The people were reluctant to obey him because his companion had come with a denial of all the claims he made for himself and used to deceive people with them. Therefore, Al-Tamabshi was with the caliphs in consultation, observing their ideas and what appeared to them of weakness and instability. One of them suggested the necessity of concealing the death of his companion and issuing a proclamation in his name, stating that he had retired from public life, like the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, to devote himself to worship for an unknown period. This was based on a small proclamation he had issued three days earlier, in which he said: "I have left the caliphs and you, the deputies and the trusted ones, and I have made the affairs of the Muslims a trust for the caliphs. So do not seek me to fulfill any worldly need, but leave me to engage in worship and turn to God. Be assured that what cannot be fulfilled by the Muslims, the deputies, the trusted ones, and the caliphs, cannot be fulfilled by me either." This is a summary of that proclamation. A trusted source informed me that Abdullah Al-Ta'ayshi, after hearing what his fellow caliphs had suggested, left their meeting in distress. He went to some of his close associates and told them about the death of Al-Mahdi and what the caliphs had suggested. They showed him the bad consequences of concealing this, especially when people would discover it. For there is no secret that will not be revealed, and what is closer to safety is to announce to the people the death of Al-Mahdi and pledge allegiance to himself. Sheikh Al-Taqi bin Ismail, one of the elders of Al-Abyad, advised him, saying: "Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, may God be pleased with him, said on the day the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, died: 'Whoever worshipped Muhammad, Muhammad has died. But whoever worshipped God, God is alive and does not die.' " So, Al-Taqi went to Al-Mahdi and told him this. Then he went out to the people at the door of Al-Mahdi and said to them: "Good tidings!" Sheikh Al-Makki stepped forward and pledged allegiance to him, and the attendees pledged allegiance to him, numbering ten people. Then they dug a grave in the same room where...