Muwatta Malik #1568
Setting Free and Wala'
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
وَحَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، فِي إِمَارَةِ أَبَانَ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ أَعْتَقَ رَقِيقًا لَهُ كُلَّهُمْ جَمِيعًا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ مَالٌ غَيْرُهُمْ فَأَمَرَ أَبَانُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بِتِلْكَ الرَّقِيقِ فَقُسِمَتْ أَثْلاَثًا ثُمَّ أَسْهَمَ عَلَى أَيِّهِمْ يَخْرُجُ سَهْمُ الْمَيِّتِ فَيَعْتِقُونَ فَوَقَعَ السَّهْمُ عَلَى أَحَدِ الأَثْلاَثِ فَعَتَقَ الثُّلُثُ الَّذِي وَقَعَ عَلَيْهِ السَّهْمُ .
Malik related to me from Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman that a man
in the time of Aban ibn Uthman's amirate freed all of his slaves and
did not have other property than them. Aban ibn Uthman took charge of
the slaves and they were divided into three groups. Then he drew lots
on the basis that which ever group drew the dead man's arrow would be
free. The arrow fell to one of the thirds, and that third was freed.
About Muwatta Malik
This hadith is #1568 from Muwatta Malik, in the Book of Setting Free and Wala'.