الكافي 1/4/83/5

5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from Sulayman ibn Salih in a Marfu‘ manner from abu Ja’far عليه السلام who has said the following. “Abu Ja‘far عليه السلام has said, ‘Your story (belief in the rise of al- Mahdi with Divine authority) causes apprehension in the hearts of people. Those who acknowledge it (belief in the rise of al- Mahdi with Divine authority) you should enlighten him further and those who would deny it you should leave them alone. There must come a period of trial in which all secrets and privacy will be no more even those who would like to split one piece of hair into two pieces to find a better argument would fall until no one would be left except we and our Shi‘a.”