سورة الشورى

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): In social matters and external occurrences, consult with the Muslims; and He again says: وَ أَمْرُهُمْ شُوری بَیْنَهُمْ [and their rule is to take counsel among themselves].

Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): وَ الَّذِینَ اسْتَجابُوا لِرَبِّهِمْ [And those who respond to their Lord]; that is, those who, in establishing the Imamate and obeying the Imam, respond to the command of their Lord. وَ أَقامُوا الصَّلاةَ وَ أَمْرُهُمْ شُوری بَیْنَهُمْ [and keep up prayer, and their rule is to take counsel among themselves] means they accept what they are commanded, and consult with their Imam concerning what they need in the affairs of their religion.

Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): Luqman said to his son: 'When you travel with a group, consult them much in your own affair and in theirs; when they consult you, apply your thought; and do not decide or act until you have thought and settled upon one view; and do not give the answer to a consultation until you have stood, sat, eaten, slept, and prayed, and during this time have brought your thought and knowledge to bear upon the matter of consultation. For whoever does not give pure and complete sincere counsel to the one who consults him, Allah strips away his judgement and intellect and takes trustworthiness away from him.'

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family): Whoever consults someone [in his affairs] is guided to right conduct and rectitude.