In the hand of the Messenger of Allah until he died, and in the hand of Abu Bakr until he died, and in the hand of 'Umar until he died, and in the hand of 'Uthman for six years of his caliphate. When the letters became too numerous for him, he handed it to a man from the Ansar, who would seal with it. The Ansari went out to a well belonging to 'Uthman, and it fell in. It was searched for but not found. So he ordered a ring like it to be made, and engraved on it: "Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah." (1)

5218 - Qutaybah ibn Sa'id informed us, saying: Abu 'Awanah narrated to us, from Abu Bishr, from Nafi', from Ibn 'Umar, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, took a ring of gold, and he would place its stone against the inside of his palm. The people took rings of gold, so the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, cast it aside, and the people cast aside their rings. Then he took a ring of silver, and he would seal with it, but he did not wear it. (3)

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(1) Authentic, except for his statement: "So he ordered a ring like it to be made..." for it is anomalous (shadhdh). Al-Mughirah ibn Ziyad alone is unique in narrating it, and he is truthful but has errors, and perhaps this is among his errors. He was followed in the rest of the hadith as in narration (5164) and the three preceding narrations, and the following narration, and the two narrations to come numbered (5292) and (5293). The rest of the narrators in the chain are trustworthy. Muhammad ibn Ma'mar: he is Ibn Rab'i al-Qaysi, and Abu 'Asim: he is al-Dahhak ibn Makhlad. It is in "Al-Sunan al-Kubra" under number (9478).
Abu Dawud also narrated it (4220) from Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Faris, from Abu 'Asim, with this chain.
Al-Sindi said: His statement: "And in the hand of Abu Bakr" — this is based on the view that his wealth is not inheritance, but rather for the benefit of the Muslims, so the caliph may benefit from it to the extent of his need. "When they became too numerous" — that is, the letters requiring sealing.
(2) In (H): khawatim; in (M): khawatimahum.
(3) Its chain is authentic. Abu 'Awanah: he is al-Waddah ibn 'Abdullah al-Yashkuri, and Abu Bishr: he is Ja'far ibn Iyas Abu Wahshiyyah. It is in "Al-Sunan al-Kubra" under number (9479).
Ibn Hibban also narrated it (5500) via Qutaybah, with this chain.
Ahmad also narrated it (5366), (5706), and (6107) via two routes, from Abu 'Awanah, with it.
It will be repeated with its chain and text under number (5292). And the four preceding narrations are to be consulted.