Muwatta Malik, Book 37, Hadith 8 (USC-MSA) ⓘ

Malik related to me from Umar ibn Abd ar-Rahman ibn Dalaf al- Muzani from his father that a man from the Juhayna tribe used to buy camels before people set out for hajj and sell them at a higher price. Then he travelled quickly and used to arrive in Makka before the others who set out for hajj. He went bankrupt and his situation was put before Umar ibn al-Khattab, who said, "O People! al-Usayfi, al- Usayfi of the Juhayna, was satisfied with his deen and his trust because it was said of him that he arrived before the others on hajj. He used to incur debts which he was not careful to repay, so all of his property has been eaten up by it. Whoever has a debt against him, let him come to us tomorrow and we will divide his property between his creditors. Beware of debts! Their beginning is a worry and their end is destitution. "

وَحَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ دَلاَفٍ الْمُزَنِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، مِنْ جُهَيْنَةَ كَانَ يَسْبِقُ الْحَاجَّ فَيَشْتَرِي الرَّوَاحِلَ فَيُغْلِي بِهَا ثُمَّ يُسْرِعُ السَّيْرَ فَيَسْبِقُ الْحَاجَّ فَأَفْلَسَ فَرُفِعَ أَمْرُهُ إِلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ فَقَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ فَإِنَّ الأُسَيْفِعَ أُسَيْفِعَ جُهَيْنَةَ رَضِيَ مِنْ دِينِهِ وَأَمَانَتِهِ بِأَنْ يُقَالَ سَبَقَ الْحَاجَّ أَلاَ وَإِنَّهُ قَدْ دَانَ مُعْرِضًا فَأَصْبَحَ قَدْ رِينَ بِهِ فَمَنْ كَانَ لَهُ عَلَيْهِ دَيْنٌ فَلْيَأْتِنَا بِالْغَدَاةِ نَقْسِمُ مَالَهُ بَيْنَهُمْ وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَالدَّيْنَ فَإِنَّ أَوَّلَهُ هَمٌّ وَآخِرَهُ حَرْبٌ ‏.‏

Yahya said that he heard Malik say, "The sunna with us about the crime of slaves is that the hand is not cut off for any harm that a slave causes a man, or something he pilfers, or something guarded which he steals, or hanging dates he cuts down or ruins, or steals. That is against the slave's person and does not exceed the price of the slave whether it is little or much. If his master wishes to give the value of what the slave took or ruined, or pay the blood-price for the injury, he pays it and keeps his slave. If he wishes to surrender him, he surrenders him, and none of that is against him. The master has the option in that."