Chapter on Legal Stratagems in Rulings
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 3|Book 1|Chapter 12
وَ - قَضَى عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فِي رَجُلٍ جَاءَ بِهِ رَجُلاَنِ فَقَالاَ إِنَّ هَذَا سَرَقَ دِرْعاً فَجَعَلَ اَلرَّجُلُ يُنَاشِدُهُ لَمَّا نَظَرَ فِي اَلْبَيِّنَةِ وَ جَعَلَ يَقُولُ وَ اَللَّهِ لَوْ كَانَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ مَا قَطَعَ يَدِي أَبَداً قَالَ "وَ لِمَ" قَالَ كَانَ يُخْبِرُهُ رَبِّي عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَنِّي بَرِيءٌ فَيُبَرِّئُنِي بِبَرَاءَتِي فَلَمَّا رَأَى عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ مُنَاشَدَتَهُ إِيَّاهُ دَعَا اَلشَّاهِدَيْنِ وَ قَالَ لَهُمَا "اِتَّقِيَا اَللَّهَ وَ لاَ تَقْطَعَا يَدَ اَلرَّجُلِ ظُلْماً" وَ نَاشَدَهُمَا ثُمَّ قَالَ "لِيَقْطَعْ أَحَدُكُمَا يَدَهُ وَ يُمْسِكَ اَلْآخَرُ يَدَهُ" فَلَمَّا تَقَدَّمَا إِلَى اَلْمِصْطَبَّةِ لِيَقْطَعَا يَدَهُ ضَرَبَا اَلنَّاسَ حَتَّى اِخْتَلَطُوا فَلَمَّا اِخْتَلَطُوا أَرْسَلاَ اَلرَّجُلَ فِي غُمَارِ اَلنَّاسِ وَ فَرَّا حَتَّى اِخْتَلَطَا بِالنَّاسِ فَجَاءَ اَلَّذِي شَهِدَا عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ شَهِدَ عَلَيَّ اَلرَّجُلاَنِ ظُلْماً فَلَمَّا ضَرَبَا اَلنَّاسَ وَ اِخْتَلَطُوا أَرْسَلاَنِي وَ فَرَّا وَ لَوْ كَانَا صَادِقَيْنِ لَمَا فَرَّا وَ لَمْ يُرْسِلاَنِي فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ "مَنْ يَدُلُّنِي عَلَى هَذَيْنِ اَلشَّاهِدَيْنِ أُنَكِّلْهُمَا".
Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام judged in the case of a man who was brought by two others who said: "This man has stolen a coat of armor." The accused pleaded with Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام to examine the evidence carefully and said: "By Allah سبحانه وتعالى, if the Messenger of Allah سبحانه وتعالى (peace be upon him and his family) were here, he would never cut off my hand." Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام asked: "Why?" The man replied: "Because my Lord عز وجل, the Almighty, would have informed him of my innocence, and He صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم would have declared me innocent based on that knowledge." When Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام saw how the man pleaded, Imam عليه السلام called the two witnesses and said to them: "Fear Allah سبحانه وتعالى, and do not have this man's hand cut off unjustly." Imam عليه السلام continued to appeal to them and then said: "Let one of you cut off his hand while the other holds it." As they prepared to execute the sentence, they stirred the people, causing a commotion in the crowd. In the chaos, they released the accused man and fled, blending into the crowd. The accused man then returned and said: "O Commander of the Faithful, these two men testified against me falsely. When the crowd was stirred, they released me and fled. If they were truthful, they would neither have fled nor let me go." Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said: "Who can lead me to these two witnesses so that I may punish them?"
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh