"And He became hidden (Batana), so I knew Him."

It was said to him: "How did He become hidden so you knew Him?"

He said: "By His acts within me."

"And He became absent, so I witnessed Him."

It was said: "How was He absent so you witnessed Him?"

He said: "He was not absent with the absence of annihilation; rather, I was absent from Him due to the evil of my deed."

And from Muhammad bin Hammam, from Ahmad bin al-Husayn, from his father, from al-Hasan bin Ali, from Muhammad bin Sinan (peace be upon him), from al-Mufaddal bin Umar (peace be upon him), he said:

Al-Sadiq (Mighty is His Glory) said: "They indeed surrounded [him] on the day they surrounded al-Husayn (upon us be peace from his remembrance). And had He willed to shout at them, burn them, and destroy them, He would have done so. But He intended thereby the misguidance of a people and the guidance of others.

And when He adjured them but they did not accept from Him, He showed them killing from Himself [i.e., appearing to be killed]. He stood, and they stood, then they called out a call that the creations heard: 'They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him; but it appeared so unto them.'"