Chapter on Rare Cases of Legal Punishments
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 4|Book 1|Chapter 17
وَ رَوَى أَبُو أَيُّوبَ عَنِ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "إِنَّ فِي كِتَابِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَضْرِبُ بِالسَّوْطِ وَ بِنِصْفِ اَلسَّوْطِ وَ بِبَعْضِهِ يَعْنِي فِي اَلْحُدُودِ إِذَا أُتِيَ بِغُلاَمٍ أَوْ جَارِيَةٍ لَمْ يُدْرِكَا وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ يُبْطِلُ حَدّاً مِنْ حُدُودِ اَللَّهِ" فَقِيلَ لَهُ كَيْفَ كَانَ يَضْرِبُ بِبَعْضِهِ قَالَ "كَانَ يَأْخُذُ اَلسَّوْطَ بِيَدِهِ مِنْ وَسَطِهِ فَيَضْرِبُ بِهِ أَوْ مِنْ ثُلُثِهِ فَيَضْرِبُ بِهِ عَلَى قَدْرِ أَسْنَانِهِمْ كَذَلِكَ يَضْرِبُهُمْ بِالسَّوْطِ وَ لاَ يُبْطِلُ حَدّاً مِنْ حُدُودِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ".
Abu Ayyub narrated from Al-Halabi from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام who said: "In the book of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام, it is mentioned that He عليه السلام would administer punishment using a whip, half a whip, or even a part of it - meaning in the legal punishments (hudud) when a young boy or girl, who had not yet reached maturity, was brought to him. Yet, He عليه السلام would not nullify any of Allah's سبحانه وتعالى prescribed punishments." Imam Al Sadiq عليه السلام was asked: "How would he strike with part of the whip?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام would hold the whip by its middle and strike with it, or he would hold it by a third and strike with it, in proportion to their ages. In this way, he would strike them with the whip without nullifying any of Allah's سبحانه وتعالى prescribed punishments, the Mighty and Majestic."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh