Hadith 7

Sahih Bukhari

Book 3: Knowledge

Chapter 7

What is said regarding the hand to hand exchange (of books of knowledge), and the writing of knowledge by religious scholars to different countries

باب مَا يُذْكَرُ فِي الْمُنَاوَلَةِ وَكِتَابِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ بِالْعِلْمِ إِلَى الْبُلْدَانِ

Anas said that ‘Uthman got the Qur’an transcribed and sent its copies to far-off places. ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar, Yahya bin Sa‘id, and Malik consider it permissible, and some people of Hijaz supported this opinion depending on the narration of the Prophet ﷺ, when the Prophet ﷺ got some instructions written to be given to the commander of the army, and told him (the commander) not to read them till he had reached such and such place. When that commander reached that place he read out what had been written to the people and informed them of the orders of the Prophet ﷺ.
وَقَالَ أَنَسٌ نَسَخَ عُثْمَانُ الْمَصَاحِفَ، فَبَعَثَ بِهَا إِلَى الآفَاقِ. وَرَأَى عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ وَيَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ وَمَالِكٌ ذَلِكَ جَائِزًا. وَاحْتَجَّ بَعْضُ أَهْلِ الْحِجَازِ فِي الْمُنَاوَلَةِ بِحَدِيثِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ حَيْثُ كَتَبَ لأَمِيرِ السَّرِيَّةِ كِتَابًا وَقَالَ: «لاَ تَقْرَأْهُ حَتَّى تَبْلُغَ مَكَانَ كَذَا وَكَذَا». فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الْمَكَانَ قَرَأَهُ عَلَى النَّاسِ، وَأَخْبَرَهُمْ بِأَمْرِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. [تحفة 9783].
Sahih al-Bukhari 65
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُقَاتِلٍ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ كَتَبَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم كِتَابًا ـ أَوْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ ـ فَقِيلَ لَهُ إِنَّهُمْ لاَ يَقْرَءُونَ كِتَابًا إِلاَّ مَخْتُومًا‏.‏ فَاتَّخَذَ خَاتَمًا مِنْ فِضَّةٍ نَقْشُهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ‏.‏ كَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى بَيَاضِهِ فِي يَدِهِ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ لِقَتَادَةَ مَنْ قَالَ نَقْشُهُ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ قَالَ أَنَسٌ‏.‏
Anas bin Malik:

Once the Prophet (ﷺ) wrote a letter or had an idea of writing a letter. The Prophet (ﷺ) was told that they (rulers) would not read letters unless they were sealed. So the Prophet (ﷺ) got a silver ring made with "Muhammad Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)" engraved on it. As if I were just observing its white glitter in the hand of the Prophet.