Mishkat al-Masabih #3426

She reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Avert the infliction of prescribed penalties on Muslims as much as you can, and if there is any way out let a man go, for it is better for a leader to make a mistake in forgiving than to make a mistake in punishing.” Tirmidhi transmitted it, saying it has been transmitted from her without tracing it to the Prophet, and that is sounder.