حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الأَنْصَارِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ ثُمَامَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ أَبَا بَكْرٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ لَمَّا اسْتُخْلِفَ بَعَثَهُ إِلَى الْبَحْرَيْنِ، وَكَتَبَ لَهُ هَذَا الْكِتَابَ وَخَتَمَهُ، وَكَانَ نَقْشُ الْخَاتَمِ ثَلاَثَةَ أَسْطُرٍ مُحَمَّدٌ سَطْرٌ، وَرَسُولُ سَطْرٌ، وَاللَّهِ سَطْرٌ‏.‏

Narrated Ibn Al-Hanafiya

If `Ali had spoken anything bad about `Uthman then he would have mentioned the day when some persons came to him and complained about the Zakat officials of `Uthman. `Ali then said to me, "Go to `Uthman and say to him, 'This document contains the regulations of spending the Sadaqa of Allah's Apostle so order your Zakat officials to act accordingly." I took the document to `Uthman. `Uthman said, "Take it away, for we are not in need of it." I returned to `Ali with it and informed him of that. He said, "Put it whence you took it."