حَدَّثَنَا
عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْجَعْدِ ، أَخْبَرَنَا
شُعْبَةُ ، عَنْ
قَتَادَةَ ، قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ
أَنَسًا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، يَقُولُ : لَمَّا أَرَادَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ يَكْتُبَ إِلَى الرُّومِ قِيلَ لَهُ : إِنَّهُمْ لَا يَقْرَءُونَ كِتَابًا إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ مَخْتُومًا ، فَاتَّخَذَ خَاتَمًا مِنْ فِضَّةٍ فَكَأَنِّي أَنْظُرُ إِلَى بَيَاضِهِ فِي يَدِهِ وَنَقَشَ فِيهِ مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ " .
Narrated Anas: When the Prophet intended to write a letter to the ruler of the Byzantines, he was told that those people did not read any letter unless it was stamped with a seal. So, the Prophet got a silver ring-- as if I were just looking at its white glitter on his hand ---- and stamped on it the expression "Muhammad, Apostle of Allah".