Chapter on Legal Stratagems in Rulings
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 3|Book 1|Chapter 12
وَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: "تُوُفِّيَ رَجُلٌ عَلَى عَهْدِ أَمِيرِ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ وَ خَلَّفَ اِبْناً وَ عَبْداً فَادَّعَى كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا أَنَّهُ اَلاِبْنُ وَ أَنَّ اَلْآخَرَ عَبْدٌ لَهُ فَأَتَيَا أَمِيرَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فَتَحَاكَمَا إِلَيْهِ فَأَمَرَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنْ يُثْقَبَ فِي حَائِطِ اَلْمَسْجِدِ ثَقْبَيْنِ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا أَنْ يُدْخِلَ رَأْسَهُ فِي ثَقْبٍ فَفَعَلاَ ثُمَّ قَالَ "يَا قَنْبَرُ جَرِّدِ اَلسَّيْفَ" وَ أَسَرَّ إِلَيْهِ لاَ تَفْعَلْ مَا آمُرُكَ بِهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ "اِضْرِبْ عُنُقَ اَلْعَبْدِ" قَالَ فَنَحَّى اَلْعَبْدُ رَأْسَهُ فَأَخَذَهُ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ وَ قَالَ لِلْآخَرِ "أَنْتَ اَلاِبْنُ وَ قَدْ أَعْتَقْتُ هَذَا وَ جَعَلْتُهُ مَوْلًى لَكَ" ".
Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام said: During the time of Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام, a man passed away, leaving behind a son and a slave. Each of them claimed to be the son and accused the other of being the slave. They brought their case before Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام for judgment. Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام ordered that two holes be made in the wall of the mosque. Then he instructed each of them to place his head into one of the holes, and they did so. Imam عليه السلام said: "O Qanbar, unsheathe the sword." Then Imam عليه السلام secretly told Qanbar not to carry out what he was about to command. Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام said: "Strike the neck of the slave!" Hearing this, one of the men quickly pulled his head out of the hole. Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام then took hold of him and said to the other, 'You are the son, and I have now freed this one and made him your freed servant (mawla).'"
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh