Imam Baqir (as) said “The obedience of the Imam following His recognition is the loftiest apex and peak, the most worthy of stations, the key to the religion, the gate way and door to the affairs and pleasure of the merciful (Allah). Further more, if a man keeps standing the whole night for prayers, keeps on fasting during the day, gives out all his wealth as alms, performs Hajj all the years of his life and does not recognize the guardianship of the saint of Allah so as to love him and perform all his practices under his guidance and leadership, he does not have any right out of His rewards and he is not from among the faithful.”[i]

[i] WASAIL U SHIA. VOL 1. P 91

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Published by Sheikh Mateen Charbonneau

Sheikh Mateen Charbonneau is of French-Canadian descent. He was born in the United States to a Christian family, and later chose to convert to Shi’a Islam in 1999 at the age of 17, having studied both faiths. He started studying Islamic Seminary classes (Howza) in March 2013 at Imam Ali Center in Springfield, Virginia and studied abroad in Najaf al-Ashraf and Karbala and received his ‘amama (turban) from the esteemed marja’ Ayatollah Sayed Muhammad Taqi al-Modaressi in 2018. He earned a certificate from Harvard University in Islamic Studies, has filmed many documentaries about his journey to Islam, authored several books, taught in the Islamic Seminary (Howza), and is the founder of the nonprofit organization 2nd Chance Books (2014). He has lectured throughout the United States and various other countries spreading the message of Ahl ul Bayt (as). Since 2022 he has been residing in Antalya, Türkiye where he is the resident scholar of the local community and continuing his work with 2nd Chance Books.

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