حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سُوقَةَ، عَنْ مُنْذِرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ الْحَنَفِيَّةِ، قَالَ لَوْ كَانَ عَلِيٌّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ ذَاكِرًا عُثْمَانَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ ذَكَرَهُ يَوْمَ جَاءَهُ نَاسٌ فَشَكَوْا سُعَاةَ عُثْمَانَ، فَقَالَ لِي عَلِيٌّ اذْهَبْ إِلَى عُثْمَانَ فَأَخْبِرْهُ أَنَّهَا صَدَقَةُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَمُرْ سُعَاتَكَ يَعْمَلُونَ فِيهَا. فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِهَا فَقَالَ أَغْنِهَا عَنَّا. فَأَتَيْتُ بِهَا عَلِيًّا فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ فَقَالَ ضَعْهَا حَيْثُ أَخَذْتَهَا.
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.”