حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ فُضَيْلٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ أَبَا ظَبْيَةَ الْكَلاَعِيَّ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ الْمِقْدَادَ بْنَ الأَسْوَدِ يَقُولُ: سَأَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَصْحَابَهُ عَنِ الزِّنَا؟ قَالُوا: حَرَامٌ، حَرَّمَهُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، فَقَالَ: لأَنْ يَزْنِيَ الرَّجُلُ بِعَشْرِ نِسْوَةٍ، أَيْسَرُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَنْ يَزْنِيَ بِامْرَأَةِ جَارِهِ، وَسَأَلَهُمْ عَنِ السَّرِقَةِ؟ قَالُوا: حَرَامٌ، حَرَّمَهَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَرَسُولُهُ، فَقَالَ: لأَنْ يَسْرِقَ مِنْ عَشَرَةِ أَهْلِ أَبْيَاتٍ، أَيْسَرُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْرِقَ مِنْ بَيْتِ جَارِهِ.
Al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked his Companions about fornication and they said, "It is unlawful. Allah and His Messenger have made it unlawful." He said, "It is less serious for a man to fornicate with ten women than for him to fornicate with his neighbour's wife." Then he asked them about stealing. They replied, "It is unlawful. Allah and His Messenger have made it unlawful." He said, "It is less serious for a man to steal from ten houses than it is for him to steal from his neighbour's house."
Cited in Al-Adab al-Mufrad (No. 103).