permission I invited.’ I said: ‘O my master... then what befell you was right (haqq).’”

What is the purpose of this plotting and deception? And the clear declaration as an unveiling (Kashi)

Then he turned toward the Qibla, stretched out his hand, and said: “You have tested me by Your knowledge of me, that You would find me patient... [up to his saying]: For which blessing should I thank You, and with which tongue should I mention You, for Your lifting of the burdens (al-asar) from me and Your removing of the shackles (al-aghlal) from me which You have imposed upon others? {That is their recompense because they disbelieved, and do We recompense except the ungrateful?} (Saba 17). Let whoever thinks so think that by my burning with fire—and what the wicked saw—that the fire burned me or pained my body; how [could that be] when You were diverting it away from me to the right and to the left?”

There is nothing in the revealed books, nor in the books of Monotheism (Tawhid), that indicates the obligation of explicit declaration (tasrih) regarding the esoteric (al-batin) or the revealing of the secrets of Allah the Exalted to the people of disbelief and denial; rather, the majority of their [the Imams'] sayings are dissimulation (talbees), and that is for the purpose of concealment only.

Just as explicit declaration is for the instruction of the believers—the people of response and affirmation—therefore [Imam] al-Sadiq