حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ أَبِي أُوَيْسٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ خَارِجَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنْ كُبَرَاءِ آلِ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ كَتَبَ بِهَذِهِ الرِّسَالَةِ: بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ، لِعَبْدِ اللهِ مُعَاوِيَةَ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، مِنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، سَلاَمٌ عَلَيْكَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ، فَإِنِّي أَحْمَدُ إِلَيْكَ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لا إِلَهَ إلا هُوَ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ.
Narrated It is reported that Zayd ibn Thabit wrote this letter:
"In the
Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful. To the slave of Allah,
Mu'awiya, the Amir al-Mu'minin, from Zayd ibn Thabit. Peace be upon 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'"
Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, Most Merciful. To the slave of Allah,
Mu'awiya, the Amir al-Mu'minin, from Zayd ibn Thabit. Peace be upon 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'"