وَعَنْ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ الْأَنْصَارِيِّ
قَالَ: كُنْتُ أَضْرِبُ غُلَامًا لِي فَسَمِعْتُ: مِنْ خَلْفِي صَوْتًا: «اعْلَمْ أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ لَلَّهُ أَقْدَرُ عَلَيْكَ مِنْكَ عَلَيْهِ» فَالْتَفَتُّ فَإِذَا هُوَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هُوَ حُرٌّ لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ: «أَمَا لَوْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ لَلَفَحَتْكَ النَّارُ أَوْ لَمَسَّتْكَ النَّارُ»
When I was beatinig a servant of mine I heard a voice behind me saying, “Know, Abu Masud, that God has more power over you than you have over him.” On turning round and seeing that it was God’s Messenger, I said, “Messenger of God, he is free for God’s sake.” He replied, “If you had not done it the fire would have burned you,” or, “the fire would have touched you.”