Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Sahihah

Abu Abdur Rahman says that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a sermon and said: O people! If a male or female slave commits adultery, establish the prescribed punishment on them... Then he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had a female slave, who gave birth to a child due to adultery. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent me to flog her. I saw that she had just finished her postnatal bleeding. I feared that if I flogged her, I might kill her. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You did well; leave her until she recovers."