سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ كَانَ أَبِي ( عليه السلام ) يَقُولُ إِنَّ لِلْحَرْبِ حُكْمَيْنِ إِذَا كَانَتِ الْحَرْبُ قَائِمَةً لَمْ تَضَعْ أَوْزَارَهَا وَ لَمْ يُثْخَنْ أَهْلُهَا فَكُلُّ أَسِيرٍ أُخِذَ فِي تِلْكَ الْحَالِ فَإِنَّ الْإِمَامَ فِيهِ بِالْخِيَارِ إِنْ شَاءَ ضَرَبَ عُنُقَهُ وَ إِنْ شَاءَ قَطَعَ يَدَهُ وَ رِجْلَهُ مِنْ خِلَافٍ بِغَيْرِ حَسْمٍ وَ تَرَكَهُ يَتَشَحَّطُ فِي دَمِهِ حَتَّى يَمُوتَ وَ هُوَ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنَّما جَزاءُ الَّذِينَ يُحارِبُونَ اللَّهَ وَ رَسُولَهُ وَ يَسْعَوْنَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَساداً أَنْ يُقَتَّلُوا أَوْ يُصَلَّبُوا أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَ أَرْجُلُهُمْ مِنْ خِلافٍ أَوْ يُنْفَوْا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ ذلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْيٌ فِي الدُّنْيا وَ لَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذابٌ عَظِيمٌ أَ لَا تَرَى أَنَّ الْمُخَيَّرَ الَّذِي خَيَّرَ اللَّهُ الْإِمَامَ عَلَى شَيْءٍ وَاحِدٍ وَ هُوَ الْكُفْرُ وَ لَيْسَ هُوَ عَلَى أَشْيَاءَ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ فَقُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَوْ يُنْفَوْا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ قَالَ ذَلِكَ الطَّلَبُ أَنْ تَطْلُبَهُ الْخَيْلُ حَتَّى يَهْرُبَ فَإِنْ أَخَذَتْهُ الْخَيْلُ حُكِمَ عَلَيْهِ بِبَعْضِ الْأَحْكَامِ الَّتِي وَصَفْتُ لَكَ وَ الْحُكْمُ الْآخَرُ إِذَا وَضَعَتِ الْحَرْبُ أَوْزَارَهَا وَ أُثْخِنَ أَهْلُهَا فَكُلُّ أَسِيرٍ أُخِذَ فِي تِلْكَ الْحَالِ فَكَانَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ فَالْإِمَامُ فِيهِ بِالْخِيَارِ إِنْ شَاءَ مَنَّ عَلَيْهِمْ فَأَرْسَلَهُمْ وَ إِنْ شَاءَ فَادَاهُمْ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَ إِنْ شَاءَ اسْتَعْبَدَهُمْ فَصَارُوا عَبِيداً .
Translation
Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Talha Bin Zayd who said, ‘I heard Abu Abdullah<sup>asws</sup> saying: ‘My<sup>asws</sup> father<sup>asws</sup> was saying that for the war are two decisions. When the war was established and its end had not yet come, and its people have not been defeated, so each prisoner taken during that state, so the Imam<sup>asws</sup> would be with a choice regarding them. If he<sup>asws</sup> so desires to he<sup>asws</sup> strikes his neck, and if he<sup>asws</sup> so desires to he<sup>asws</sup> cuts off his hand and his leg from opposite sides without stopping (the bleeding) and leave him drenched in his blood until he dies. And these are the Words of Allah<sup>azwj</sup> Mighty and Majestic <span class="ibTxt"><a href="/#/books/quran:5#h33"><a href="/books/quran:5#h33">[5:33]</a></a> But rather, the Recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Rasool and strive to make mischief in the land is only this, that they should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides or they should be banished from the land; this shall be as a disgrace for them in this world, and in the Hereafter they shall have a grievous Punishment</span>’. Do you not see that the alternatives which Allah<sup>azwj</sup> has Granted the Imam<sup>asws</sup> upon one thing, and it is the Infidelity, and it is not upon different things’. So I said to Abu Abdullah<sup>asws</sup>, ‘(What about) the Words of Allah<sup>azwj</sup> Mighty and Majestic <span class="ibTxt">or they should be banished from the land</span>’?’ He<sup>asws</sup> said: ‘That is the seeking, the pursuit of the cavalry until he escapes. So if the cavalry seizes him, a judgement would be passed upon him with the Judgements which have been Described for you. And the other decision is when the war comes to an end and its people are defeated, so every prisoner taken during that state, so he would be in their hands. So the Imam<sup>asws</sup>, with regard to it would be with the choice, if he<sup>asws</sup> so desires to, favours upon them so sends them (back home), and if he<sup>asws</sup> so desires to he<sup>asws</sup> lets them ransom their own selves, and if he<sup>asws</sup> so desires to, he<sup>asws</sup> can enslave them, so they would become slaves’.
Compiled by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ya'qub al-Kulayni
Source
License: Free for educational and research use (Thaqalayn Data API)
Provided for research and educational purposes. Original source: Thaqalayn Project. Open License.