عَنْ أَبِي حَسَّانَ، أَنَّ عَلِيًّا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ كَانَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْأَمْرِ فَيُؤْتَى، فَيُقَالُ: قَدْ فَعَلْنَا كَذَا وَكَذَا، فَيَقُولُ: صَدَقَ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، قَالَ: فَقَالَ لَهُ الْأَشْتَرُ: إِنَّ هَذَا الَّذِي تَقُولُ قَدْ تَفَشَّغَ فِي النَّاسِ أَفَشَيْئٌ عَهِدَهُ إِلَيْكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ عَلِيٌّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: مَا عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ شَيْئًا خَاصَّةً دُونَ النَّاسِ إِلَّا شَيْئٌ سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْهُ، فَهُوَ فِي صَحِيفَةٍ فِي قِرَابِ سَيْفِي، قَالَ: فَلَمْ يَزَالُوا بِهِ حَتَّى أَخْرَجَ الصَّحِيفَةَ، قَالَ: فَإِذَا فِيهَا، ”مَنْ أَحْدَثَ حَدَثًا أَوْ آوَى مُحْدِثًا فَعَلَيْهِ لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ، لَا يُقْبَلُ مِنْهُ صَرْفٌ وَلَا عَدْلٌ.“ قَالَ: وَإِذَا فِيهَا، ”إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَرَّمَ مَكَّةَ، وَإِنِّي أُحَرِّمُ الْمَدِينَةَ حَرَامٌ مَا بَيْنَ حَرَّتَيْهَا، وَحِمَاهَا كُلُّهُ، لَا يُخْتَلَى خَلَاهَا، وَلَا يُنَفَّرُ صَيْدُهَا، وَلَا تُلْتَقَطُ لُقَطَتُهَا إِلَّا لِمَنْ أَشَارَ بِهَا، وَلَا تُقْطَعُ مِنْهَا شَجَرَةٌ إِلَّا أَنْ يَعْلِفَ رَجُلٌ بَعِيرَهُ، وَلَا يُحْمَلُ فِيهَا السِّلَاحُ لِقِتَالٍ.“ قَالَ: وَإِذَا فِيهَا، ”الْمُؤْمِنُونَ تَتَكَافَأُ دِمَاؤُهُمْ، وَيَسْعَى بِذِمَّتِهِمْ أَدْنَاهُمْ، وَهُمْ يَدٌ عَلَى مَنْ سِوَاهُمْ، أَلَا! لَا يُقْتَلُ مُؤْمِنٌ بِكَافِرٍ، وَلَا ذُو عَهْدٍ فِي عَهْدِهِ.“
It is narrated from Abu Hassan that when Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) would give an order and, after carrying it out, people would say, “We have done such and such work,” he would say: “Allah and His Messenger have spoken the truth.” Ash’ath said to him: “You say such things, and now this has become widespread among the people. Is this something that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) specifically instructed you?” Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not tell me anything separately from the people, except that I heard one thing from him, which is written in this scroll, and this scroll is kept safe in the sheath of my sword.” Upon the insistence of the people, he took out that scroll, and in it was written the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): “Whoever introduces a new thing in the religion or gives protection to one who introduces a new thing, upon him is the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people. None of his obligatory or voluntary acts of worship will be accepted.” Also, it was written in it that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) declared the sanctity of Makkah, and I declare the sanctity of Madinah. The area between the two Harrahs is a sanctuary, and no grass should be cut from its pastures, nor should its game be frightened or scared, and nothing fallen there should be picked up, except by one who intends to announce it. Nor should trees be cut within the boundaries of the sanctuary, except that a man may graze his camel, and weapons should not be raised there for fighting. And it was also written in it that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “The blood of all believers is equal, and when any Muslim grants protection to a non-Muslim, all Muslims must fulfill that covenant, and Muslims are united against their enemy. Remember, no believer can be killed in retaliation for a disbeliever, nor can a person under protection be killed during the period of his protection.”