عَمْرُو بْنُ ثَابِتٍ قَالَ سَاَلْتُ اَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللهِ تَعَالَى وَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَتَّخِذُ مِنْ دُونِ اللهِ اَنْدادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللهِ قَالَ فَقَالَ هُمْ وَ اللهِ اَوْلِيَاءُ فُلَانٍ وَ فُلَانٍ وَ فُلَانٍ اتَّخَذُوهُمْ اَئِمَّةً دُونَ الْاِمَامِ الَّذِي جَعَلَهُ اللهُ لِلنَّاسِ اِمَامًا فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُ اللهِ تَعَالَى وَ لَوْ يَرَى الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا اِذْ يَرَوْنَ الْعَذابَ اَنَّ الْقُوَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَ اَنَّ اللهَ شَدِيدُ الْعَذابِ اِذْ تَبَرَّاَ الَّذِينَ اتُّبِعُوا مِنَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوا وَ رَاَوُا الْعَذابَ وَ تَقَطَّعَتْ بِهِمُ الْاَسْبابُ وَ قالَ الَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوا لَوْ اَنَّ لَنا كَرَّةً فَنَتَبَرَّاَ مِنْهُمْ كَما تَبَرَّؤُا مِنَّا كَذلِكَ يُرِيهِمُ اللهُ اَعْمالَهُمْ حَسَراتٍ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ ما هُمْ بِخارِجِينَ مِنَ النَّارِ ثُمَّ قَالَ اَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع هُمْ وَ اللهِ يَا جَابِرُ اَئِمَّةُ الظَّلَمَةِ وَ اَشْيَاعُهُمْ
Jaaber reports, “I asked Imam Abu Ja’far (al-Baqer a.s.) about the word of Allah – Mighty and Majestic be He – ‘And there are some among men who take for themselves objects of worship besides Allah, whom they love as they love Allah’. He (peace be upon him) replied,
‘By Allah! It refers to the followers of so and so (referring to the first and second pseudo-caliphs). They took them as leaders other than the Imam whom Allah has appointed as an Imam for the people. Therefore, He says, ‘and O, that those who are unjust had seen, when they see the chastisement, that the power is wholly Allah’s and that Allah is severe in requiting (evil). When those who were followed shall renounce those who followed (them), and they see the chastisement and their ties are cut asunder. And those who followed shall say: Had there been for us a return, then we would renounce them as they have renounced us. Thus will Allah show them their deeds to be intense regret to them, and they shall not come forth from the fire.’ (Surah Baqarah (2): Verses 165 -167)
Thereafter, Imam Abu Ja’far (a.s) remarked,
‘O Jaabir! By Allah they are the leaders of oppression and their followers.”
References:
1. Al-Kaafi, vol. 1, p. 374, H. 11
2. Al Ikhtesaas, p. 334
3. Al-Burhan fee Tafseer al-Quran, vol. 1, p. 368, H. 750
4. Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 31, p. 616, H. 89