a servant of mine with a whip when I heard a voice behind me saying, “Take heed, Abū Masʿūd!” Because I was angry I did not recognise the voice, but when the speaker drew near I saw that it was the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, repeating, “Take heed, Abū Masʿūd! Allah has more power over you than you have over this servant.” I replied, “I shall never strike a slave again.”
In another version: “The whip fell from my hand out of awe of him.”
In yet another version I said, “O Messenger of Allah, I have set him free for the sake of Allah.” He said, “Had you not done so, the Fire would certainly have scorched you—or at least touched you.”
Reported by Muslim in these formulations.

1605 – Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever beats his servant for a sin he did not commit, or slaps him, his expiation is to set him free.”
Reported by Muslim.

1606 – Hishām ibn Ḥakīm ibn Ḥizām (may Allah be pleased with him) passed through Syria and came upon some Nabatean peasants who had been made to stand in the sun while oil was poured over their heads. He asked, “What is this?” They replied, “They are being tortured for the land tax,” and in another narration: “They have been detained for the jizyah.”
Hishām said, “I bear witness that I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: ‘Allah will punish those who punish people in this world.’” He then went in to the governor, told him what he had seen, and the governor ordered that they be released.
Reported by Muslim.