Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Two Kinds of Imam are mentioned in the Holy Quran: the Imams (a.s.) who call to Allah and the Imams who call to Fire

 2ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ طَلْحَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ إِنَّ الائِمَّةَ فِي كِتَابِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِمَامَانِ قَالَ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى وَجَعَلْناهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَهْدُونَ بِأَمْرِنا لا بِأَمْرِ النَّاسِ يُقَدِّمُونَ أَمْرَ الله قَبْلَ أَمْرِهِمْ وَحُكْمَ الله قَبْلَ حُكْمِهِمْ قَالَ وَجَعَلْناهُمْ أَئِمَّةً يَدْعُونَ إِلَى النَّارِ يُقَدِّمُونَ أَمْرَهُمْ قَبْلَ أَمْرِ الله وَحُكْمَهُمْ قَبْلَ حُكْمِ الله وَيَأْخُذُونَ بِأَهْوَائِهِمْ خِلافَ مَا فِي كِتَابِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.

 2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Muhammad ibn Yahya from Talha ibn Zayd from abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has said the following. “The Imams mentioned in the book of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, are of two kinds. Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High has said, ‘We appointed them as leaders (Imams) to guide the people through Our command . .” (21:73) They do so but not because of the commads of the people. They allow our command to come first and before their own orders, and our laws before their own laws and judgment. “We made them the kinds of leaders (Imams) who would invite people to the fire . .” (28:41) ‘They let their own commands to come before the commands of Allah and their laws before the laws of Allah. They follow their desires against what the book of Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High requires.’”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1

Book 4, Chapter #25