Musnad Ahmad 1153:1450

Uthman ibn Umar narrated to us, he said: Usamah ibn Zayd narrated to us, he said: Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad narrated to us, he said: I heard the Mother of the Believers, Aisha, saying: Barirah was a *mukātabah* (a slave who had a contract of manumission) for some people of the Ansar. I wanted to purchase her, so I ordered her to go to them and inform them that I wanted to purchase her and then emancipate her. They said: "If you grant us her *wala'* (right of inheritance/patronage), we will sell her to you." I sought a legal opinion from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, and he said: "Purchase her and emancipate her, for the *wala'* belongs only to the one who emancipates." The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, entered upon me while a cooking pot was boiling with meat. He said: "Where did you get this from?" I said: "Barirah gifted it to us, and it was given to her as charity." He said: "This is charity for Barirah, and a gift for us." She said: She was married to a slave. When she was emancipated, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to her: "Choose; if you wish, you may remain with this slave, and if you wish, you may separate from him."