The Reason Why There is a Need for the Imam (as)

Kamāl al-Dīn wa Tamām al-Niʿma|Volume 1|Book 2|Chapter 21

Kamāl al-Dīn wa Tamām al-Niʿma

Book 2, Chapter 21

The Reason Why There is a Need for the Imam

Hadith #6

حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ الْمَالِكِيُّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ أَبِي مَحْمُودٍ قَالَ قَالَ الرِّضَا ع‌ نَحْنُ حُجَجُ اللَّهِ فِي خَلْقِهِ وَ خُلَفَاؤُهُ فِي عِبَادِهِ وَ أُمَنَاؤُهُ عَلَى سِرِّهِ وَ نَحْنُ كَلِمَةُ التَّقْوَى وَ الْعُرْوَةُ الْوُثْقَى وَ نَحْنُ شُهَدَاءُ اللَّهِ وَ أَعْلَامُهُ فِي بَرِيَّتِهِ بِنَا يُمْسِكُ اللَّهُ‌ السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضَ أَنْ تَزُولا وَ بِنَا يُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ‌ وَ يَنْشُرُ الرَّحْمَةَ وَ لَا تَخْلُو الْأَرْضُ مِنْ قَائِمٍ مِنَّا ظَاهِرٍ أَوْ خَافٍ وَ لَوْ خَلَتْ يَوْماً بِغَيْرِ حُجَّةٍ

Narrated to us my father that: Narrated to us Hasan bin Ahmad Maliki from his father from Ibrahim bin Abi Mahmood that he said: al-Ridha said: “We are the proofs of Allah upon His creatures, and His vicegerents on His servants and the trustees of His secrets. And we are the word of guarding, and the firm rope and we are the witnesses of Allah and His signs among His creatures. Through us Allah has maintained the heavens and the earth from crashing. And for our sake the rain falls and the divine mercy spreads. And the earth is never devoid of a Qaim from among us, be he apparent or hidden and if it be without divine proof for a single day it will cave along with its inhabitants like the sea sinks along with those in it.”