The Earth is Never Devoid of a Divine Authority
Al-Imāma wa’l-Tabṣira min al-Ḥayra|Volume 1|Book 2|Chapter 2
وعنه، عن محمّد بن عيسى، عن رجل، عن أبي حمزة: عن أبي جعفر عليه السلام، قال: والله، ما ترك الله الأرض منذ قبض الله آدم، إلّا وفيها إمام يهتدى به إلى الله، وهو حجّة الله على عباده، ولا تبقى الأرض بغير إمام، حجّة لله على عباده.
And from him, from Muḥammad b. ʿĪsā, from a man, from Abī Ḥamza, from Abī Jaʿfar عليه السلام, who said: “By Allāh, since Allāh took (the soul of) Ādam, He has never left the earth without there being upon it an Imam through whom one is guided to Allāh, and he is the Divine authority of Allāh upon His servants. Nor would the Earth remain without an Imam who is the Divine authority of Allāh upon His servants.”