Narrator:Ā’ishah
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَقَعَدَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ لِي مَمْلُوكِينَ يَكْذِبُونَنِي وَيَخُونُونَنِي وَيَعْصُونَنِي وَأَشْتِمُهُمْ وَأَضْرِبُهُمْ فَكَيْفَ أَنَا مِنْهُمْ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ:
" إِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ يُحْسَبُ مَا خَانُوكَ وَعَصَوْكَ وَكَذَّبُوكَ وَعِقَابُكَ إِيَّاهُمْ فَإِنْ كَانَ عِقَابُكَ إِيَّاهُمْ بِقَدْرِ ذُنُوبِهِمْ كَانَ كَفَافًا لَا لَكَ وَلَا عَلَيْكَ وَإِنْ كَانَ عِقَابُكَ إِيَّاهُمْ دُونَ ذَنْبِهِمْ كَانَ فَضْلًا لَكَ وَإِنْ كَانَ عِقَابُكَ إِيَّاهُمْ فَوْقَ ذُنُوبِهِمْ اقْتُصَّ لَهُمْ مِنْكَ الْفَضْلُ فَتَنَحَّى الرَّجُلُ وَجَعَلَ يَهْتِفُ وَيَبْكِي فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: "
`A'isha told that a man came and when he had sat down in front of God's messenger he said, "Messenger of God, I have slaves who lie to me, deceive me and disobey me, and I revile and beat them. How do I stand with respect to them?" He replied, "On the day of resurrection account will be taken of the extent of their deceit, disobedience and lying towards you, and of the punishment you administered to them. If your punishment of them was in accordance with their offences, its being exactly right will count neither for you nor against you; if your punishment of them was less than their offence deserved it will be something extra to your credit; but if your punishment of them was greater than their offences deserved requital will be taken from you on their behalf for the excess." The man went aside and began to shout and weep, so God's messenger asked him if he did not recite the words of God most high, "We shall place the just scales for the day of resurrection and no soul will be wronged in any respect, and even if there is only the weight of a grain of mustard-seed We will bring it, and. We are sufficient to take account[*]." The man said, "Messenger of God, I find nothing better for myself and these men than to separate from them. I call you to witness that they are all free." *Quran; 21:47 Tirmidhi transmitted it.
Reported by At-Tirmidhi (No. 3165) and Ahmad (No. 25197). Cited in Mishkat al-Masabih (No. 5561).