Abu Salma narrates – I heard the Messenger of Allah say: On the night of Meraj, Allah asked me, Did the Messenger believe in what was revealed to him from his Lord?
I said, Yes. And the believers believed in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers.
Allah said, You are right.
Then Allah asked, Who did you choose as a successor?
I said, The best of my nation.
Allah asked, Do you mean Ali b. Abi Talib?
I replied, Yes, O Allah!
Then Allah said: O Mohammad! I looked at all of My creation and I chose you from among all of them. Then I derived a name for you from My name. Therefore, it is not permitted that anyone mention Me without mentioning you with Me. My name is Mahmoud and your name is Mohammad. Then I looked again (at all of My creation) and I chose Ali, and I derived a name for him from My name. So My name is Ali, the extremely high, and his name is Ali. O Mohammad, I created you, Ali, Fatema, Hasan, Husain, and the rest of the Imams from Husains sons from My own light. Then I asked all of my creation in the skies and the earths to accept your Wilayat. I consider those who accept it as believers, and I consider those who refuse it as Kafers.
O Mohammad! If a slave from among My slaves worships Me until he is torn and nothing is left from him, but he refuses to accept your Wilayat, Alis Wilayat, and the Wilayat of the Imams from his sons, I will not accept him or forgive him until he accepts your Wilayat, Alis Wilayat, and the Wilayat of the Imams from his sons.
Then Allah asked me, O Mohammad, would you like to see them?
I replied, Yes, O Allah.
Allah said, Look to the right of the Throne.
Then I looked and I saw Ali, Fatema, Hasan, Husain, Ali b. Husain, Mohammad b. Ali, Jaafar b. Mohammad, Musa b. Jaafar, Ali b. Musa, Mohammad b. Ali, Ali b. Mohammad, Hasan b. Ali, and the Mahdi. They were surrounded by light and they were all standing and praying to Allah. Mahdi was in the center and he was shining like a brilliant star.
Then Allah said: O Mohammad, they are My decisive proofs, and Mahdi will take revenge on My behalf. I swear by My Magnificence, he supports My friends and takes revenge on My enemies. Following them and accepting their Wilayat is obligatory on everyone. With my permission, they prevent the skies from falling on the earth.
Faraaed al-Simtain v 2 p 319 Maqtal al-Husain v 1 p 95 Yanaabi al-Mawaddah p 486 Al-Ghaibah p 95 Behaar al-Anwaar v 27 p 199 Isbaat al-Hudaat v 2 p 462