The book was allegedly first written by Abdallah ibn Aḥmad ibn Amer, who said he had heard its contents from his father Aḥmad ibn Amer, who said he had heard them from Ali al-Ridha in Medina in 194 AH (809-10 CE). Abdallah ibn Aḥmad ibn Amer was subsequently recognized as a credible narrator of hadith by Najashi, one of the important Shia scholars.[3]