عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ عَنْ اَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِؑ قَالَ بَلِيَّةُ النَّاسِ عَظِيمَةٌ اِنْ دَعَوْنَاهُمْ لَمْ يُجِيبُونَا وَ اِنْ تَرَكْنَاهُمْ لَمْ يَهْتَدُوا بِغَيْرِنَا
Mufazzal says that Imam Abu Abdillah al-Sadeq (peace be upon him) said,
“The calamity or test of the people is massive. If we call them, they don’t respond and if we leave them, they will not be guided with other than us.”
Note:
If the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) does not guide the people, Abu Jahl will guide them?
If Ali (peace be upon him) does not guide the people, who will guide them?
If Hasan (peace be upon him) does not guide the people, Moaviyah will guide them?
If Husain (peace be upon him) does not guide the people, Yazeed will guide them?
Even today, if the just jurists will not guide the people, will the unjust ones guide them?
The riders of the world are many but the takers of religion are very few. After the martyrdom of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his holy progeny), barely a few people were with Ameerul Momineen (peace be upon him). But when he (peace be upon him) got the apparent caliphate, he (peace be upon him) had thousands of soldiers in the Battle of Siffeen. Thus, this tradition wants to see that just follow the Imam (peace be upon him), regardless of him having the world or not.
References:
1. Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 23, p. 99, H. 1
باب 6- أن الناس لا يهتدون إلا بهم و أنهم الوسائل بين الخلق و بين الله و أنه لا يدخل الجنة إلا من عرفهم
2. al-Faqeeh, vol. 4, p. 405, H. 5875
3. Al-Amaali of al-Shaikh al-Saduq (r.a.), p. 609, 7th Majlis, H. 4