Muwatta Imam Malik Book of Judgements, Hadith 16

Malik related to me from Abd ar-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abd al-Qari that his father said, "A man came to Umar ibn al- Khattab from Abu Musa al-Ashari. Umar asked after various people, and he informed him. Then Umar inquired, 'Do you have any recent news?' He said, 'Yes. A man has become a kafir after his Islam.' Umar asked, 'What have you done with him?' He said, 'We let him approach and struck off his head.' Umar said, 'Didn't you imprison him for three days and feed him a loaf of bread every day and call on him to tawba that he might turn in tawba and return to the command of Allah?' Then Umar said, 'O Allah! I was not present and I did not order it and I am not pleased since it has come to me!' "

وَحَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدٍ الْقَارِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ قَدِمَ عَلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَجُلٌ مِنْ قِبَلِ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ النَّاسِ، فَأَخْبَرَهُ ثُمَّ، قَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ هَلْ كَانَ فِيكُمْ مِنْ مُغَرِّبَةِ خَبَرٍ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ رَجُلٌ كَفَرَ بَعْدَ إِسْلاَمِهِ . قَالَ فَمَا فَعَلْتُمْ بِهِ قَالَ قَرَّبْنَاهُ فَضَرَبْنَا عُنُقَهُ . فَقَالَ عُمَرُ أَفَلاَ حَبَسْتُمُوهُ ثَلاَثًا وَأَطْعَمْتُمُوهُ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ رَغِيفًا وَاسْتَتَبْتُمُوهُ لَعَلَّهُ يَتُوبُ وَيُرَاجِعُ أَمْرَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ عُمَرُ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي لَمْ أَحْضُرْ وَلَمْ آمُرْ وَلَمْ أَرْضَ إِذْ بَلَغَنِي .