Renowned researcher Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin’s blog has been visited by hundreds of thousands of guests from over 174 countries globally. The late Shaykh Nazim Al Qubrusi (d.2014), the Grand Shaykh of the Naqshbandi Haqqani Sufi Order referred to him on record as “one of closer ones to Mahdi (alaihi salam).” Regarding the exalted rank of the illustrious Twelve Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, Sayyid writes, “In light of the Hadith of (the Archangel) Jibrīl, also known as the Hadith of Ihsan, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wa sallam) defined his religion as Islam, Iman and Ihsan. Based on the study of this Hadith, it is clear that according to the Holy Prophet ﷺ Ihsan is one-third of the faith of Islam. Unlike those who deny Tasawwuf, the Ahlus Sunnah are clear that the vehicle to taste the Maqam al-Ihsan is Tasawwuf, what is termed as Sufism by the people today. With that established, to answer your question, based on the teachings of the greatest leaders of Sufism throughout history, including Shaykh al-Akbar Muhiyuddin Ibn Arabi and Jalaluddin Rumi, the Illustrious Twelve Imams (may Allah be well pleased with them all) are the Qutbul-Aqtab of Tasawwuf, meaning the highest ranking Saints of Sufism, under whose shelter every Wali attained his Wiliyah, and each Muslim is able to approach or even reach the state of Ihsan. Without them, there is no Tasawwuf, and without Tasawwuf, there is no Ihsan. Ihsan is one-third of the faith, and hence, belief in the Twelve Imams is in reality, one-third of the faith!”