English translation
4363. It was narrated that Abū Barzah said: "I was with Abū Bakr and he spoke harsh words about a man. I said: 'O Khalifah of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ! Permit me to strike his neck.' My words took away his anger, and he got up and went inside, then he sent for me and said: 'What did you say just now?' I said: 'Give me permission to strike his neck.' He said: 'Would you do that if I told you to?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'No, by Allāh, that is not allowed for any man after Muḥammad ﷺ.'" (Hasan) Abū Dāwūd said: This is the wording of Yazid. Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal said: That is, Abū Bakr did not have the right to kill any man except in one of the three cases mentioned by the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ: "Kufr after faith, adultery after being married, or in the case of murder. And the Prophet ﷺ had the authority to issue orders for execution."
