What is the source of the narration of Uthman ibn Affan letting his slave tweak his ear in retaliation, and is it authentic?

Question

روى أن عثمان بن عفان رضي الله عنه دَعَك أُذُن عَبْدٍ له على ذنب فعله ، ثم قال له بعد ذلك : تقدم واقرص أذني ، فامتنع العبد فألح عليه ، فبدأ يقرص بخفة ، فقال له : اقرص جيداً ، فإني لا أتحمل عذاب يوم القيامة ، فقال العبد : وكذلك يا سيدي : اليوم الذي تخشاه أنا أخشاه أيضاً

It was narrated that ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan tweaked the ear of a slave of his when he did something wrong, then he said to him after that: Come and tweak my ear in retaliation. The slave refused but he insisted, so he started to tweak it slightly, and he said to him: Do it strongly, for I cannot bear the punishment on the Day of Resurrection. The slave said: Like that, O my master? The Day that you fear I fear also. (Islam Q&A)

Can you tell me this source of this story and if it is authentic narration?

Answer 1

Asalaam Alaikum

this event is mentioned in the books of islamic history. there is a slight difference in the wordings but it's just only due to the preference of the translator i believe.

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EXCERPT FROM SOURCE

Ibn Shabbah narrated with his isnad that Uthman ibn Affan entered upon a slave of his who was feeding his she-camel, and he saw something in the feed that he disliked, so he took hold of the slave’s ear and tweaked it. Then he regretted it and said to his slave: Settle the score. The slave refused, but he did not leave him alone until he had taken hold of his ear and begun to tweak it. Uthman said to him: Pull hard, until he thought that (the slave) had pulled as hard as he had done. Then Uthman [R.A] said: How easy it is to settle a score before it is settled in the Hereafter after.

• [Tareekh al-Madinah also known as Umara' al-Madinah by Ibn Shabbah, 3/236]

TAKEN FROM : The Biography of Uthman ibn Affan Dhun-Noorayn, page-157

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