عَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ بَيْنَا أَنَا أَضْرِبُ مَمْلُوكًا لِي إِذَا رَجُلٌ يُنَادِي مِنْ خَلْفِي اعْلَمْ يَا أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ اعْلَمْ يَا أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ فَالْتَفَتُّ فَإِذَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لَلَّهُ أَقْدَرُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْكَ عَلَى هَذَا قَالَ فَحَلَفْتُ لَا أَضْرِبُ مَمْلُوكًا لِي أَبَدًا
Narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: I was beating one of my slaves when a man called out to me from behind and said: Abu Mas’ud! Be mindful, Abu Mas’ud! Be mindful. When I turned towards him, I saw that it was the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Then he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: By Allah! As much power as you have over this slave, Allah Almighty has more power over you than that. Hearing this, I swore that I would never beat any slave again.