Hadith 12

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad

Book 9: Being a master

Chapter 88

Someone who finishes something for his slave, fearing

بَابُ مَنْ خَتَمَ عَلَى خَادِمِهِ مَخَافَةَ سُوءِ الظَّنِّ

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 167
حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ‏:‏ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ، قَالَ‏:‏ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو خَلْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعَالِيَةِ قَالَ‏:‏ كُنَّا نُؤْمَرُ أَنْ نَخْتِمَ عَلَى الْخَادِمِ، وَنَكِيلَ، وَنَعُدَّهَا، كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ يَتَعَوَّدُوا خُلُقَ سُوءٍ، أَوْ يَظُنَّ أَحَدُنَا ظَنَّ سُوءٍ‏.‏
Abu'l-'Aliyya said, "We were ordered to finish off things for the servant and to measure and count because we did not want to allow them to accustom themselves to bad habits nor for anyone to think evil of us."