Abu Mas'ud al-Badri reported: I was beating my slave with a whip when I heard a voice behind me: Understand, Abu Masud; but I did not recognise the voice due to intense anger. He (Abu Mas'ud) reported: As he came near me (I found) that he was the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) and he was saying: Bear in mind, Abu Mas'ud; bear in mind, Abu Mas'ud. He (Abu Mas'ud) said: I threw the whip from my hand. Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: Bear in mind, Abu Mas'ud; verily Allah has more dominance upon you than you have upon your slave. I (then) said: I would never beat my servant in future.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of A'mash but with this variation of words: "There fell from my hand the whip on account of his (the Prophet's) awe."

Abu Mas'ud al-Ansari reported: When I was beating my servant, I heard a voice behind me (saying): Abu Mas'ud, bear in mind Allah has more dominance over you than you have upon him. I turned and (found him) to be Allah's Messenger ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) . I said: Allah's Messenger, I set him free for the sake of Allah. Thereupon he said: Had you not done that, (the gates of) Hell would have opened for you, or the fire would have burnt you.

Abu Mas'ud reported that he had been beating his slave and he had been saying: I seek refuge with Allah, but he continued beating him, whereupon he said: I seek refuge with Allah's Messenger, and he spared him. Thereupon Allah's Messenger ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: By Allah, God has more dominance over you than you have over him (the slave). He said that he set him free.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Shu'bah with the same chain of transmitters, but made no mention of (these words) of his: I seek refuge with Allah, I seek refuge with Allah's Messenger ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) .