I (al-Ḥārith) passed by the Masjid when the people were absorbed in story-telling. So I entered upon ʿAlī and said: O Commander of the believers! Do you not see the people are becoming engrossed in story-telling? He said: They have been consumed with it? I said: Yes. He said: As for me, I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying: "Indeed there comes a Fitnah." So I said: What is the way out from it, O Messenger of Allah?"

He said: "Allah's book. In it is news for what happened before you, and information about what comes after you, and judgement for what happens between you. It is the Criterion (between right and wrong) without jest. Whoever among the oppressive abandons it, Allah crushes him, and whoever seeks guidance from other than it, then Allah leaves him to stray. It is the firm rope of Allah, it is the wise remembrance, it is the straight path, and it is the one that the desires can not distort, nor can the tongues twist it, nor can the scholars ever have enough of it, and it shall not become dull from reciting it much, and the amazement of it does not diminish. It is the one that when the Jinns hear it, they did not hesitate to say about it: 'Verily, we have heard a wonderful Recitation (this Qur'an)! 'It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein.' Whoever speaks according to it then he has said the truth, and whoever acts according to it he is rewarded, and whoever judges by it he has judged justly, and whoever invites to it then he guides to the straight path." Take this O Aʿwar!"  

مَرَرْتُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَإِذَا النَّاسُ يَخُوضُونَ فِي الأَحَادِيثِ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَلاَ تَرَى أَنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ خَاضُوا فِي الأَحَادِيثِ قَالَ أَوَقَدْ فَعَلُوهَا قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ أَمَا إِنِّي قَدْ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ أَلاَ إِنَّهَا سَتَكُونُ فِتْنَةٌ فَقُلْتُ مَا الْمَخْرَجُ مِنْهَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟

قَالَ: «كِتَابُ اللَّهِ! فِيهِ نَبَأُ مَا كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ، وَخَبَرُ مَا بَعْدَكُمْ، وَحُكْمُ مَا بَيْنَكُمْ۔ هُوَ الْفَصْلُ لَيْسَ بِالْهَزْلِ۔ مَنْ تَرَكَهُ مِنْ جَبَّارٍ قَصَمَهُ اللَّهُ، وَمَنِ ابْتَغَى الْهُدَى فِي غَيْرِهِ أَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ۔ وَهُوَ حَبْلُ اللَّهِ الْمَتِينُ، وَهُوَ الذِّكْرُ الْحَكِيمُ، وَهُوَ الصِّرَاطُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ۔ هُوَ الَّذِي لاَ تَزِيغُ بِهِ الأَهْوَاءُ، وَلاَ تَلْتَبِسُ بِهِ الأَلْسِنَةُ، وَلاَ يَشْبَعُ مِنْهُ الْعُلَمَاءُ، وَلاَ يَخْلَقُ عَلَى كَثْرَةِ الرَّدِّ، وَلاَ تَنْقَضِي عَجَائِبُهُ۔ هُوَ الَّذِي لَمْ تَنْتَهِ الْجِنُّ إِذْ سَمِعَتْهُ حَتَّى قَالُوا { إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآنًا عَجَبًا ۝ يَهْدِي إِلَى الرُّشْدِ فَآمَنَّا بِهِ } مَنْ قَالَ بِهِ صَدَقَ، وَمَنْ عَمِلَ بِهِ أُجِرَ، وَمَنْ حَكَمَ بِهِ عَدَلَ، وَمَنْ دَعَا إِلَيْهِ هُدِيَ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ۔» خُذْهَا إِلَيْكَ يَا أَعْوَرُ.  

"I passed by the Masjid when the people were absorbed in story-telling. So I entered upon 'Ali and said: 'O Commander of the believers! Do you not see the people are becoming engrossed in story-telling?' He said: 'They have been consumed with it?' I said: "Yes.' He said: 'As for me, I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying: "Indeed there comes a Fitnah" So I said: "What is the way out from it O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "Allah's book. In it is news for what happened before you, and information about what comes after you, and judgement for what happens between you. It is the Criterion (between right and wrong) without jest. Whoever among the oppressive abandons it, Allah crushes him, and whoever seeks guidance from other than it, then Allah leaves him to stray. It is the firm rope of Allah, it is the wise remembrance, it is the straight path, and it is the one that the desires can not distort, nor can the tongues twist it, nor can the scholars ever have enough of it, and it shall not become dull from reciting it much, and the amazement of it does not diminish. It is the one that when the Jinns hear it, they did not hesitate to say about it: 'Verily, we have heard a wonderful Recitation (this Qur'an)! 'It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein.' Whoever speaks according to it then he has said the truth, and whoever acts according to it he is rewarded, and whoever judges by it he has judged justly, and whoever invites to it then he guides to the straight path." Take this O A'war!'." (Using translation from Tirmidhī 2906)   

دَخَلْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ فَإِذَا أُنَاسٌ يَخُوضُونَ فِي أَحَادِيثَ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ فَقُلْتُ أَلَا تَرَى أَنَّ أُنَاسًا يخُوضُونَ فِي الْأَحَادِيثِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ؟ فَقَالَ قَدْ فَعَلُوهَا؟ قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ أَمَا إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ «سَتَكُونُ فِتَنٌ» قُلْتُ وَمَا الْمَخْرَجُ مِنْهَا؟ قَالَ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ كِتَابُ اللَّهِ فِيهِ نَبَأُ مَا قَبْلَكُمْ وَخَبَرُ مَا بَعْدَكُمْ وَحُكْمُ مَا بَيْنَكُمْ هُوَ الْفَصْلُ لَيْسَ بِالْهَزْلِ هُوَ الَّذِي مَنْ تَرَكَهُ مِنْ جَبَّارٍ قَصَمَهُ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ ابْتَغَى الْهُدَى فِي غَيْرِهِ أَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ فَهُوَ حَبْلُ اللَّهِ الْمَتِينُ وَهُوَ الذِّكْرُ الْحَكِيمُ وَهُوَ الصِّرَاطُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ وَهُوَ الَّذِي لَا تَزِيغُ بِهِ الْأَهْوَاءُ وَلَا تَلْتَبِسُ بِهِ الْأَلْسِنَةُ وَلَا يَشْبَعُ مِنْهُ الْعُلَمَاءُ وَلَا يَخْلَقُ عَنْ كَثْرَةِ الرَّدِّ وَلَا تَنْقَضِي عَجَائِبُهُ وَهُوَ الَّذِي لَمْ يَنْتَهِ الْجِنُّ إِذْ سَمِعَتْهُ أَنْ قَالُوا {إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآنًا عَجَبًا} [الجن 1] هُوَ الَّذِي مَنْ قَالَ بِهِ صَدَقَ وَمَنْ حَكَمَ بِهِ عَدَلَ وَمَنْ عَمِلَ بِهِ أُجِرَ وَمَنْ دَعَا إِلَيْهِ هُدِيَ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ خُذْهَا إِلَيْكَ يَا أَعْوَرُ  

[Machine] It was said, "O Messenger of Allah, your nation will be tested after you." So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked or was asked, "What is the way out from it?" He replied, "The Noble Book, which falsehood does not approach from before it or behind it, [a revelation] from a Wise, Praiseworthy [One]." [Surah Fussilat: 42]. Whoever seeks guidance from other than it, Allah has led him astray, and whoever takes control of this matter through force, Allah will break him. He is the mentioned, the Wise Reminder, the Manifest Light, and the Straight Path. In it, there is the news of what happened before you, the news of what will happen after you, and the judgment of what is between you. And it is the decisive Book, not a jest. And it is the one that the jinn heard and accordingly they did not say, "Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur'an. It guides to the right course." [Surah Al-Jinn: 2]. Its wonders do not cease due to excessive recitation, and its lessons do not diminish, nor do its marvels disappear. Then Ali said to Harith, "Take it to you, O one-eyed."  

قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أُمَّتَكَ سَتُفْتَتَنُ مِنْ بَعْدِكَ فَسَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ أَوْ سُئِلَ مَا الْمَخْرَجُ مِنْهَا؟ قَالَ الْكِتَابُ الْعَزِيزُ الَّذِي {لَا يَأْتِيهِ الْبَاطِلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلَا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ} [فصلت 42] مَنْ ابْتَغَى الْهُدَى فِي غَيْرِهِ فقد أَضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ وَلِيَ هَذَا الْأَمْرَ مِنْ جَبَّارٍ فَحَكَمَ بِغَيْرِهِ قَصَمَهُ اللَّهُ هُوَ الذِّكْرُ الْحَكِيمُ وَالنُّورُ الْمُبِينُ وَالصِّرَاطُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُ فِيهِ خَبَرُ مَا قَبْلَكُمْ وَنَبَأُ مَا بَعْدَكُمْ وَحُكْمُ مَا بَيْنَكُمْ وَهُوَ الْفَصْلُ لَيْسَ بِالْهَزْلِ وَهُوَ الَّذِي سَمِعَتْهُ الْجِنُّ فَلَمْ تَتَنَاهَ أَنْ قَالُوا {إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآنًا عَجَبًا يَهْدِي إِلَى الرُّشْدِ} [الجن 2] وَلَا يَخْلَقُ عَنْ كَثْرَةِ الرَّدِّ وَلَا تَنْقَضِي عِبَرُهُ وَلَا تَفْنَى عَجَائِبُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ لِلْحَارِثِ خُذْهَا إِلَيْكَ يَا أَعْوَرُ  

"أَلَا إِنَّهَا سَتَكُونُ فِتْنَةٌ؟ قِيلَ: مَا المَخْرَجُ مِنْهَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: كِتَابُ اللَّهِ فيه نَبَأُ مَا قَبْلَكُمْ وَخَبَرُ مَا بَعْدَكُمْ، وَحُكْمُ ما بينكم هو الفصل ليس بالهزل، من تركه من جَبَّارٍ قَصَمَهُ اللَّهُ، وَمِنِ ابْتَغَى الهُدَى فِى غَيْرِه أضَلَّهُ اللَّهُ، وَهُوَ حَبْلُ اللَّهِ المَتينُ، وَهُوَ الذِّكْرُ الْحَكِيمُ، وَهُوَ الصِّرَاط المُسْتَقِيمُ، هُوَ الَّذِى لَا تَزِيغُ بِهِ الأَهْوَاءُ، وَلَا تَلْتَبِسُ بِهِ الأَلْسِنَةُ، وَلَا يَشْبَعُ مِنْهُ العُلَمَاءُ، وَلَا يَخْلَقُ عَلَى كَثرَةِ الرَّدِ، وَلَا تَنْقَضى عَجَائبُه، هُوَ الَّذِى لَمْ تَنْتَهِ الْجِنُّ إِذْ سَمِعَتْهُ حَتَّى قالُوا: {إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا قُرْآنًا عَجَبًا (1) يَهْدِي إِلَى الرُّشْدِ فَآمَنَّا بِهِ} مَنْ قَالَ بِهِ صَدَقَ، وَمَنْ عَمِلَ بِهِ أُجِرَ، وَمَنْ حَكَمَ بهِ عَدَلَ، وَمَنْ دَعَا إِلَيْهِ هُدِى إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُستَقِيم".  

"إِنَّها ستكونُ فتنةٌ، قِيلَ فما المخرجُ مِنْها؟ قال: كتابُ اللَّه فيه نَبَأُ مَنْ قَبْلَكُمْ، وَخَبَرُ مَنْ بَعْدَكُمْ، وَحُكْمُ مَا بَيْنَكُمْ، هُوَ الْفَصْلُ لَيْسَ بِالْهَزْلِ، مَنْ تركهُ مِنْ جَبَّارٍ قَصمَهُ اللَّه، ومن ابتغى الْهُدَى في غَيْرِهِ أَضلَّهُ اللَّه، وَهُوَ حَبْلُ اللَّه المتينُ، وَهُوَ الذِّكْرُ الحَكيِمُ، وَهُوَ الصِّرَاطُ المستقيمُ، هُوَ الَّذِى لا تزيغ به الأَهواءُ ولا يَشْبَعُ مِنْهَ العلماءُ ولا تَلْتَبسُ بِهَ الأَلْسُنُ، ولا يَخْلَقْ عن الرَّدِّ، ولا تَنقَضِى عَجَائِبُهُ، هو الَّذِى لم تَنْتَهِ الجنُّ إِذَا سَمعِتْه عَنْ أَنْ قالُوا: "إِنَّا سَمِعْنا قُرْآنًا عجبًا يَهْدِى إِلى الرُّشْدِ". مَنْ قال به صَدَقَ وَمَنْ حكَمَ به عَدَلَ وَمَنْ عَمِلَ به أُجِرَ به أُجِرَ وَمَنْ دَعا إِلَيْهِ هُدى إِلى صراط مُسْتَقِيمٍ".