حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي مَرْيَمَ، قَالَ‏:‏ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، أَنَّهُ أَخَذَ هَذِهِ الرِّسَالَةَ مِنْ خَارِجَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، وَمِنْ كُبَرَاءِ آلِ زَيْدٍ‏:‏ بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، لِعَبْدِ اللهِ مُعَاوِيَةَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، مِنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ‏:‏ سَلاَمٌ عَلَيْكَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ، فَإِنِّي أَحْمَدُ إِلَيْكَ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ‏:‏ فَإِنَّكَ تَسْأَلُنِي عَنْ مِيرَاثِ الْجَدِّ وَالإِخْوَةِ، فَذَكَرَ الرِّسَالَةَ، وَنَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ الْهُدَى وَالْحِفْظَ وَالتَّثَبُّتَ فِي أَمْرِنَا كُلِّهِ، وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ نَضِلَّ، أَوْ نَجْهَلَ، أَوْ نُكَلَّفَ مَا لَيْسَ لَنَا بِهِ عِلْمٌ، وَالسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ وَمَغْفِرَتُهُ‏.‏ وَكَتَبَ وُهَيْبٌ‏:‏ يَوْمَ الْخَمِيسِ لِثِنْتَيْ عَشْرَةَ بَقِيَتْ مِنْ رَمَضَانَ سَنَةَ اثْنَيْنِ وَأَرْبَعِينَ‏.‏

Ibn Abi-Zinad related from his father that he tool this letterfrom Kharija ibn Zayd and from the great members of the family of Zayd

"In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful. To the slave ofProphet, Mu'awiya, the Amir al-Mu'minin, from Zayd ibn Thabit. Peace beupon you, Amir al-Mu'minin, and the mercy of Allah. I praise Allah to you.There is no god but Him. Following on from that, you asked me about theinheritance of the grandfather and brothers (and he mentioned the letter).We ask Allah for guidance, preservation and firmness in all our affairs.We seek refuge with Allah from being misguided or ignorant or taking onwhat we have no knowledge of. Peace be upon you, Amir al-Mu'minin, andthe mercy of Allah and His blessings and His forgiveness. Wuhayb has writtenit on Thursday, the 20th Ramadan, 42 (AH)."