وَاللهِ لَوْ شِئْتُ أَنْ أُخْبِرَ كُلَّ رَجُل مِنْكُمْ بِمَخْرَجِهِ وَمَوْلِجِهِ وَجَمِيعِ شَأْنِهِ لَفَعَلْتُ، وَلكِنْ أَخَافُ أَنْ تَكْفُرُوا فيَّ بِرَسُولِ اللهِ (صلى الله عليه وآله). أَلاَ وَإِنِّي مُفْضِيهِ إلَى الْخَاصَّةِ مِمَّنْ يُؤْمَنُ ذلِكَ مِنْهُ. وَالَّذِي بَعَثَهُ بِالحَقِّ، وَاصْطَفَاهُ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ، مَا أَنْطِقُ إلاَّ صَادِقاً، وَقَدْ عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ بِذلِكَ كُلِّهِ، وَبِمَهْلِكِ مَنْ يَهْلِكُ، وَمَنْجَى مَنْ يَنْجُو، وَمَآلِ هذَا الاْمْرِ، وَمَا أَبْقَى شَيْئاً يَمُرُّ عَلَى رَأْسِي ألاَّ أَفْرَغَهُ فِي أُذُنَيَّ وَأَفْضَى بِهِ إِلَيَّ.
By Allāh, if I wish, I can tell every one of you from where he has come, where he has to go and all his affairs, but I fear lest you abandon the Messenger of Allāh - peace and blessing of Allāh be upon him and his progeny - in my favour. I shall certainly convey these things to the selected ones who will remain safe from that fear. By Allāh, Who deputed the Prophet with Right and distinguished him over creation. I do not speak save the truth. He (the Prophet) informed me of all this and also about the death of every one who dies, the salvation of every one who is granted salvation, and the consequences of this matter (the caliphate). He left nothing (that could) pass into my head with-out putting it in my ear and telling me about it. [1]
