(1) The Imāmī Rāfidis themselves record in their books that he was never born. Professor Ihsān Ilāhī Zahīr states in *al-Shī‘a wa-Ahl al-Bayt*, p. 294: “As for this imagined Twelfth Imam, it is enough to say that they themselves explicitly state in their books that he was never born, was never found, and that no trace of him was ever seen, despite every effort to search and investigate. They then recount tales, weave legends, and fabricate stories and falsehoods about his birth and attributes. Which is he: an existing person who was born, or a nonexistent person who was not born?” Professor Ihsān then cites a lengthy passage from their books, stating that it appears in *Kitāb al-Hujja* of *al-Kāfī*, p. 505; *al-Irshād* by al-Mufīd, pp. 339–340; *Kashf al-Ghumma*, pp. 408–409; *al-Fusūl al-Muhimma*, p. 289; *Jalā’ al-‘Uyūn*, vol. [0–9], p. 762; and *I‘lām al-Warā*, pp. 377–378. I found this passage in my copy of al-Kulaynī’s *al-Usūl min al-Kāfī* (Tehran ed., 1381), in *Kitāb al-Hujja*, the chapter entitled “The Birth of Abū Muhammad al-Hasan ibn Alī, peace be upon them both,” pp. 503–506. The chain of transmission for this report in *al-Kāfī* is: “Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad al-Ash‘arī, Muhammad ibn Yahyā, and others said: Ahmad ibn Ubayd Allāh ibn Khāqān was in charge of the estates and land tax in Qum. One day, the Alids and their doctrines were discussed in his gathering. Although intensely hostile to them, he said: ‘I have never seen or known in Samarra any man among the Alids like al-Hasan ibn Alī ibn Muhammad ibn al-Ridā in his conduct, composure, chastity, nobility, and the esteem he enjoyed among his family and the Banū Hāshim…’” The narrator then continues until he says (pp. 504–506): “At the time of al-Hasan ibn Alī’s death, something occurred involving the ruler and his officials that astonished me and that I had never imagined would happen. When he fell ill, word was sent to my father that Ibn al-Ridā had fallen ill. He immediately mounted and hurried to the caliphal palace, then quickly returned with five of the Commander of the Faithful’s servants, all trusted members of his inner circle, among them Nahrīr. He ordered them to remain at al-Hasan’s residence and ascertain his condition and circumstances. He also summoned several physicians and ordered them to visit him regularly and attend to him morning and evening. “Two or three days later, he was informed that al-Hasan had grown weak. He ordered the physicians to remain at his residence and summoned the chief judge. The judge was brought before him, and he ordered him to select ten of his associates whose religion, honesty, and scrupulousness were considered trustworthy. The judge brought them, and he sent them to al-Hasan’s residence, ordering them to remain with him night and day. They stayed there until he died—peace be upon him—whereupon all Samarra was thrown into an uproar. The ruler sent men to his residence to search it and its rooms, seal everything inside, and look for any trace of his child. They brought women skilled in detecting pregnancy, who entered and examined his slave women. Some of them said that one slave woman appeared to be pregnant. She was placed in a room and entrusted to the custody of Nahrīr the servant, his associates, and several women accompanying them. “They then began preparing him for burial. The markets were closed, and the Banū Hāshim, the military commanders, my father, and everyone else rode out for his funeral… After he was buried, the ruler and the people began searching for his son. Homes and residences were searched extensively, and the division of his estate was postponed. Those assigned to guard the slave woman thought to be pregnant remained with her until it became clear that the pregnancy was false. Once it was established that none of them was pregnant, his estate was divided between his mother and his brother Ja‘far. His mother claimed that he had made a will in her favor, and this was established before the judge. Throughout all this, the ruler continued searching for any trace of his son. Ja‘far later came to my father… My father did not grant him admission to his presence before he died. We then departed while matters remained in that state, and the ruler was still searching for any trace of al-Hasan ibn Alī’s son.”