He is the First before every first and the Last after every last. Due to His being First, it is necessary that nothing be before Him, and due to His being Last, it is necessary that nothing be after Him. I bear witness that there is no deity except Allah. Such a testimony in which the apparent and hidden are equal, and heart and tongue are in agreement. O people! Do not fall into the crime of opposing me, and do not become bewildered and distressed by disobeying me. Do not make eye signals to each other when listening to my words. By that Being Who split the seed and created the living! The news I give you is from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Neither did the one giving the news (the Messenger) lie, nor was the one hearing ignorant. (Listen!) I see with my own eyes a person who is in severe misguidance, standing in Syria calling out, and he has planted his banners in the open fields around Kufa. So when his mouth opened (to devour) and the rein of his bridle became firm, and his trampling in the earth became harsher and harsher, then seditions began to bite the people of the world with their teeth, and the river of war began to strike with waves, and the hardship of days appeared, and the suffering of nights intensified. On one side, his crop ripened and the harvest became ready, and his intoxications began to show fervor, and swords began to shine. On the other side, the banners of severe sedition and evil were planted and advanced like a dark night and a turbulent river. Besides this, how many fierce storms will uproot Kufa, and how many harsh winds will come upon it. And soon groups will become entangled with groups, and standing crops will be cut, and cut harvests will be broken and destroyed.