Muwatta Imam Malik Book of Hudud, Hadith 29

Yahya related to me from Malik from Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman that az-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam came across a man who had taken hold of a thief and was intending to take him to the Sultan. Az-Zubayr ibn al- Awwam interceded for him to let him go. He said, "No. Not until I take him to the Sultan." Az-Zubayr said, "When you reach the Sultan with him, Allah curses the one who intercedes and the one who accepts the intercession."

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّ الزُّبَيْرَ بْنَ الْعَوَّامِ، لَقِيَ رَجُلاً قَدْ أَخَذَ سَارِقًا وَهُوَ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَذْهَبَ بِهِ إِلَى السُّلْطَانِ فَشَفَعَ لَهُ الزُّبَيْرُ لِيُرْسِلَهُ فَقَالَ لاَ حَتَّى أَبْلُغَ بِهِ السُّلْطَانَ . فَقَالَ الزُّبَيْرُ إِذَا بَلَغْتَ بِهِ السُّلْطَانَ فَلَعَنَ اللَّهُ الشَّافِعَ وَالْمُشَفِّعَ .