for their honorable grandfather, he is the one who proclaimed the Quran and guided [them] to its principles and propagated its teachings. Regarding this, he said: "I leave among you two things of high estimation: the Book of God and my descendants, my ahl al-bayt. These two will never separate until they return to me by the Pond [of Kawthar]."٤
The "descendants" in the tradition are the guide to the Quran, being knowledge‌
able about its excellence. Accordingly, it is necessary that we should restrict our‌ selves to their sayings, and receive enlightenment from their instructions. Indeed, they have been compiled by Allama Majlisi in volume ١٩ of his multivolume work Bi/:lar al-Anwar. Here, we shall limit ourselves to a few of these traditions.
Al-I:Iarith al-Hamadani relates the following: ٥

I entered the mosque and some persons were in deep controversy about some badith traditions. I went to AIT [b. Ab١ Talib] and said: "Are you aware that people at the mosque are in dispute over the badith?" He said: "So they have done it" I said: "Yes." He said: "I have indeed heard the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) say‌ ing, There shall be sedition (fitan) after me." I asked: "How do we avoid that?" He [the Prophet] said: "The Book of God, the Book of God. In it is the information about those who were before you and what will come after you, and it will be the judge among you. It is the final decision and not a jest [cf. Q. ٨٦: ١٣-١٤ J. It is that which not even
the mighty could forsake without being shattered by God. Whoever seeks guidance in
anything other than it, God will lead him astray. It is the firm rope of God; it is the wise remembrance [Q. ٣:٥٨]; it is the straight path. With it, hearts will never deviate, nor will the tongues utter confusion. Scholars will never have their full of it; it will not wear out from constant use, nor will its wonders be exhausted. It is that which when the jinns heard it, they could not help saying: We heard a marvellous quran [recita‌ tion] [Q. ٧٢: ١]. Whoever utters it speaks the truth; whoever rules by it is just; who‌ ever abides by it will receive his just reward; and whoever calls for it shall be guided to the straight path. Follow it, ٠ Awar."٦

There are several significant points in this tradition, the most important of which we would do well to explain. The Prophets saying, "In it is the information about those who were before you and whal will come after you" bears several meanings.
First, it may be a reference to the second creation-the world of the Barzakh and
the final reckoning and requital of ones actions. This is probably the most likely explanation, for it is corroborated by a passage in one of the Imam A Ifs orations: "In it [the Book of God] is the information about those who were before you, the criterion of judgment among you, and the information about your final return for the day of reckoning (rna ad)." ٧
The second possibility is that it refprto the ev nts mentioned in the Quran.
The third possibility is that it is an intimation that what happened to bygone na‌ tions will also happen exactly the same way to this nation [of Islam]. In other words. it would have the same meaning as Gods saying, "That you shall journey on from plane to plane" (Q. ٨٤: ١٩), and as the prophetic tradition You shall follow the prac‌ tices (sunan) of those who came before you."٨
As for the Prophets saying, "It is that which not even the mighty could forsake without being shattered by God." it seems to contain a promise that the Quran is