Chapter on Apostasy
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 3|Book 1|Chapter 54
وَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: "إِنَّ عَلِيّاً عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ لَمَّا فَرَغَ مِنْ أَهْلِ اَلْبَصْرَةِ أَتَاهُ سَبْعُونَ رَجُلاً مِنَ اَلزُّطِّ فَسَلَّمُوا عَلَيْهِ وَ كَلَّمُوهُ بِلِسَانِهِمْ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُمْ "إِنِّي لَسْتُ كَمَا قُلْتُمْ أَنَا عَبْدُ اَللَّهِ مَخْلُوقٌ" " قَالَ "فَأَبَوْا عَلَيْهِ وَ قَالُوا لَعَنَهُمُ اَللَّهُ لاَ بَلْ أَنْتَ أَنْتَ هُوَ فَقَالَ لَهُمْ "لَئِنْ لَمْ تَرْجِعُوا عَمَّا قُلْتُمْ وَ لَمْ تَتُوبُوا إِلَى اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَأَقْتُلَنَّكُمْ" " قَالَ "فَأَبَوْا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَتُوبُوا وَ يَرْجِعُوا " قَالَ "فَأَمَرَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنْ تُحْفَرَ لَهُمْ آبَارٌ فَحُفِرَتْ ثُمَّ خَرَقَ بَعْضَهَا إِلَى بَعْضٍ ثُمَّ قَذَفَ بِهِمْ فِيهَا ثُمَّ جَنَّ رُءُوسَهَا ثُمَّ أَلْهَبَ فِي بِئْرٍ مِنْهَا نَاراً وَ لَيْسَ فِيهَا أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ فَدَخَلَ فِيهَا اَلدُّخَانُ عَلَيْهِمْ فَمَاتُوا".
Abu Ja'far Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام, said: "When Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام had finished dealing with the people of Basra, seventy men from the Zutt came to him, greeted him, and spoke to him in their language. Then Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said to them: 'Indeed, I am not as you have said. I am a servant of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, created by Him.' They refused to accept his words and said (may Allah سبحانه وتعالى curse them): 'No, rather you are (God) Himself.' So Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said to them: 'If you do not retract what you have said and do not repent to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Almighty and Glorious, I will surely kill you.' They refused to repent or retract. Then, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام, ordered that pits be dug for them, which were then connected to one another. Imam عليه السلام cast them into these pits and covered their openings. Imam عليه السلام then lit a fire in one of the pits, without any of them inside, causing smoke to enter and suffocate them until they died."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh