It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them) that he said: I consider replying to a letter as necessary as replying to a greeting of peace (salam).

It is narrated from Aisha bint Talha, may Allah have mercy on her, that I said to Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, while I was under her care. People from all corners of the world used to come to her. Elderly gentlemen would come to me one by one because they knew that I was her servant, and young students would approach me like sisters and send me gifts, and people from different cities would write letters to me, so I would inform Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her. "Aunt, this is so-and-so's letter and gift," so Lady Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, would say to me: "Daughter! Reply to the letter and return a gift for the present, and if you do not have anything to give in return for the gift, then I will give it." She says that then she would give it to me.

It is narrated from Abdullah bin Dinar (may Allah have mercy on him) that when Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) pledged allegiance to Abdul Malik bin Marwan, he wrote to him: «بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم» , From Abdullah bin Umar to the Commander of the Faithful, Abdul Malik. Peace be upon you. I praise Allah, Who has no partner, and I acknowledge that, to the best of my ability, I will listen to your commands and obey, as long as they are in accordance with what Allah Almighty and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) have prescribed.

It is narrated from Zaid bin Aslam (may Allah have mercy on him) that my father sent me to Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them). I saw that he was writing: «بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم» , amma ba‘d.

It is narrated from Hisham bin Urwah (may Allah have mercy on him) that I have seen several letters of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in which, when a matter was concluded, "Amma Ba'd" was written there.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) that he wrote this letter: «بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم» . From Zaid bin Thabit to the servant of Allah, the Commander of the Faithful, Muawiyah. Peace and mercy of Allah be upon the Commander of the Faithful. I praise Allah, besides whom there is no true deity. To proceed.

It is narrated from Abu Mas’ud Jariri (may Allah have mercy on him) that a man asked Hasan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) about reciting «بسم الله» , so he said: It should also be written at the beginning of letters.

It is narrated from Nafi' (may Allah have mercy on him) that Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) had some work with Sayyiduna Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). When he intended to write a letter, people said: Begin with his name. They kept insisting until he wrote: «بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم» , to Muawiyah.

It is narrated from Anas bin Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) that I wrote a letter at the instruction of Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), so he said: Write like this: «بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم» , amma ba'd, to so-and-so, meaning to such-and-such person.

It is narrated from Anas bin Sirin (may Allah have mercy on him) that a man wrote a letter in front of Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both): «بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم» , to so-and-so. Sayyiduna Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) forbade him and said: Write it like this: «بسم اللہ» . That is, write "he" (هو) and then his name.