Abu Matar says: I saw Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) when a man was brought to him. The people said: "He has stolen a camel." Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I do not think that you stole?" He said: "Yes (I did steal)." Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Perhaps you were mistaken about something." He said: "No! I did steal." Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Qanbar! Take him, tie his fingers, light a fire and call the butcher to cut it off; then wait until I come to you." When Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) came, he asked him: "Did you steal?" He said: "No." So Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) let him go. The people said to him: "O Commander of the Believers! Why have you let him go, when he had confessed before you?" Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I seized him on the basis of his own words, and I have let him go on the basis of his own words." Then Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) related that a man who had stolen was brought to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He ordered his hand to be cut off, and then he wept. It was said: "O Messenger of Allah! Why are you weeping?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "How can I not weep, when a member of my Ummah is having (his hand) cut off in your midst?" The people said: "O Messenger of Allah! Why did you not pardon him?" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That would be an evil ruler who pardons in matters of the hadd punishments; but you should pardon one another among yourselves."
Abu Ya'la recorded it. I do not know the narrator Abu Matar, nor do I know the person who narrates from him.
Hadith Referenceمجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد / كتاب الحدود والديات / 10567
Hadith Gradingمحدثین:إسنادہ ضعیف
Hadith Takhrij«اخرجه أبو يعلى فى المسند (328) ، أخرجه إتحاف الخيرة المهرة بزوائد المسانيد العشرة برقم: 3534»