil Amr whom Allah has kept connected to Himself and His Prophet and has said: {‘Obey Allah and obey the Apostle and those In authority from you’} (Surah Nisa: 59), because Allah has commanded that the Messenger of Allah be obeyed because he is infallible and pure and will never give an order to disobey Allah. In the same manner the order to obey Ulil Amr has been given because they are all infallible and pure and they will not give orders to disobey Allah.”]
Sulaym says: “After that Ali (a.s) turned to me, after he had finished narrating the hadith of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W). He said: {“It is necessary to have a shredder which invites towards deviation. When it is in motion it crushes and its crushing it good, and its goodness is its sharpness, and it is compulsory for Allah to unsharpen it.
The good people of my progeny and pure ones of my family are gentle in their childhood and are most learned as adults. Beware, it is through us that the shortage and evil of this era are changed to abundance, and through our hands falsehood is changed.
Beware, we are that ahlulbayt who, with the command of Allah, command and listen to truth. If you all follow our steps, and follow our ways, and choose our footsteps, then through our light you will be guided. If you all oppose us then you will all be destroyed. If you all follow us then you will find us in front of you for the book. If you oppose us then, except your own self, you will not damage others.
Surely, Allah will question people of all times, and the one from us who was witness over them in their time will be called. Whoever tells truth, we will confirm him and whoever tells a lie we will call him a liar. No doubt, the Holy Prophet (S.A.W) was the warner, and guide and was the Messenger for Jinn and Insaan till the Day of Judgement. After him there will be neither a Prophet nor a Messenger, and after Quran no book will be revealed. It is necessary to have, for all periods, an Imam, a guide and an authority (hujjat), who guides them and takes them to the Path and shows them the right way towards His Book, and the tradition of His Messenger. When one guide leaves, he leaves another like him. These will all be together with the Book and the Book will be with them. They will not separate from the Book and the Book will not separate from them until they all reach the Fountain of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W).
We are that ahlulbayt for whom our father Ibrahim prayed and said: {‘therefore make the hearts of some people yearn towards them’} (Surah Ibrahim: 37)
So particular reference has been to us, and we are those people whom Allah has meant by {‘O you who believe, bow down and prostrate yourselves and serve your Lord, and do good that you may succeed. And strive hard in (the way of) Allah, (such) a striving as is due to Him; He has chosen you and has not laid upon you any hardship in religion; the faith of your father Ibrahim; He named you Muslims before and in this, that the Apostle may be a bearer of witness to you, and you may be bearers of witness to the people, therefore keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and hold fast by Allah; He is your Guardian; how excellent the Guardian and how excellent the Helper.’} (Surah Hajj: 77-78)
So the Messenger of Allah is witness over us and we are Allah’s witness over His creation and we are witness over the entire creation and are authority on His earth.
We are those people whom Allah has meant by {‘And thus We have made you a medium (just) nation that you may be the bearers of witness to the people and (that) the Apostle may be a bearer of witness to you, and We did not make that which you would have to be the qiblah but that We might distinguish him who follows the Apostle from him who turns back upon his heels, and this was surely hard except for those whom Allah has guided aright; and Allah was not going to make your faith to be fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the people.’} (Surah Baqarah: 43)
For every time, from us there will be an Imam who will be witness for the people of his time.”}