Imam Baqir (as) said “The person who serves Allah according to a religion so putting himself in great inconvenience and hardship for it, but does not have an Imam fixed by Allah then his endeavor is unaccepted (rejected). And he is a lost, gone astray and a wandering person in (a state of) perplexity. And Allah is the enemy of his practices. And his example is that of a sheep which has lost her shepherd and herd and remains wandering here and there all day long. Thereafter, when night falls she mistakenly joins a (different) herd whose shepherd is other than the shepherd of her own herd. After (the night) when the shepherd drives the herd she again gets astonished and perplexed not finding her own shepherd and herd and again starts the search for her own shepherd and herd. And (again) finds a shepherd with a herd (only) to mistakenly join it and the shepherd having seen her shouts at her asking her to go and join it’s own herd since, she has lost her shepherd and herd. And she is amazed and at a loss to know what to do. She being afraid of the wolf is running this way and that way. She does not have her shepherd to lead her to her meadow or turn her back. In the mean while, the wolf valuing and esteeming the opportunity eats her up. And, by Allah, similarly any body in this ummah and community too who starts a morning in a condition that he does not believe in the Imam appointed by Allah, an Imam who is evident, apparent, just and equitable he will start the morning in a condition that he is gone astray & perplexed. And if he dies in this (very) condition he will die a death of infidelity & hypocrisy.”[i]
[i] USOOL AL KAFI. VOL I, P 375

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

Imam Baqir (as) said “Islam is founded and based upon five things; the maintaining of prayers, the giving out of alms, the Hajj of the House of Allah (kaabah), the fasting of Ramadan month and the guardianship (wilayat) of us the Ahl ul bayt (as). So in four of those there exists an excuse (leave and permission), but in (accepting and believing) guardianship no room for excuse or allowance has been given. And for the person who does not possess wealth there exists no Zakat (alms giving) and the one who is devoid of wealth does not have to perform Hajj and the one who is ill offers his prayers sitting and may not observe fast. Nonetheless, the guardianship is binding and obligatory while he is healthy or ill or whether he is rich or poor.”[i]

[i] WASAIL U SHIA VOL 1, P 14