Chapter on the Legal Punishment for Theft
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 4|Book 1|Chapter 12
وَ رَوَى صَفْوَانُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ طَلْحَةَ اَلنَّهْدِيِّ عَنْ سَوْرَةَ بْنِ كُلَيْبٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ رَجُلٌ يَخْرُجُ مِنْ مَنْزِلِهِ يُرِيدُ اَلْمَسْجِدَ أَوْ يُرِيدُ اَلْحَاجَةَ فَيَلْقَاهُ رَجُلٌ أَوْ يَسْتَقْبِلُهُ فَيَضْرِبُهُ وَ يَأْخُذُ ثَوْبَهُ قَالَ "أَيَّ شَيْءٍ يَقُولُ فِيهِ مَنْ قِبَلَكُمْ" قَالَ قُلْتُ يَقُولُونَ هَذِهِ دَغَارَةٌ مُعْلَنَةٌ وَ إِنَّمَا اَلْمُحَارِبُ فِي قُرًى مُشْرِكِيَّةٍ فَقَالَ "أَيُّهُمَا أَعْظَمُ حُرْمَةً دَارُ اَلْإِسْلاَمِ أَوْ دَارُ اَلشِّرْكِ" قَالَ فَقُلْتُ دَارُ اَلْإِسْلاَمِ قَالَ "هَؤُلاَءِ مِنْ أَهْلِ هَذِهِ اَلْآيَةِ: إِنَّمٰا جَزٰاءُ اَلَّذِينَ يُحٰارِبُونَ اَللّٰهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ " إِلَى آخِرِ اَلْآيَةِ.
Safwan ibn Yahya narrated from Talhah Al-Nahdi from Sawrah ibn Kulayb who said: I asked Abu Abdullah عليه السلام about a man who leaves his house intending to go to the mosque or fulfill a need and is met or confronted by another man who strikes him and takes his garment. Abu Abdullah عليه السلام asked: "What do the people in your region say about this?" I replied: "They say this is open aggression (dagharah muʿlanah), and that a highway robber (muharib) only exists in the lands of polytheists." Imam عليه السلام then asked: "Which is more sacred: the land of Islam or the land of polytheism?" I replied: "The land of Islam." Imam عليه السلام said: "These people fall under the ruling of this verse: 'The punishment of those who wage war against Allah سبحانه وتعالى and His Messenger'" (until the end of the verse). (Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:33)
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 314