Abu Abdur Rahman Salmi narrates: I heard Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) delivering this statement from the pulpit: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent me and Abu Marthad Salmi; both of us were mounted on horses. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You both go, and you will reach the garden of Khakh. There will be a woman there who will have a letter with her. It will be written from Hatib bin Abi Balta’ah to the polytheists. Bring her to me." (Sayyiduna Ali [may Allah be pleased with him] says:) We reached that woman; she was mounted on her camel, exactly at the place where the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had told us. I said: "Where is the letter that is with you?" She said: "I have no letter." Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) says: We made her camel sit down and searched her saddle. My companion said: "I think she has nothing with her." I said to her: "You know that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has not lied to us. By the One in whose name oaths are sworn (O woman), either you will produce it or I will cut you to pieces with my sword." When she saw the severity, she reached towards the knot of her waistband—she was wearing a woolen waistband—and she took out the letter. I brought it to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Hatib, what made you do this?" He replied: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), on what basis would I cease to believe in Allah and His Messenger? (i.e., I did not do this by abandoning faith in Allah and His Messenger), but I wanted to have some favor with those people so that Allah, the Exalted, would protect my family and my wealth." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He has spoken the truth; speak only good about him." Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he has betrayed Allah, His Messenger, and the believers. Allow me to strike off his head." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Is he not among the people of Badr? O Umar! Do you not know that Allah, the Exalted, looked upon the people of Badr and said: 'Do whatever you wish, Paradise has been made obligatory for you.'" So Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) began to weep and said: "Allah and His Messenger know best."