Sulaym ibn Qays narrates: I said to Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS): “O Amirul Mumineen, what is that action which is absolutely compulsory and is extremely necessary – that act that I choose, and after that, if I have a doubt it does not matter?”
Alayhissalam said: “Whoever bears witness that there is no god but Allah, He is One and He has no partner. Muhammad is His slave and Messenger and accepted all those things that Allah has revealed, prayed and paid zakat, fasted in the month of Ramadan , and paid pilgrimage to the House, and the wilayat of us Ahlulbayt, keep away from our enemies, and stay away from all intoxicating things.”
I said: “May I be sacrificed for you, is it accepting what has come from you people briefly or in detail?”
He replied: “No, but briefly.”
I asked: “May I be sacrificed for you, what is this intoxicating thing?”
He replied: “Every drink, that if exceeded, the drinker gets drunk, so its one sip or even a drop is unlawful/”
I asked: “May I be sacrificed for you, everything that yyou have said is all right except wilayat. Is this generally for Bani Hashim or is it particularly for your ‘Ulama and jurisprudence? By keeping away from your enemies – does it mean a person who kept enmity with you all, or that person who kept enmity with any one of you?”
Alayhissalam replied: “O brother of Bani Hilal, you have asked the question, so understand. When you accept the wilayat of us Ahlulbayt briefly, and briefly keep away from our enemies then this is enough for you. And when Allah has made you recognize those who are Imams from us, who are all Awsiya, ‘Ulama and Fuqaha and you have recognized them all and have accepted their obedience, and obeyed them all, then you have faith in Allah, and are from people of Paradise, and these are those people who will enter Heaven without any reckoning.
If you accepted the Unity of Allah, and bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and choose all those things in which there is no disagreement among all people of Qiblah, and on those things that all have united on what Allah has commanded to perform, and He has forbidden, and now for you the problem has arisen on what the place of faith is, what the wasiyat is, what is knowledge, what is jurisprudence, and you left the knowledge of that on Allah, and did not bear enmity towards them, and did not even keep away from them, you did not bear malice towards them, then that means that you are ignorant about some things, and have not acquired that which the people of virtue and wilayat have guided. So concerning you, it is Allah’s discretion. If He wants, he will punish you for your sin and if He forgives then it is His mercy.
Those who are our Nasby (who are strong enemies and also abuse Ahlulbayt) and are our enemies, they are idol worshipers, infidels and enemies of Allah.
Those who know our rights and have faith in us, they are all Mumin, Muslims and are friends of Allah.”