Question:

An innovator made the claim that doubt and disbelief in prayer was forgivable according to Imam Al-Baqir (a.), whereas doubt and disbelief in the leadership of the Imams was unforgivable. As source, the accuser cited the 1st volume of Wasa’il-ush-Shi’ah on page 23. Is this the actual statement of the Infallible (a.)?

Answer:

The servant of Umar has lied!

Abu Hamzah Ath-Thumali reported that Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (a.) said: “Islam was built on five principles: The performing of prayer, the paying of the alms, the pilgrimage to the house of God, the fasting in the month of Ramadan, and the closeness (Wilayah) to us people of the house. For four of these, an excuse was established, but no excuse was established for the closeness (Wilayah). He who has no property is not obliged to pay the alms, he who has no property is not obliged to make the pilgrimage, he who is ill is obliged to perform the prayer sitting down, and he who is ill breaks the month of Ramadan, but the closeness (Wilayah) is valid. Whether one is ill or not, whether one has property or not, the closeness (Wilayah) is obligatory.” [Wasa’il-ush-Shi’ah of Al-Hurr Al-Amili, Volume 1 Page 23 Hadith 24]

Zurarah reported that Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (a.) said about the additional prayer: “All this is voluntary and not obligatory, but whoever leaves the obligatory is an disbeliever and whoever leaves the voluntary is not an disbeliever.” [Wasa’il-ush-Shi’ah of Al-Hurr Al-Amili, Volume 4 Page 41 Hadith 1]

 

محمد بن الحسن بإسناده عن الحسين بن سعيد، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن ابن أذينة، عن زرارة، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام في حديث عدد النوافل – قال: إنما هذا كله تطوع وليس بمفروض، إن تارك الفريضة كافر، وإن تارك هذا ليس بكافر

Zurarah reported that Imam Ja’far As-Sadiq (a.) said: “He who leaves the prayer without a reason is an disbeliever.” [Wasa’il-ush-Shi’ah of Al-Hurr Al-Amili, Volume 4 Page 42 Hadith 4]

وعن علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن ابن أبي عمير، عن عبد الرحمن بن الحجاج، عن عبيد بن زرارة، عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام في حديث الكبائر – قال: إن تارك الصلاة كافر، يعني من غير علة

As for the innovators, they fabricated reports about the obligation of love for Abu Bakr and Umar, which would make the prayer valid.

Proof:

Ibn Hajar Al-Haitami writes that the Prophet Muhammad (s.) said: “God has made the love for Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali a duty for you just as he made prayer, giving, fasting and pilgrimage a duty for you. Therefore, whoever denies their privilege, from him God does not accept prayer, giving, fasting or pilgrimage.”[As-Sawa’iq-ul-Muhriqah, page 113]

قال ابن حجر الهيثمي: ان النبي قال إن الله افترض عليكم حب أبي بكر وعمر وعثمان وعلي كما افترض الصلاة والزكاة والصوم والحج فمن أنكر فضلهم فلا تقبل منه الصلاة ولا الزكاة ولا الصوم ولا الحج