The Reward of Sincerity and Loyalty to the Imam of the Time

Throughout Islamic history, there have been individuals who embodied perfect knowledge and reached the peak of obedience, loyalty, and devotion to their Imams. Their death or martyrdom brought immense grief and sorrow to the hearts of their Imams. Malik al-Ashtar and Abdul Adhim Hasani each held such a position with their respective Imams.
• Malik al-Ashtar al-Nakha’i, a devoted and loyal companion of Amir al-Mu’minin, Imam Ali (peace be upon him), was recognized by both friends and foes for never acting against his Imam’s wishes. He spared no effort in defending the rights of Imam Ali and guiding people toward him. His pure devotion and unwavering obedience to Imam Ali, born out of complete love and insight, were such that upon hearing the news of Malik’s martyrdom, Imam Ali said:
“Malik! What a man Malik was! By God, if he were a mountain, he would be a towering and unique one, and if he were a stone, he would be a hard and firm one, which no climber could reach, and no bird could fly over. May God have mercy on Malik; with his death, the world has been destroyed, and I shall never see the like of him again. My bond with Malik was like my bond with the Messenger of Allah.”
• Abdul Adhim Hasani, a descendant of Imam Hasan Mujtaba (peace be upon him), was one of the pious, committed, selfless, and loyal scholars dedicated to the Infallible Imams (peace be upon them). His service and humility towards four Shia Imams-from the seventh to the tenth, particularly Imam Hadi (peace be upon him)-created a golden legacy for this devoted follower of the Wilayah.
Abu Hamad Razi, a Shia from Ray, travelled to Samarra despite the difficulties of the time to meet his Imam, Hadhrat Hadi (peace be upon him), and seek guidance on certain matters. After addressing his queries, Imam Hadi said: “Whenever you face a problem in religious matters, seek your answers from Abdul Adhim Hasani and convey my greetings to him.”
The late Sheikh Saduq, in his book “Amali,” mentions in a famous narration known as the “Presentation of Faith”: “When Hadhrat Abdul Adhim presented himself before Imam Hadi (peace be upon him) and expressed his beliefs, the Imam said, ‘You are truly and genuinely one of our friends.’” This profound and impactful affection was such that, after the death of Hadhrat Abdul Adhim, Imam Hadi was deeply grieved and encouraged his followers to visit Abdul Adhim’s grave, stating that the reward for visiting his shrine was equivalent to visiting the shrine of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him).