We were at Mirbad when a man with disheveled hair came up to us, holding in his hand a piece of red leather.We said to him, "You look like one of the desert dwellers."He replied, "Indeed I am."We said, "Hand us that piece of leather in your hand."So he gave it to us, and we read it. It said, "From Muhammad the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to the tribe of Zuhayr bin Uqaysh. If you bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, establish the prayer, pay the zakat, deliver the fifth of the spoils of war, the share of the Prophet ﷺ, and the chosen portion, then you are granted the protection of Allah and His Messenger."We asked, "Who wrote this letter for you?"He answered, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ."
كنا بالمربد فجاء رجل أشعث الرأس بيده قطعة أديم أحمر فقلنا: كأنك من أهل البادية. فقال: أجل. قلنا: ناولنا هذه القطعة الأديم التي في يدك، فناولناها، فقرأناها فإذا فيها: من محمد رسول الله ﷺ إلى بني زهير بن أقيش إنكم إن شهدتم أن لا إله إلا الله وأن محمدا رسول الله، وأقمتم الصلاة، وآتيتم الزكاة، وأديتم الخمس من المغنم، وسهم النبي ﷺ، وسهم الصفي، أنتم آمنون بأمان الله ورسوله. فقلنا من كتب لك هذا الكتاب؟ قال: رسول الله ﷺ.
Reported by Abu Dawud (2999) and Ahmad (20740), and Ibn Hibban (6557) graded it sahih, through various routes from Qurra bin Khalid, who said, "I heard Yazid bin Abdullah," and he mentioned it. The wording is that of Abu Dawud, and its chain of transmission is sahih.