Musnad Ahmad 26:427

Yahya ibn Adam narrated to us, Sufyan narrated to us, from Yahya ibn Abdullah al-Jabir al-Taymi, from Abu al-Majid, who said: A man came to Abdullah and mentioned the story, and he began to narrate about the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. He said: "The first man whose hand was cut in Islam—or among the Muslims—was a man who was brought to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. It was said: 'O Messenger of Allah, this man has stolen.' It was as if the face of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, was dusted with ashes. Some of them said: 'O Messenger of Allah,' meaning: What is the matter with you? He said: 'And what prevents me? While you are the helpers of Satan against your companion. Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, is Pardoning and loves pardon. It is not appropriate for a person in authority that a prescribed punishment (hadd) be brought to him without him establishing it.'" Then he recited: {And let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful} [An-Nur: 22]. Yahya said: Sufyan dictated this to us as a dictation.