The Prophet (a.s.) depended on some of his companions to record the Qur'an that was revealed to him and to write, by his dictation, the letters he sent to the kings and rulers, besides the documents of treaties and truces and other concerns. The following were the Prophet’s clerks:
1. Imam Ali (a.s.): he recorded most of the revelation[29] and he wrote for the Prophet (a.s.) his agreements, truces, and other affairs.[30]
2. Ubay bin Ka’b al-Ansari: he was the first one who recorded for the Prophet (a.s.) after his emigration to Medina.[31]
3. Zayd bin Thabit al-Ansari: he recorded the revelation besides his writing letters to the kings. Some letters that came to the Prophet (a.s.) were in Syriac, and so the Prophet (a.s.) ordered Zayd to learn Syriac and he learned it, and then he began writing to the kings in Syriac.[32]
4. Abdullah bin Arqam: he wrote the letters to the kings and he wrote for ordinary people their contracts and dealings.[33]
5. Ala’ bin Uqbah: he sometimes wrote for the Prophet (a.s.).[34]
6. Az-Zubayr bin al-Awwam: some historians mention that he was among the Prophet’s scribes.[35]
7. Mu’ayqeeb bin Abi Fatima: he recorded for the Prophet (a.s.) the spoils.[36]
8. Khalid bin Sa’eed: he scribed for the Prophet (a.s.) all affairs taking place before him. The Prophet (a.s.) sent him as an official on the charities of Yemen.[37]
9. Handhalah bin Rabee’: al-Ya’qubi mentioned him as one of the Prophet’s scribes.[38]
It has been mentioned that the Prophet’s scribes were about forty-two ones. Al-Mugheerah bin Shu’bah, Mu’awiya bin Abi Sufiyan, and Khalid bin al-Waleed were mentioned among the Prophet’s scribes, but we do not trust or rely on that, for these persons had a black history full of vices and sins and the Prophet (a.s.) knew well what there was in their inners and souls that were full of hypocrisy. So was it possible that the Prophet (a.s.) neared them to him and entrusted to them the writing of his letters?
[30] Al-Kamil fit-Tareekh by ibn al-Atheer, vol. 2 p. 103.
[31] As-Seerah al-Halabiyyah, vol. 3 p. 327.
[32] Tareekh al-Ya’qubi, vol. 2 p. 80, as-Seerah al-Halabiyyah, vol. 3 p. 327, al-Kamil fit-Tareekh, vol. 2 p. 176.
[33] Makateeb ar-Rasool (the Prophet’s letters), vol. 1 p. 21.
[34] Sunan al-Bayhaqi, vol. 10 p. 128.
[35] Makateeb ar-Rasool, p. 31.
[36] Al-Kamil fit-Tareekh, vol. 2 p. 199.
[37] As-Seera an-Nabawiyyah by ibn Hisham, vol. 4 p. 229.
[38] Tareekh al-Ya’qubi, vol. 2 p. 80.
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