It was recorded by Aḥmad (5/168, 173) and likewise by Abū Dāwūd (2/337) from Manṣūr, from Mujāhid, from Muwarriq, from Abū Dharr, as a marfūʿ ḥadīth. This chain is authentic according to the criteria of al-Shaykhayn, and it has a supporting narration with the wording: "Your servants, your servants, feed them from what you eat and clothe them from what you wear. If they commit a sin you do not wish to forgive, then sell the servants of Allāh and do not torture them."

"Your servants, your servants, feed them from what you eat and clothe them from what you wear. If they commit a sin you do not wish to forgive, then sell the servants of Allāh and do not torture them." It was said in "al-Majmaʿ" (4/236): "It was narrated by Aḥmad and al-Ṭabarānī from Yazīd ibn Jāriyah, and in it is ʿĀṣim ibn ʿUbayd Allāh, who is weak." I say: It is in the Musnad (4/35-36) from Sufyān, from ʿĀṣim, meaning Ibn ʿUbayd Allāh, from ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Yazīd, from his father, as a marfūʿ ḥadīth. Likewise, it was narrated by Ibn Saʿd in "al-Ṭabaqāt" (2/185), but it occurred therein as ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Zayd ibn al-Khaṭṭāb from his father, making it from the Musnad of Zayd ibn al-Khaṭṭāb. Both ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Yazīd ibn Jāriyah and ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Zayd ibn al-Khaṭṭāb were narrated from by ʿĀṣim ibn ʿUbayd Allāh, so perhaps the matter was confused for him, and sometimes he narrated it from this one and sometimes from that one. Its narrators are trustworthy according to the men of al-Bukhārī, except for this ʿĀṣim, as al-Haythamī said, he is weak, and al-Ḥāfiẓ followed him in "al-Taqrīb." However, the ḥadīth has a supporting narration with the wording: