Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah 30593 — The whip: those who ordered that it

Zayd bin Aslam said: "A man who had committed an offence carrying a prescribed punishment (hadd) was brought to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). A new, hard whip was brought, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Bring one less than this.' So a whip that was broken and split down the middle was brought, and he said: 'Bring one above this.' Then a whip that had been softened was brought, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Yes, this is right.'"