عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ اَبِي الْعَلَاءِ قَالَ قُلْتُ لِاَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِؑ تُتْرَكُ الْاَرْضُ بِغَيْرِ اِمَامٍ قَالَ لَا قُلْنَا لَهُ تَكُونُ الْاَرْضُ وَ فِيهَا اِمَامَانِ قَالَ لَا اِلَّا اِمَامٌ صَامِتٌ لَا يَتَكَلَّمُ وَ يَتَكَلَّمُ الَّذِي قَبْلَهُ
Al-Husain Ibn Abi al-A’laa says, “I asked Imam Abu Abdillah (al-Sadeq a.s.), ‘Can the earth be left without an Imam?’
He (peace be upon him) replied, ‘No’.
We inquired from him, ‘Can there be two Imams in the earth?’
He (peace be upon him) answered, ‘No but that one (Imam) is silent who does not speak and the one who is prior to him speaks’.”
Note:
Silent means the Imam who is not responsible for executing the divine laws in presence of the Imam prior to him.
References:
1. Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 23, p. 51, Chapter 1, H. 102
2. Basaaer al-Darajaat, p. 486, Chapter 10, H. 11