 ٣ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَخْبِرْنِي عَنْ مَعْرِفَةِ الامَامِ مِنْكُمْ وَاجِبَةٌ عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْخَلْقِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَعَثَ مُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِلَى النَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ رَسُولاً وَحُجَّةً لله عَلَى جَمِيعِ خَلْقِهِ فِي أَرْضِهِ فَمَنْ آمَنَ بِالله وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِ الله وَاتَّبَعَهُ وَصَدَّقَهُ فَإِنَّ مَعْرِفَةَ الامَامِ مِنَّا وَاجِبَةٌ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يُؤْمِنْ بِالله وَبِرَسُولِهِ وَلَمْ يَتَّبِعْهُ وَلَمْ يُصَدِّقْهُ وَيَعْرِفْ حَقَّهُمَا فَكَيْفَ يَجِبُ عَلَيْهِ مَعْرِفَةُ الامَامِ وَهُوَ لا يُؤْمِنُ بِالله وَرَسُولِهِ وَيَعْرِفُ حَقَّهُمَا قَالَ قُلْتُ فَمَا تَقُولُ فِيمَنْ يُؤْمِنُ بِالله وَرَسُولِهِ وَيُصَدِّقُ رَسُولَهُ فِي جَمِيعِ مَا أَنْزَلَ الله يَجِبُ عَلَى أُولَئِكَ حَقُّ مَعْرِفَتِكُمْ قَالَ نَعَمْ أَ لَيْسَ هَؤُلاءِ يَعْرِفُونَ فُلاناً وَفُلاناً قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ أَ تَرَى أَنَّ الله هُوَ الَّذِي أَوْقَعَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ مَعْرِفَةَ هَؤُلاءِ وَالله مَا أَوْقَعَ ذَلِكَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلا الشَّيْطَانُ لا وَالله مَا أَلْهَمَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ حَقَّنَا إِلا الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.
 3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from Zurara who has said the following. “I said to abu Ja’far , ‘Is knowing the Imam from among you obligatory on all creatures?’” The Imam  said, “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, sent Muhammad to all people as His Messenger and as His authority over all creatures on earth. Those who have faith in Allah and that Muhammad is His Messenger and have followed him and have acknowledged his message on such people it is obligatory to the Imam from us. Those who do not have faith in Allah and in His messenger and who do not follow him and do not acknowledge him and do not acknowledge the rights of Allah and His messenger then knowing the Imam  would be obligatory on them? They do not have faith in Allah and in His messenger, do not follow him and do not acknowledge their rights.” I then asked, “What would you say about those who have faith in Allah and His messenger who acknowledge His messenger in all the matters that have come from Allah, is it obligatory for them to know the Imam  from you?” The Imam  said, “Yes, it is obligatory. Do they not know so and so?” I said, “yes, they do.” The Imam  then said, “Do you think Allah is the one who has placed such knowledge in their hearts? No, I swear to Allah that no one other than Satan has placed such knowledge in their hearts. I swear to Allah that no one other than Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, has inspired our rights in hearts of the believers.”