Q: Does acceptance of our deeds depend on accepting and believing in the guardianship (wil?yah) of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali, peace be upon him? What is the ruling regarding one who denies the guardianship of Imam Ali (A.S)?
A: There are authentic and credible proofs that the guardianship of the Commander of the Faithful and other infallible Imams after the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him and his family, is among the principles of the Islamic Religion. The Holy Messenger has been reported as having said: Whoever dies and does not know the Imam of his age, he dies the death of ignorance (Jahiliyya). If that is the case, what is the benefit of our deeds without believing in wil?yah?
