Ja’far bin Sulaimaan, the ruler of Madinah Munawwarah, had mercilessly beaten Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) on account of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) passing the fatwa that the divorce of a compelled man is invalid (as is the mazhab of Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah).
Later on, when the ruler, Mansoor, performed Haj (and came to Madinah Munawwarah), he offered to seek revenge for Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) from Ja’far bin Sulaimaan. However, Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) refused and said, “May Allah forbid! By Allah! Before the whip could lift from my body, I had already forgiven him, on account of him being related to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).”
It has been mentioned in another narration that when Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) was beaten, he fell unconscious and was carried away in this state. When he regained consciousness and people came to see him, he addressed them saying, “I make you witness that I have forgiven the person who whipped me.”
Daraawardi (rahimahullah) mentioned, “As Imaam Maalik (rahimahullah) was being whipped, I heard him say, ‘O Allah! Forgive them for they do not know.’” (These were the exact words uttered by Rasululullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) on the occasion of Uhud when he was wounded by the kuffaar.)
(Ad-Deebaaj-ul-Muzahhab 1/131)
