Chapter on Rare Cases of Legal Punishments
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 4|Book 1|Chapter 17
وَ خَطَبَ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ اَلنَّاسَ فَقَالَ: "إِنَّ اَللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى حَدَّ حُدُوداً فَلاَ تَعْتَدُوهَا وَ فَرَضَ فَرَائِضَ فَلاَ تَنْقُصُوهَا وَ سَكَتَ عَنْ أَشْيَاءَ لَمْ يَسْكُتْ عَنْهَا نِسْيَاناً لَهَا فَلاَ تُكَلَّفُوهَا رَحْمَةً مِنَ اَللَّهِ لَكُمْ فَاقْبَلُوهَا" ثُمَّ قَالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ "حَلاَلٌ بَيِّنٌ وَ حَرَامٌ بَيِّنٌ وَ شُبُهَاتٌ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ فَمَنْ تَرَكَ مَا اِشْتَبَهَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ اَلْإِثْمِ فَهُوَ لِمَا اِسْتَبَانَ لَهُ أَتْرَكُ وَ اَلْمَعَاصِي حِمَى اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فَمَنْ يَرْتَعْ حَوْلَهَا يُوشِكْ أَنْ يَدْخُلَهَا".
Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام delivered a sermon to the people and said: "Indeed, Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Blessed and Exalted, has set boundaries, so do not transgress them. He سبحانه وتعالى has made obligations, so do not neglect them. And He سبحانه وتعالى has remained silent on certain matters - not out of forgetfulness - so do not burden yourselves with them. This is a mercy from Allah سبحانه وتعالى for you, so accept it." Then Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام said: "What is lawful (halal) is clear, and what is unlawful (haram) is clear, and between them are doubtful matters. Whoever avoids what is doubtful regarding sin will be even more cautious in avoiding what is clearly sinful. The acts of disobedience are the sanctuary of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic. Whoever grazes near it is likely to fall into it."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh