The Messenger of Allah ﷺ asked his companions, "What do you say about adultery?"They replied, "Allah and His Messenger have forbidden it, so it is forbidden until the Day of Resurrection."The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then said to his companions, "For a man to commit adultery with ten women is less grave for him than to commit adultery with the wife of his neighbor."Then he asked, "What do you say about theft?"They replied, "Allah and His Messenger have forbidden it, so it is forbidden until the Day of Resurrection."He said, "For a man to steal from ten houses is less grave for him than to steal from his neighbor."
قال رسول الله ﷺ لأصحابه: ما تقولون في الزنا؟ قالوا: حرمه الله ورسوله، فهو حرام إلى يوم القيامة. قال: فقال رسول الله ﷺ لأصحابه: لأن يزني الرجل بعشرة نسوة أيسر عليه من أن يزني بامرأة جاره قال: فقال: ما تقولون في السرقة؟ قالوا: حرمه الله ورسوله، فهو حرام إلى يوم القيامة. قال: لأن يسرق الرجل من عشرة أبيات أيسر عليه من أن يسرق من جاره.
Ahmad (23854), Bukhari in Adab al-Mufrad (103), and Tabarani in Kabir (20/256-257) all reported it, all of them through Muhammad bin Fudayl bin Ghazwan, who said, "Muhammad bin Saad Ansari told us, he said, I heard Abu Zabyah Kalai say, I heard Miqdad bin Aswad say," and then he related it. Its chain of transmission is hasan, for all the narrators in the chain have hadith graded hasan. Ibn Hajar said of Abu Zabyah Kalai that he is "acceptable," but Ibn Main and Darimi affirmed his reliability, Ibn Hibban listed him among the trustworthy, and Daraqutni said, "There is nothing wrong with him." So at the very least he holds the rank of a truthful narrator, meaning his hadith is graded hasan.As for His saying, "and the companion by your side" [Nisa 4:36], it is reported from Ali and Ibn Masud that this refers to the wife. From Ibn Abbas it is reported that it refers to the companion on a journey, meaning the one who is by one's side.I say, this companion includes both man and woman, whether on a journey or at home, and a companion owes his companion many rights, among them that he should wish for him what he wishes for himself, and dislike for him what he dislikes for himself.As for His saying, "and what your right hands possess" [Nisa 4:36], this refers to slaves, meaning that one should treat them well.