Straying

“Once Muhammad ibn Muslim, abu al-Khattab and I were together and abu Khattab asked, ‘What do you say about a person who does not believe in this cause (Divine Authority of AM al-Bayt)?’ I then said, ‘Anyone who does not believe in this cause is an unbeliever.’ Abu al-Khattab said, ‘He is not an unbeliever until all evidence is established against him, when evidence and proof is established and he did not recognize then he becomes an unbeliever.’ Muhammad ibn Muslim asked him. ‘Glory belongs to Allah, what has he done that for not knowing and not denying becomes an unbeliever? He is not an unbeliever if he does not deny and reject.’ I (the narrator) argued and then went in the presence of Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) and informed him of the discussion. The Imam said, ‘You have come and they both are absent. All of you may come to me tonight by the middle Jamara (pillar of stones) in Mina.’ “That night we gathered together before him. Abu al-Khattab and Muhammad ibn Muslim also were there. The Imam picked up the pillow and held it against his chest and asked us, ‘What do you say about your servants, women, and people of your house? Do they not say, ‘No one deserves to be worshipped except Allah?’ I said, ‘Yes, they do say so.’ The Imam asked, ‘Do they not say, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah?’ I said, ‘Yes, they do say so.’ The Imam asked, ‘Do they not perform the prayer, fast and perform Hajj?’ I said, ‘Yes, they do so.’ The Imam asked, ‘Do they know and recognize what you believe in?’ I said, ‘No, they do not do so.’ The Imam asked, ‘What are they then in your views?’ I said, ‘Anyone who does not know this cause (Divine Authority of Ahl al-Bayt) is an unbeliever. ’ The Imam asked, ‘Glory belongs to Allah, have you considered the people in the streets and the water carriers?’ I said, ‘Yes, I have done so.’ The Imam asked, ‘Do they not perform the prayer, fast, and perform Hajj? Do they not testify that no one deserves to be worshipped except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah?’ I said, ‘Yes, they do so.’ The Imam said, ‘Do they know and recognize what you believe in?’ I said, ‘No, they do not do so.’ The Imam said, ‘What are they then in your view?’ I said, ‘Anyone who does not know and recognize this cause, is an unbeliever.’ The Imam said, ‘Glory belongs to Allah, have you seen the Ka’bah, the Tawaf (walking seven times around the Ka’bah), the people of Yeman and their clinging to the curtain of the Ka’bah?’ I said, ‘Yes, I see them.’ The Imam said, ‘Do they not testify that no one deserves to be worshipped except Allah? That Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah? Do they not perform the prayer, fast, and perform Hajj?’ I said, ‘Yes they do so.’ The Imam said, ‘Do they know and recognize what you believe in?’ I said, ‘No they do not do so.’ The Imam said, ‘What do you say about them?’ I said, ‘Anyone who does not know (believe in this cause) is an unbeliever. ’ “The Imam said, ‘Glory belongs to Allah, this is what al- Khawarij (the group that turned against Ali (a.s.)) say.’ The Imam then said, ‘If you like, I may tell you.’ I said, ‘No, do not tell us.’ The Imam said, ‘It is evil against you to say what you have not heard from us.’ I (the narrator) then guessed that he is turning us upon the words of Muhammad ibn Muslim (namely, one is not an unbeliever until he denies and rejects the Divine Authority of Ahl al-Bayt).”’