Reports on averting prescribed punishments in cases of doubt

Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Avert the hudud (prescribed punishments) from the Muslims as much as you can. If there is a way out for a Muslim, then let him go, for that the imam should err in pardoning is better than that he should err in punishing."

This has already passed before it as mawquf (stopping at the Companion), and it is the saying of Sayyidah Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
Only Yazid bin Ziyad al-Shami narrated it from al-Zuhri, and there is weakness in him; the narration of Waki' is closer to what is correct, and Allah knows best. Rishdin bin Sa'd narrated it from Uqayl from al-Zuhri as marfu' (attributed to the Prophet), and Rishdin is da'if (weak).

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "Avert the hudud (prescribed punishments)."
There is weakness in this chain.

Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Avert the hudud (prescribed punishments), and it is not befitting for the imam to suspend the hudud."
Al-Bukhari said: Al-Mukhtar bin Nafi' is munkar al-hadith (his narrations are rejected).

Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When you come to me, make every effort that I pardon, for erring in pardoning is better than that I should mistakenly punish someone.
It is munqati' (disconnected) and mawquf (stopping at the Companion).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Avert the hudud (prescribed punishments) as much as you can; if you err in pardoning, that is better than erring in punishing. If you see any way out for a Muslim, then avert the hadd from him.
It is munqati' (disconnected) and mawquf (stopping at the Companion).

Amr bin Shu'ayb narrates from his father that Mu'adh, Ibn Mas'ud and Uqbah bin Amir (may Allah be pleased with them) said: "When there is doubt, avert the hadd."
It is munqati' (disconnected).

Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Avert flogging and execution from the Muslims as much as you can."
This is mawsul (connected).

Yahya bin Hatib (may Allah have mercy on him) said: When Sayyiduna Hatib (may Allah be pleased with him) died, those of his slaves who prayed and fasted were set free. He had a Nubian slave-girl who prayed and fasted; she was non-Arab and did not understand (things). Nothing alarmed him except her pregnancy, and she had been previously married. So he went to Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and told him, and he said: "You are surely a man who never brings good news!" That frightened him. Then Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sent for her and asked: "Are you pregnant?" She said: "Yes, from Marghush, for two dirhams." She was declaring it openly, not concealing it. The narrator said: It happened that Sayyiduna Ali, Sayyiduna Uthman and Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman bin Awf (may Allah be pleased with them) were present. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Advise me." Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was sitting, and he lay down. Sayyiduna Ali and Sayyiduna Abd al-Rahman (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: "The hadd has become due on her." He said: "Advise me, O Uthman." He said: "Your two brothers have advised you." He said: "You advise me." He said: "I see her declaring it openly as though she does not know (that it is forbidden), and the hadd is only upon one who knows it." Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You have spoken the truth. By the One in whose hand my soul is, the hadd is only upon one who knows it." So Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) flogged her a hundred lashes and banished her for a year.
The Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Her hadd was stoning, so it seems that he (may Allah be pleased with him) averted the hadd from her because of the doubt arising from ignorance, and flogged and banished her as a discretionary punishment (ta'zir), and Allah knows best.

Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was written to about a man who was asked: "When were you last with women?" He said: "Last night." It was asked: "With whom?" He said: "With my landlady." It was said: "You are ruined." He said: "I did not know that zina is forbidden." So Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote: "If he swears that he did not know, let him go."