This becomes clear from the fourth point: Had this infallible imam not been created, no more evil would have occurred in the world than actually occurred, since (1) his existence did not avert any evil such that it could be said, “His existence averted such-and-such.” Rather, the result of his existence was that the majority rejected him, showed hostility toward his followers, wronged him and his companions, and brought about evils whose extent Allah alone knows—all on the assumption that he was infallible.

For if Ali—may Allah be pleased with him—and the rest of the Twelve and others like them were not infallible, then the rule of the three, the Umayyads, and the Abbasids would not involve the injustice and evil it involves on the supposition that they were infallible imams (2). (* Even assuming their (3) infallibility, they removed no more evil than someone who is not infallible would have removed. Thus, their being infallible *) (4) resulted only in evil, not good.

How, then, could it be permissible for the All-Wise to create something so that good might be brought about through it when it brought about only evil and no good?

If it is said:

“This evil resulted from the people’s injustice toward him,”

it may be replied:

If the All-Wise created him to avert their injustice, while knowing that creating him would only increase their injustice, then creating him would not be wise but foolish. This would be like a man entrusting his son to someone whom he instructs to reform the boy, while knowing that this person will not obey him but will instead corrupt the boy. Would a wise man do such a thing?

It is also like a man building a caravanserai along the road so that caravans may lodge there and seek shelter