Abu Mas'ud al-Badri reported:I was beating my slave with a whip when I heard a voice behind me: Understand, Abu Masud; but I did not recognise the voice due to intense anger. He (Abu Mas'ud) reported: As he came near me (I found) that he was the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and he was saying: Bear in mind, Abu Mas'ud; bear in mind. Abu Mas'ud. He (Aba Maslad) said: threw the whip from my hand. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Bear in mind, Abu Mas'ud; verily Allah has more dominance upon you than you have upon your slave. I (then) said: I would never beat my servant in future.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كَامِلٍ الْجَحْدَرِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ زِيَادٍ - حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ التَّيْمِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو مَسْعُودٍ الْبَدْرِيُّ كُنْتُ أَضْرِبُ غُلاَمًا لِي بِالسَّوْطِ فَسَمِعْتُ صَوْتًا مِنْ خَلْفِي " اعْلَمْ أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ " . فَلَمْ أَفْهَمِ الصَّوْتَ مِنَ الْغَضَبِ - قَالَ - فَلَمَّا دَنَا مِنِّي إِذَا هُوَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَإِذَا هُوَ يَقُولُ " اعْلَمْ أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ اعْلَمْ أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ " . قَالَ فَأَلْقَيْتُ السَّوْطَ مِنْ يَدِي فَقَالَ " اعْلَمْ أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ أَنَّ اللَّهَ أَقْدَرُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْكَ عَلَى هَذَا الْغُلاَمِ " . قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لاَ أَضْرِبُ مَمْلُوكًا بَعْدَهُ أَبَدًا .
Muslim
The Book of Oaths • Hadith 53