I say: O Aba Ja’far, may Allah make you successful, Abul Hasan Aghrallah says that Muhammad bin Abdur Rahman says that one whom we have raised the claim of, we have presented his existence to you. So where will you run? Do you admit being on the wrong as you have promised us or your selfish desire is preventing you from this? In that case you will be the implication of this statement of the Almighty Allah: «And most surely many would lead (people) astray by their low desires out of ignorance» (6:119)  

It is very odd to name righteous people to be ‘La badiya’ on the basis of their statement that it is ‘La badiya’ or necessary that there should be someone through whom the Divine Proof may become necessary. Does Abul Hasan not himself say that his existence is necessary and ‘La badiya’ through whom the Divine Proof may become necessary? And why should he not have said it while he has mentioned it narrating through us: Yes, his presence is ‘La badiya’ and necessary; what to say about his existence? Thus if he admits this, he and his companions are also from ‘La badiya’ and in that case, he has given himself this title and revealed the deficiency of his co-religionists and if he does not admit this, no need remains to reply to the example he has given about the light in the room of a house. And this same bad condition afflicts all those who harbor enmity with the divine saints. They end up making statements against themselves while they are under the impression that they are speaking against their opponents. And all the praise is for Allah Who supports truth through His proofs and signs and we call these people ‘Badiya’ because they are the slaves of ‘bad’ and they are bowing in front of one who neither hears nor sees anything and he does not make them needless of anything. And the same is the condition of these people. And we say, O Abul Hasan, may Allah guide you. This one (Imam Zaman) is the proof of Allah on men and Jinns and whose being the proof of Allah on the creatures will not be proved except through the statements of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He had concealed himself in the cave in such a way that except for five persons all those may not come to know about it on whom the Almighty Allah established His proof through him.  

If you raise the objection that this occultation is after an advent and it is after that there is a successor for him on his bed. We shall reply that we are not proving the veracity of our claim through the fact of his advent or his appointing a successor for one who does not know what he is saying. Rather we say that does his being the proof not gets established during the time he is in occultation on the one who, due to some reason does not know his whereabouts? Here you will have to reply in proofs. So we shall say that we also prove that the Imam is the proof of Allah even though he may be in occultation due to some reason. But what is the difference between the two? And this Imam also did not go into occultation till his father and forefathers did not repeatedly emphasize on their followers that occultation was imminent and they told their supporters how they should conduct themselves during his occultation, and what type of deeds they must perform. Thus if you speak about his birth we shall ask you to take into consideration the birth of Prophet Musa . In spite of the severe steps Firon had taken to search for him and what all he did with the women and children, he survived till the Almighty Allah permitted him to reveal himself.  

Imam al-Ridha said in his description: May my parents be sacrificed to him; he resembles me and has the name as that of my venerable grandfather and he is also similar to Prophet Musa .