Abu Sawar narrates from his maternal uncle, he says: I saw that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, went to one side and some people started following him, I also walked with them, people were walking quickly, some individuals were left behind, when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, came to me, he struck me with something, it was a date palm branch, or a stick, or a miswak, or something else. By Allah! It did not hurt me, but I spent that night in contemplation. I said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, must have struck me only because of something Allah had informed him about me. Then I thought that when morning comes, I will go to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. So Gabriel, peace be upon him, descended upon the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, with this message: Surely, you are a guardian, so do not break the horns of your flock (meaning, be gentle with them). So when we performed the Fajr prayer or in the morning, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: O Allah! Surely some people followed me, while I did not wish for them to follow me. O Allah! So whoever I struck or spoke harshly to, make that a means of atonement, reward, forgiveness, and mercy for him. Or as the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said.