Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُوحٍ قُرَادٌ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا لَيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ و عَنْ بَعْضِ شُيُوخِهِمْ أَنَّ زِيَادًا مَوْلَى عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبَّادِ بْنِ أَبِي رَبِيعَةَ حَدَّثَهُمْ عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ جَلَسَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ لِي مَمْلُوكِينَ يُكَذِّبُونَنِي وَيَخُونُونَنِي وَيَعْصُونَنِي وَأَضْرِبُهُمْ وَأَسُبُّهُمْ فَكَيْفَ أَنَا مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِحَسْبِ مَا خَانُوكَ وَعَصَوْكَ وَيُكَذِّبُونَكَ وَعِقَابُكَ إِيَّاهُمْ إِنْ كَانَ دُونَ ذُنُوبِهِمْ كَانَ فَضْلًا لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَإِنْ كَانَ عِقَابُكَ إِيَّاهُمْ بِقَدْرِ ذُنُوبِهِمْ كَانَ كَفَافًا لَا لَكَ وَلَا عَلَيْكَ وَإِنْ كَانَ عِقَابُكَ إِيَّاهُمْ فَوْقَ ذُنُوبِهِمْ اقْتُصَّ لَهُمْ مِنْكَ الْفَضْلُ الَّذِي بَقِيَ قِبَلَكَ فَجَعَلَ الرَّجُلُ يَبْكِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَيَهْتِفُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَا لَهُ مَا يَقْرَأُ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ { وَنَضَعُ الْمَوَازِينَ الْقِسْطَ لِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ فَلَا تُظْلَمُ نَفْسٌ شَيْئًا وَإِنْ كَانَ مِثْقَالَ حَبَّةٍ مِنْ خَرْدَلٍ أَتَيْنَا بِهَا وَكَفَى بِنَا حَاسِبِينَ } فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا أَجِدُ شَيْئًا خَيْرًا مِنْ فِرَاقِ هَؤُلَاءِ يَعْنِي عَبِيدَهُ إِنِّي أُشْهِدُكَ أَنَّهُمْ أَحْرَارٌ كُلُّهُمْ.
English Translation
Abu Nuh Qurad told us: Layth ibn Sa'd informed us, from Malik ibn Anas, from al-Zuhri, from Urwah, from Aisha, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him - and from some of their shaykhs, that Ziyad, freedman of Abdullah ibn Abbad ibn Abi Rabi'ah, told them, from someone who told him, from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, that a man from among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, sat before him and said, "O Messenger of Allah, I have slaves who lie to me, betray me, and disobey me, and I beat them and curse them - so where do I stand with them?" The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him: To the extent that they have betrayed you, disobeyed you, and lied to you, and your punishment of them - if it is less than their offenses - is a credit in your favor over them; and if your punishment of them is equal to their offenses, it is even, neither for you nor against you; and if your punishment of them exceeds their offenses, then the excess will be exacted from you in their favor. So the man began to weep before the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and to wail. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: What is the matter with him? Does he not recite the Book of Allah: {And We set up the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so no soul will be wronged at all; and even if it be the weight of a mustard seed, We will bring it forth, and sufficient are We as reckoners}? The man said, "O Messenger of Allah, I find nothing better than to part with these" - meaning his slaves - "I call you to witness that they are all free."