Saduq says: “My father told me, and also Muhammad ibnul Hasan (RA) also said: “Sa’ad ibn Abdullah and Abdullah Jaffer-e-Himyari, who on the authority of Muhammad ibn Isa and Yaqub ibn Yazid who Ibrahim ibn Hashim, who on the authority of Hamad ibn Isa, who on the authority of Umar ibn Udhayna, who on the authority of Aban ibn Abi Ayyash, who on the authority of Sulaym ibn Qays al Hilali said:
“He (Sulaym) heard a hadith from Salman, Abu Dhar, and Miqdad who heard it from the Holy Prophet (SAW). He said: “Whoever dies and does not have an Imam, then he has died as an infidel.”
Then he (Sulaym) presented this hadith to Jabir and ibn Abbas. Both of them said: “They all said correctly and truthfully. We were present at the time and we have heard this hadith from the Holy Prophet (SAW). No doubt, Salman said: “O Messenger of Allah, you said whoever dies without an Imam dies as an infidel. O Messenger of Allah, who is this Imam?”
Sallallahu Alayhi wa Alihi said: “They are the heirs. O Salman, who ever dies from my Ummah and has no Imam whom he knows, he has died as an infidel, and if he is ignorant and bears enmity with him, then he is an idol worshipper. If he does befriend their enemies, then he is ignorant but not idol worshiper.”