This Is My Faith - Al-fatlawi, Ali - الصفحة ٢٢٣ - the Branches of the Pillars?
Imamate is one of the branches of the Islamic Pillars (Foru’ Al-Din). The Shiites disagree about this point. We have already discussed the significance of the Imamate and the role of Imams in our lives following the Prophet (PBUH). So, the Imamate is a Pillar in Islam for the same reason that the Prophecy or Prophethood is a Pillar in Islam.
Anwar: I understand here that the Imams are like the Prophets; they are the leaders of our Islamic societies as they preserve the Shari’a over ages, and consequently we must follow them; that is why the Imamate is no different from the Prophethood and we need to accept it as one of the Pillars of Islam (Osul Al-Din).
Hasan: Yes, exactly!
Anwar: Do you have any evidence to support this?
Hasan: The Almighty Allah says in the Noble Quran:
(O Messenger! Make known that which hath been revealed unto thee from thy Lord, for if thou do it not, thou will not have conveyed His message. Allah will protect thee from mankind. Lo! Allah guideth not the disbelieving folk)٥;٦٧.