Zurarah reported that Imam Al-Baqir (a.) said: “Submission (Islam) was built on five things: prayer,alms,pilgrimage,fasting,and closeness (wilayah).” I said: “Which of those things is the most excellent?” He said: ” The closeness (Wilayah) is the most excellent, because it is the key to these things, and the close one (Wali) is the reference (Dalil) to them.” And i said: “Which one is the most excellent after that?” He said: “Prayer, because the Messenger of God (s.) said: “Prayer is the pillar of your religion.” I said: “after that which is the most excellent?” He said: “The (Zakah), for he made it a companion of prayer, and started before it the prayer, and the Messenger of Allah (s.) said: “By the (Zakah), sins are forgiven.” I said: ” After that, which is the most excellent?” He said: “The pilgrimage. God said: “God has imposed the duty of pilgrimage to the house on the people, on all those who are able to do it, and if one is a nonbeliever, God is not dependent on the worlds.” (3:97) And the Messenger of God (s.) said: “One accepted pilgrimage is better than twenty voluntary prayers, and whoever goes round this house seven times and performs the two accompanying bows (rak’ah) in a beautiful way, God will grant him His forgiveness.” And on the day of Arafah and the day of Muzdalifah, he said what he said.” I said: “What comes after that?” He said: “The fast.” I said: “What is it about fasting that comes at the end of things?” He said: ” The messenger of God (s.) said: “Fasting is a shield against fire.” Then he said: “The most excellent of things is that of which there is no atonement if it escapes you, except that you return to it to do just that. Prayer, charity, pilgrimage, and closeness (Wilayah) are not things that can be substituted with that which is like them. If you miss the fasting or you shorten it or you are on a journey during it, then you fast on other days and compensate this sin with a donation and you do not have to repeat it and nothing replaces these four things.” Then he said: “The highest of the things and their peak and the key to them and the gate to the things and the good pleasure of the Merciful is obedience to the Guide (Imam) after gaining knowledge (Ma’rifah) about him. Allah said: “Whoever obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah. And if any turn away, behold! We have not sent you as a guardian over them.” (4:80) If a man would spend his night with prayer and his day with fasting and donate all his possessions and make a pilgrimage all his life, showing no knowledge (Ma’rifah) of the closeness (Wilayah) to the near one of God (Wali), so that he joins him and does all his deeds according to his indication, then he would have no right (haqq) with God to be rewarded and he would not be one of the people of faith (Iman). God lets the one who is benevolent among them enter paradise by the virtue of His mercy (Rahmah).” [Al-Kafi of Al-Kulaini, Volume 2 Page 15 – 16 Hadith 5]

علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه وعبد الله بن الصلت جميعا، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن حريز بن عبد الله، عن زرارة، عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام قال: بني الاسلام على خمسة أشياء: على الصلاة والزكاة والحج والصوم والولاية، قال زرارة: فقلت: وأي شئ من ذلك أفضل؟ فقال: الولاية أفضل، لأنها مفتاحهن والوالي هو الدليل عليهن، قلت: ثم الذي يلي ذلك في الفضل؟ فقال: الصلاة إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله قال: الصلاة عمود دينكم، قال: قلت: ثم الذي يليها في الفضل؟ قال: الزكاة لأنه قرنها بها وبدأ بالصلاة قبلها وقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله الزكاة تذهب الذنوب. قلت: والذي يليها في الفضل؟ قال: الحج قال الله عز وجل: ولله على الناس حج البيت من استطاع إليه سبيلا ومن كفر فإن الله غني عن العالمين وقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله لحجة مقبولة خير من عشرين صلاة نافلة ومن طاف بهذا البيت طوافا أحصى فيه أسبوعه وأحسن ركعتيه غفر الله له وقال في يوم عرفة ويوم المزدلفة ما قال: قلت: فماذا يتبعه؟ قال: الصوم قلت: وما بال الصوم صار آخر ذلك أجمع؟ قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله الصوم جنة من النار، قال: ثم قال: إن أفضل الأشياء ما إذا فاتك لم تكن منه توبة دون أن ترجع إليه فتؤديه بعينه، إن الصلاة والزكاة والحج والولاية ليس يقع شئ مكانها دون أدائها وإن الصوم إذا فاتك أو قصرت أو سافرت فيه أديت مكانه أياما غيرها وجزيت ذلك الذنب بصدقة ولا قضاء عليك وليس من تلك الأربعة شئ يجزيك مكانه غيره، قال: ثم قال ذروة الامر وسنامه ومفتاحه وباب الأشياء و رضا الرحمن الطاعة للإمام بعد معرفته، إن الله عز وجل يقول: من يطع الرسول فقد أطاع الله ومن تولى فما أرسلناك عليهم حفيظا أما لو أن رجلا قام ليله وصام نهاره وتصدق بجميع ماله وحج جميع دهره ولم يعرف ولاية ولي الله فيواليه ويكون جميع أعماله بدلالته إليه، ما كان له على الله عز وجل حق في ثوابه ولا كان من أهل الايمان، ثم قال: أولئك المحسن منهم يدخله الله الجنة بفضل رحمته

Muhammad Baqir Al-Majlisi writes: “Authentic (Sahih). As for his statement: “The benevolent among those.” So it is obvious that it speaks about the opponents (Mukhalif), and by this are meant the weak of them, whose affair is the responsibility of God. Therefore he said: “By the virtue of His mercy (Rahmah).” In contrast to his statement: “He has no right (haqq) to it with God.” It follows from this that the believers have the right to it because of His promise to God, but the weak have no right to it with God, because it is not considered a reward for them and much rather He says that He either punishes them or forgives them. So when He lets them enter Paradise, it is because of His pure preference.” [Mir’at-ul-Uqul Fi Sharh Akhbar Al Ar-Rasul, Volume 7 Page 102 & 108]

قال العلامة محمد باقر المجلسي رحمه الله: صحيح، قوله عليه السلام أولئك المحسن منهم الظاهر أنه إشارة إلى المخالفين, والمراد بهم المستضعفون فإنهم مرجون لأمر الله, ولذا قال: بفضل رحمته في مقابلة قوله: ما كان له على الله حق, والحاصل أن المؤمنين لهم على الله حق لوعده, والمستضعفون ليس لهم على الله حق لأنه لم يعدهم الثواب بل قال: إما يعذبهم وإما يتوب عليهم, فإن أدخلهم الجنة فبمحض فضله

Muhammad Salih Al-Mazandarani writes: “It may be that this refers to the one who did not recognize the guardianship (Wilayah) and the benevolent one belongs to it and he is the one who has neither rejected nor recognized the guardianship (Wilayah) while doing good things. By this is meant the weak one whom God allows to enter Paradise by the virtue of His mercy. In addition to the fact that the weak is subject to the will, there is something else that will be mentioned below and God knows best.” [Sharh Usul Al-Kafi, Volume 8, Page 63]

قال العلامة محمد صالح المازندراني رحمه الله: ويحتمل أن يكون إشارة إلى من لم يعرف الولاية والمحسن منه وهو الذي لم ينكر الولاية كما لم يعرفها وعمل بالخيرات أعنى المستضعف يدخله الله الجنة بفضل رحمته وسيجئ أن المستضعف في المشية والله أعلم