A man bit another man's hand, and the bitten man pulled his hand away, causing the biter's front tooth, or teeth, to fall out. He came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ seeking judgment.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "What would you have me do? Do you want me to order him to leave his hand in your mouth so you can chew it as a stallion chews? Offer your hand so he may bite it, then pull it away."
أن رجلا عض يد رجل، فانتزع يده فسقطت ثنيته أو ثناياه، فاستعدي رسول الله ﷺ فقال رسول الله ﷺ: ما تأمرني؟ تأمرني أن آمره أن يدع يده في فيك تقضمها كما يقضم الفحل؟ ادفع يدك حتى يعضها ثم انتزعها.
Muslim narrated it in the Book of Qasama (21:1673) from Ahmad bin Uthman Nawfali, who said, "Quraysh bin Anas told us, from Ibn Awn, from Muhammad bin Sirin, from Imran bin Husayn," and he related it.In this version, the Prophet ﷺ ordered that retaliation be taken against the offender. In the version of Zurara bin Awfa, from Imran bin Husayn, the Prophet ﷺ nullified it. And in the hadith of Yaala bin Umaya, which follows, the Prophet ﷺ disregarded his front tooth.Hafiz referred to this version of Muslim in Fath al-Bari (12:221), then said, "This is what he said, but with Abu Naeem in his Mustakhraj, from the same route through which Muslim narrated it, it reads, 'If you wish, we will order him to bite your hand, then you pull it away yourself.' This version indicates that the command mentioned in Muslim's version is a matter of choice, not an obligation. The Prophet ﷺ then disregarded his front tooth."