Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) said:
“O Aba Hamzah[1], if one of you embarks on a journey of several miles, he seeks a guide to avoid the danger of getting lost. Yet, you are more ignorant of the paths to the heavens than the paths of the earth. So, seek for yourself a guide (to avoid losing your way toward God and the heavens).”
(Usul al-Kafi, Volume 1, Page 184, Hadith 10)
The reason why the true religion must be delivered through an infallible Imam is very clear. We know that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) was commanded by God to invite humanity to the Straight Path. As stated in the Quran:
“Indeed, you are truly inviting them to the Straight Path.” [2]
The Prophet also instructed his followers to say in their prayers—obligatory or recommended:
“Guide us to the Straight Path” [3], thus emphasizing that the only way to salvation in both worlds is to walk the Straight Path.
Moreover, the Straight Path of prosperity is not something that ordinary humans can fully comprehend in all its dimensions, limits, and details to tread upon it without hesitation or concern. If it were, there would not have been so many conflicting methods and programs proposed by leaders of human societies for the reformation of humanity, nor would these conflicts have led to countless wars, strife, instability, and destructive global corruption.
It is also not possible for Muslims who follow the Quran alone, without relying on the sacred station of the “Imam”—a divinely appointed and infallible guide—to fully understand the Straight Path with all its nuances and traverse it with complete confidence and peace of mind. If this were achievable, there would not have been such divisions among Islamic sects. A united nation with a single book would not have been swept away by the destructive waves of intellectual, doctrinal, and practical schisms, losing both worldly leadership and eternal salvation.
Therefore, reason dictates that identifying the Straight Path and the way to God requires a pathfinder who is appointed by God and infallible, free from any error or mistake. Such a guide must fully comprehend the grandeur and majesty of the destination, which is God, and be aware of the conditions and obstacles along the journey.
This rational conclusion is precisely what our traditions, including the noble narration from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (peace be upon him), guide us toward.
(Adapted from the book “In Search of Religious Knowledge” by Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Zia Abadi)
Footnotes:
[1] “Aba Hamzah” refers to the narrator of the hadith.
[2] Surah Al-Mu’minun, Verse 73
[3] Surah Al-Fatiha, Verse 6