[Machine] Uthman sent me on a trade mission, so I went to him and praised him for the leadership. I approached him one day and said, "O Amir al-Mu'minin, I ask you for a written document." He hesitated, then said, "Yes, if it weren't for a verse in the Book of Allah, I wouldn't have written it for you, even if you were to count it for me in two counts. No, by Allah, I would not diminish it even by a dirham." So I left his presence and met Zubair ibn al-Awwam who asked, "What do I see in you?" I replied, "The Amir al-Mu'minin sent me on a trade mission, so I went to him and praised him for the leadership. I approached him and said, 'O Amir al-Mu'minin, I ask you for a written document.' He hesitated and said, 'Yes, if it weren't for a verse in the Book of Allah, I wouldn't have written it for you, even if you were to count it for me in two counts. No, by Allah, I would not diminish it even by a dirham.'" He then said, "Go." Zubair then returned me to him and stood before him and said, "O Amir al-Mu'minin, did you write for him so-and-so?" He hesitated and said, "Yes, if it weren't for a verse in the Book of Allah, I wouldn't have written it for him, even if he were to count it for me in two counts. No, by Allah, I would not diminish it even by a dirham." Zubair became angry and said to Allah, "I swear I will face you directly, for I only seek a need from you that can be resolved with my right hand." Uthman struck his shoulder or his side and said, "Write it." So I wrote it down and left with Zubair to his family. He gave me 100,000 and said, "Go, seek the blessings of Allah with it. If an affair overpowers you, then return Uthman's portion to him." So I went and sought the blessings of Allah with it, and I paid Uthman his portion and Zubair his portion, and I had 80,000 in my hand.

بَعَثَنِي عُثْمَانُ ؓ فِي تِجَارَةٍ فَقَدِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَأَحْمَدَ وِلَايَتِي قَالَ فَقُمْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَسْأَلُكَ الْكِتَابَةَ فَقَطَّبَ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ وَلَوْلَا آيَةٌ فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ مَا فَعَلْتُ أُكَاتِبُكَ عَلَى مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ عَلَى أَنْ تُعِدَّهَا لِي فِي عِدَتَيْنِ لَا وَاللهِ أَغُضُّكَ مِنْهَا دِرْهَمًا قَالَ فَخَرَجْتُ مِنْ عِنْدِهِ فَلَقِيَنِي الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ الْعَوَّامِ ؓ فَقَالَ مَا الَّذِي أَرَى بِكَ؟ قُلْتُ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بَعَثَنِي فِي تِجَارَةٍ فَقَدِمْتُ عَلَيْهِ فَأَحْمَدَ وِلَايَتِي فَقُمْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَسْأَلُكَ الْكِتَابَةَ قَالَ فَقَطَّبَ قَالَ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ وَلَوْلَا آيَةٌ فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ مَا فَعَلْتُ أُكَاتِبُكَ عَلَى مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ عَلَى أَنْ تُعِدَّهَا لِي فِي عِدَتَيْنِ وَاللهِ لَا أَغُضُّكَ مِنْهَا دِرْهَمًا قال فَقَالَ انْطَلِقْ قَالَ فَرَدَّنِي إِلَيْهِ فَقَامَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فُلَانٌ كَاتَبْتَهُ؟ قَالَ فَقَطَّبَ وَقَالَ نَعَمْ وَلَوْلَا آيَةٌ فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ مَا فَعَلْتُ أُكَاتِبُهُ عَلَى مِائَةِ أَلْفٍ عَلَى أَنْ يُعِدَّهَا لِي فِي عِدَتَيْنِ وَاللهِ لَا أَغُضُّهُ مِنْهَا دِرْهَمًا قَالَ فَغَضِبَ الزُّبَيْرُ فَقَالَ لِلَّهِ لَأَمْثُلَنَّ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ فَإِنَّمَا أَطْلُبُ إِلَيْكَ حَاجَةً تَحُولُ دُونَهَا بِيَمِينٍ؟ قَالَ فَضَرَبَ لَا أَدْرِي قَالَ كَتِفِيَّ أَوْ قَالَ عَضُدِيَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ كَاتِبْهُ قَالَ فَكَاتَبْتُهُ فَانْطَلَقَ بِيَ الزُّبَيْرُ إِلَى أَهْلِهِ فَأَعْطَانِي مِائَةَ أَلْفٍ ثُمَّ قَالَ انْطَلِقْ فَاطْلُبْ فِيهَا مِنْ فَضْلِ اللهِ فَإِنْ غَلَبَكَ أَمْرٌ فَأَدِّ إِلَى عُثْمَانَ مَالَهُ مِنْهَا فَانْطَلَقْتُ فَطَلَبْتُ فِيهَا مِنْ فَضْلِ اللهِ وَأَدَّيْتُ إِلَى عُثْمَانَ ؓ مَالَهُ وَإِلَى الزُّبَيْرِ ؓ مَالَهُ وَفَضَلَ فِي يَدِيَّ ثَمَانُونَ أَلْفًا