their sins and injustices in certain matters—uphold Allah’s law, administer punishments, and offer incentives for acts of obedience to a degree many times greater than could be achieved through someone who appears only at intervals, let alone through one who is missing, whom the majority of rational people know does not exist, while those who affirm his existence know that he is powerless and afraid and has never done what (1) ordinary individuals do, let alone what their rulers do.

What awe could such a person inspire? What obedience could he command, what authority could he exercise, and what power could he wield? By contrast, when people have a leader who inspires awe, is obeyed, exercises authority, and wields broad power, his presence makes them more likely to act rightly.

Whoever reflects on this will realize that these people have reached the utmost limits of ignorance, obstinate denial, and sophistry. They regard the providential assistance afforded through him while he is powerless and absent as equal to that afforded through him when he is present; they claim that knowing him while he is powerless, afraid, and missing constitutes providential assistance, just as it would if he were present, capable, and secure; and that this mere knowledge constitutes providential assistance, just as knowledge of Allah does.

The second point:

It may be said: You assert, “An infallible imam who performs these functions must be appointed.” Do you mean(2) that Allah must create and establish someone who possesses these attributes, or that the people are obliged to pledge allegiance to such a person?

If you mean the former, Allah has not created anyone possessing these attributes. For the most you can claim is: “Ali was infallible, but Allah did not empower or support him,