It is reported from the Prophet ﷺ and from some of their elders that Ziyad, the freed slave of Abdullah bin Abbad bin Abu Rabia, narrated to them from someone who narrated from the Prophet ﷺ that a man from among the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sat before him and said, "Messenger of Allah, I have slaves who lie to me, betray me, and disobey me, and I beat them and curse them. How do I stand in relation to them?"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him, "The extent of their betrayal, disobedience, and lying to you will be measured against your punishment of them. If your punishment is less than their offenses, the surplus will be in your favor against them. If your punishment matches their offenses, it will be even, neither for you nor against you. But if your punishment exceeds their offenses, they will exact retribution from you for the excess that remains owed by you."The man began to weep before the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and cry out. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "What is wrong with him? Does he not read the Book of Allah, 'And We shall set up the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so that no soul will be wronged in anything. Even if it be the weight of a mustard seed, We shall bring it forth, and sufficient are We as reckoners' [Anbiya 21:47]?"The man said, "Messenger of Allah, I find nothing better than parting with these," meaning his slaves. "I call you to witness that they are all free."
حدثنا أبو نوح قراد قال أخبرنا ليث بن سعد عن مالك بن أنس عن الزهري عن عروة
عن النبي ﷺ و عن بعض شيوخهم أن زيادا مولى عبد الله بن عباد بن أبي ربيعة حدثهم عمن حدثه عن النبي ﷺ أن رجلا من أصحاب رسول الله ﷺ جلس بين يديه فقال يا رسول الله إن لي مملوكين يكذبونني ويخونونني ويعصونني وأضربهم وأسبهم فكيف أنا منهم فقال له رسول الله ﷺ بحسب ما خانوك وعصوك ويكذبونك وعقابك إياهم إن كان دون ذنوبهم كان فضلا لك عليهم وإن كان عقابك إياهم بقدر ذنوبهم كان كفافا لا لك ولا عليك وإن كان عقابك إياهم فوق ذنوبهم اقتص لهم منك الفضل الذي بقي قبلك فجعل الرجل يبكي بين يدي رسول الله ﷺ ويهتف فقال رسول الله ﷺ ما له ما يقرأ كتاب الله {ونضع الموازين القسط ليوم القيامة فلا تظلم نفس شيئا وإن كان مثقال حبة من خردل أتينا بها وكفى بنا حاسبين} فقال الرجل يا رسول الله ما أجد شيئا خيرا من فراق هؤلاء يعني عبيده إني أشهدك أنهم أحرار كلهم