حَدَّثَنَا بَكْرُ بْنُ عِيسَى الرَّاسِبِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ الْفَضْلِ، عَنْ نُعَيْمِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ أَمَرَنِي النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ آتِيَهُ بِطَبَقٍ يَكْتُبُ فِيهِ مَا لَا تَضِلُّ أُمَّتُهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ قَالَ فَخَشِيتُ أَنْ تَفُوتَنِي نَفْسُهُ قَالَ قُلْتُ إِنِّي أَحْفَظُ وَأَعِي قَالَ أُوصِي بِالصَّلَاةِ وَالزَّكَاةِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ‏.‏

The Prophet (ﷺ) wanted me to bring him something on which to write, by means of which his ummah would not be misguided after he was gone. “Ali said: I was afraid that he would die (before I could bring it). I said: I can memorise and understand. He said: “I urge you to pray and pay zakah and to be kind to those whom your right hands possess.”