Chapter on What Requires Full Blood Money and Half Blood Money in Cases Other Than the Taking of a Life

Ibn Mahbub narrated from Hisham ibn Salim from Habib Al-Sijistani who said: I asked Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir عليه السلام about a man who cut off the right hands of two men. Imam عليه السلام replied: "O' Habib, his right hand is to be cut off in retaliation for the man whose right hand he first severed, and his left hand is to be cut off for the man whose right hand he severed afterward. This is because he initially cut off the first man's right hand, and his own right hand is taken as retaliation for that. Then, for the second man, his left hand is taken." I said: "But Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام used to cut off the right hand and the left foot." Imam عليه السلام replied: "That ruling was for the rights of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted. However, regarding the rights of Muslims, O' Habib, their rights are taken in full. A hand is taken for a hand in retaliation if the offender has two hands, and a foot is taken for a hand if the offender has no hands." I then asked: "Shouldn't the blood money (diyya) be imposed on him, and his foot be spared?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "Blood money is only required when he cuts off a man's hand and the perpetrator has neither two hands nor two feet. In such a case, blood money is imposed because there is no remaining limb from which retaliation can be taken."