occultation, which has now lasted more than four hundred and fifty years?
What made this occultation permissible for him, unlike his forefathers, who were present among people before their deaths: ʿAlī, al-Hasan, al-Husayn, ʿAlī ibn al-Husayn, Muhammad ibn ʿAlī, Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad, Mūsā ibn Jaʿfar, ʿAlī ibn Mūsā, Muhammad ibn ʿAlī, ʿAlī ibn Muhammad, and al-Hasan ibn ʿAlī al-ʿAskarī? These men were present among people and met with them. Knowledge was transmitted from ʿAlī, al-Hasan, al-Husayn, ʿAlī ibn al-Husayn, Muhammad ibn ʿAlī, and Jaʿfar ibn Muhammad, as is well known to those versed in it. The others have well-known biographies and publicly known accounts of their lives. How, then, could he consider it lawful to remain hidden for this lengthy period—more than four hundred years—when he is the imam of the Muslim community? Indeed, according to their claim, he is its guide, its caller, and its infallible leader, in whom it is obliged to believe; anyone who does not believe in him is, in their view, not a believer.
If they say, “Fear,” the reply is:
His forefathers faced greater danger, and there is no disagreement among the scholars about this. Some of them were imprisoned, and some were killed. Moreover, he would only have cause for fear if he waged war. If, however, he did as his predecessors did—sitting with the Muslims and teaching them—he would have nothing to fear.