that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: "Avert the legal penalties from the Muslims as much as possible, if he has a way out then leave him to his way, for if the Imam makes a mistake in forgiving it would be better than making mistake in punishment."
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ ادْرَءُوا الْحُدُودَ عَنِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَخْرَجٌ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُ فَإِنَّ الإِمَامَ أَنْ يُخْطِئَ فِي الْعَفْوِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يُخْطِئَ فِي الْعُقُوبَةِ
that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: "Avert the legal penalties from the Muslims as much as possible, if he has a way out then leave him to his way, for if the Imam makes a mistake in forgiving it would be better than making mistake in punishment." (Using translation from Tirmidhī 1424)
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ «ادْرَءُوا الْحُدُودَ عَنِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ فَإِنْ وَجَدْتُمْ لِمُسْلِمٍ مَخْرَجًا فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُ فَإِنَّ الْإِمَامَ أَنْ يُخْطِئَ فِي الْعَفْوِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يُخْطِئَ بِالْعُقُوبَةِ»
"عن عمر قال: ادْرَأوا الحدود عن المسلمين ما استطعتُم، فإن الإمامَ لأن يُخْطئَ في العَفْوِ خَيْرٌ له من أن يخطئَ في العقوبةِ، فإذا وجدتم للمسلمِ مخرجًا فأدرأوا عنه".
that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: "Avert the legal penalties from the Muslims as much as possible, if he has a way out then leave him to his way, for if the Imam makes a mistake in forgiving it would be better than making mistake in punishment." (Using translation from Tirmidhī 1424)
"ادرءوا الحدود عن المسلمين ما استطعتم، فإن وجدتم للمسلم مخرجًا فخلوا سبيله، فإن الإمام لأن يُخطئ في العفو خيرٌ من أن يخطئ في العقوبِة" .