Forgiving a slave

Abu Umama said, "The Prophet, (ﷺ), came with two slaves and gave one of them to 'Ali and said, 'Do not beat him. I have forbidden beating the people of the prayer and I saw him praying before we came.' He gave Abu Dharr a slave and said, "I recommend that you treat him well,' so Abu Dharr set him free. He said, 'What have you done?' He replied, 'You commanded me to treat him well, so I set him free.'"

حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، هُوَ ابْنُ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ‏:‏ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو غَالِبٍ، عَنْ أَبِي أُمَامَةَ، قَالَ‏:‏ أَقْبَلَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَعَهُ غُلامَانِ، فَوَهَبَ أَحَدُهُمَا لِعَلِيٍّ صَلَوَاتُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ، وَقَالَ‏:‏ لاَ تَضْرِبْهُ، فَإِنِّي نُهِيتُ عَنْ ضَرْبِ أَهْلِ الصَّلاَةِ، وَإِنِّي رَأَيْتُهُ يُصَلِّي مُنْذُ أَقْبَلْنَا، وَأَعْطَى أَبَا ذَرٍّ غُلاَمًا، وَقَالَ‏:‏ اسْتَوْصِ بِهِ مَعْرُوفًا فَأَعْتَقَهُ، فَقَالَ‏:‏ مَا فَعَلَ‏؟‏ قَالَ‏:‏ أَمَرْتَنِي أَنْ أَسْتَوْصِي بِهِ خَيْرًا فَأَعْتَقْتُهُ‏.‏

Anas said, "The Prophet, (ﷺ), came to Madina without any servant. Abu Talha took my hand and brought me to the Prophet, (ﷺ), and said, 'Prophet (ﷺ) of Allah!' This is Anas, a clever and intelligent boy. Let him serve him.'" Anas said, "I served him when he was at home and on journeys from the time he came to Madina until he died, (ﷺ). He never said to me about anything I had done, 'Why did you do this?' nor did he say to me about something I had not done, 'Why did you not do such-and-such?'"

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، قَالَ‏:‏ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ‏:‏ قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الْمَدِينَةَ وَلَيْسَ لَهُ خَادِمٌ، فَأَخَذَ أَبُو طَلْحَةَ بِيَدِي، فَانْطَلَقَ بِي حَتَّى أَدْخَلَنِي عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، فَقَالَ‏:‏ يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ، إِنَّ أَنَسًا غُلاَمٌ كَيِّسٌ لَبِيبٌ، فَلْيَخْدُمْكَ‏.‏ قَالَ‏:‏ فَخَدَمْتُهُ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْحَضَرِ، مَقْدَمَهُ الْمَدِينَةَ حَتَّى تُوُفِّيَ صلى الله عليه وسلم، مَا قَالَ لِي لِشَيْءٍ صَنَعْتُ‏:‏ لِمَ صَنَعْتَ هَذَا هَكَذَا‏؟‏ وَلاَ قَالَ لِي لِشَيْءٍ لَمْ أَصْنَعْهُ‏:‏ أَلاَ صَنَعْتَ هَذَا هَكَذَا‏؟‏‏.‏