Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 22639 — A man who takes a runaway slave

A man undertook for a fee to catch a runaway slave and caught him in order to return him to his master, but the slave ran away from him as well. The two came disputing before Shurayh, and he held the man liable. When news of this judgment reached Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: The judge has erred; he should have made him swear that the slave ran away from him, and there is no liability upon him.