The Case of those who would Die without having an Imam from the Imams of Guidance

“ One day abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) initiated to speak to us and said, ‘The Messenger of Allah has said, “Whoever would die and is not under the (guardianship) of the Imam his death would be like a death in ignorance.” The narrator has said that I asked, “Is that what the Messenger of Allah has said?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Yes, by Allah, he has said so.” I then said, “Do all who die without acknowledging the Imam die as if died in ignorance (without religion)?” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Yes, that is right.”

“I asked abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) about the words the Messenger of Allah. ““Whoever would die and is not under the (guardianship) of the Imam his death would be like a death in ignorance.” The narrator has said I then asked, “Is it death in disbelief (in religion)?” He said, “It is death in error .” I then said, “Thus, whoever would die today and would not have an Imam would his death be considered as if he has died in ignorance (without religion)?” He said, “Yes, that is true.”

“I said to Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.): ‘the Messenger of Allah (sw) said, "Whoever dies and does not know his Imam dies the death of ignorance." He (the Imam) replied in the affirmative. I asked, "Is it the death of ignorance (in the sense) of being ignorant or is it the death of ignorance in not knowing his Imam?" He replied, "(It is the death of) ignorance in terms of disbelief, hypocrisy, and misguidance."“

“Abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever would follow the religion of Allah without hearing (instructions) from a truthful (Imam) person Allah will cause him, inevitably, to suffer hardships. Whoever would claim to have heard from a source other than the one Allah has opened for him, he will be considered as polytheist. The source and door that Allah has opened is the one that trustworthy in the matters of the hidden secrets of Allah.”