Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ: "اَلْبَيِّنَةُ عَلَى اَلْمُدَّعِي وَ اَلْيَمَيِنُ عَلَى اَلْمُدَّعَى عَلَيْهِ وَ اَلصُّلْحُ جَائِزٌ بَيْنَ اَلْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلاَّ صُلْحاً أَحَلَّ حَرَاماً أَوْ حَرَّمَ حَلاَلاً ".

The Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family) said: "The burden of proof is upon the claimant, and the oath is upon the one who denies the claim. Reconciliation is permissible among Muslims, except for a reconciliation that makes something unlawful (to be) lawful, or makes something lawful (to be) unlawful."

وَ رَوَى اَلْعَلاَءُ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: فِي رَجُلَيْنِ كَانَ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا طَعَامٌ عِنْدَ صَاحِبِهِ وَ لاَ يَدْرِي كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا كَمْ لَهُ عِنْدَ صَاحِبِهِ فَقَالَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا لِصَاحِبِهِ لَكَ مَا عِنْدَكَ وَ لِي مَا عِنْدِي فَقَالَ "لاَ بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ إِذَا تَرَاضَيَا وَ طَابَتْ أَنْفُسُهُمَا".

Al-Ala' narrated from Muhammad ibn Muslim, who reported from Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) regarding two men, each of whom had some food stored with the other, but neither knew exactly how much he had with his companion. They said to each other, "You keep what is with you, and I will keep what is with me." Imam (a.s) said: "There is no harm in that if they both agree and are content with the arrangement."

وَ رَوَى عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي اَلْحَسَنِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ رَجُلٌ يَهُودِيٌّ أَوْ نَصْرَانِيٌّ كَانَتْ لَهُ عِنْدِي أَرْبَعَةُ آلاَفِ دِرْهَمٍ فَمَاتَ أَ لِي أَنْ أُصَالِحَ وَرَثَتَهُ وَ لاَ أُعْلِمَهُمْ كَمْ كَانَ قَالَ "لاَ يَجُوزُ حَتَّى تُخْبِرَهُمْ".

Ali ibn Abi Hamzah said: I asked Abu al-Hasan (a.s) about a Jewish or Christian man who had a debt of four thousand dirhams with me, and he died. I asked: "Is it lawful for me to settle with his heirs without informing them of the exact amount?" Imam (a.s) said: "It is not permissible until you inform them."

وَ رَوَى أَبَانٌ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي اَلرَّجُلِ يَكُونُ عَلَيْهِ دَيْنٌ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُسَمًّى فَيَأْتِيهِ غَرِيمُهُ وَ يَقُولُ لَهُ اُنْقُدْ لِي مِنَ اَلَّذِي لِي كَذَا وَ كَذَا وَ أَضَعُ لَكَ بَقِيَّتَهُ أَوْ يَقُولُ اُنْقُدْ لِي بَعْضاً وَ أَمُدُّ لَكَ فِي اَلْأَجَلِ فِيمَا بَقِيَ فَقَالَ "لاَ أَرَى بِهِ بَأْساً مَا لَمْ يَزِدْ عَلَى رَأْسِ مَالِهِ شَيْئاً يَقُولُ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ: فَلَكُمْ رُؤُسُ أَمْوٰالِكُمْ لاٰ تَظْلِمُونَ وَ لاٰ تُظْلَمُونَ ".

Aban narrated from Muhammad ibn Muslim, who reported from Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) regarding a man who owes a debt with a specified due date. The creditor comes to him and says, "Pay me such-and-such amount from what you owe, and I will waive the rest," or says, "Pay me a part now, and I will extend the deadline for the remainder." Imam (a.s) said: "I see no harm in it, as long as nothing is added to the principal amount." Allah (swt), the Almighty, says: 'Then you shall have your principal; you shall not wrong, nor shall you be wronged.' (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:279)"

وَ رَوَى حَمَّادٌ عَنِ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي اَلرَّجُلِ يُعْطِي أَقْفِزَةً مِنْ حِنْطَةٍ مَعْلُومَةٍ يَطْحَنُونَ بِالدَّرَاهِمِ فَلَمَّا فَرَغَ اَلطَّحَّانُ مِنْ طَحْنِهِ نَقَدَهُ اَلدَّرَاهِمَ وَ قَفِيزاً مِنْهُ وَ هُوَ شَيْءٌ قَدِ اِصْطَلَحُوا عَلَيْهِ فِيمَا بَيْنَهُمْ قَالَ "لاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ سَاعَرَهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ".

Hammad narrated from al-Halabi, who reported from Abu Abdillah (a.s) regarding a man who gives a specific amount of wheat to a miller to grind for a fee in dirhams. After the milling is completed, the man pays the miller the agreed dirhams along with a portion of the ground wheat, as this is a customary practice among them. Imam (a.s) said: "There is no harm in it, even if they did not previously agree on this arrangement."

وَ رَوَى اَلْحَسَنُ بْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ اَلْعَلاَءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ: "إِنِّي كُنْتُ عِنْدَ قَاضٍ مِنْ قُضَاةِ اَلْمَدِينَةِ فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلاَنِ فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا إِنِّي اِكْتَرَيْتُ مِنْ هَذَا دَابَّةً لِيُبَلِّغَنِي عَلَيْهَا مِنْ كَذَا وَ كَذَا إِلَى كَذَا وَ كَذَا فَلَمْ يُبَلِّغْنِي اَلْمَوْضِعَ فَقَالَ اَلْقَاضِي لِصَاحِبِ اَلدَّابَّةِ بَلَّغْتَهُ إِلَى اَلْمَوْضِعِ قَالَ لاَ قَدْ أَعْيَتْ دَابَّتِي فَلَمْ تَبْلُغْ فَقَالَ لَهُ اَلْقَاضِي لَيْسَ لَكَ كِرَاءٌ إِذْ لَمْ تُبَلِّغْهُ إِلَى اَلْمَوْضِعِ اَلَّذِي اِكْتَرَى دَابَّتَكَ إِلَيْهِ" قَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ "فَدَعَوْتُهُمَا إِلَيَّ فَقُلْتُ لِلَّذِي اِكْتَرَى لَيْسَ لَكَ يَا عَبْدَ اَللَّهِ أَنْ تَذْهَبَ بِكِرَاءِ دَابَّةِ اَلرَّجُلِ كُلِّهِ وَ قُلْتُ لِلْآخَرِ يَا عَبْدَ اَللَّهِ لَيْسَ لَكَ أَنْ تَأْخُذَ كِرَاءَ دَابَّتِكَ كُلَّهُ وَ لَكِنِ اُنْظُرْ قَدْرَ مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ اَلْمَوْضِعِ وَ قَدْرَ مَا رَكِبْتَهُ فَاصْطَلِحَا عَلَيْهِ " فَفَعَلاَ.

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from al-Ala', who reported from Muhammad ibn Muslim: I heard Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) say: "I was once with a judge in Medina when two men approached him. One of them said: 'I hired this man's animal to take me from such-and-such place to such-and-such place, but it did not reach the destination.' The judge asked the owner of the animal, 'Did you take him to the place he hired you for?' He replied: 'No, my animal became exhausted and could not complete the journey.' The judge then said to the owner of the animal, 'You are not entitled to any fare since you did not deliver him to the destination he hired your animal for.'" Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) said: "I called both of them to me and said to the hirer, 'You are not entitled to take back all the fare you paid for the animal.' And I said to the owner, 'You are not entitled to take the full fare for your animal.' Instead, I told them, 'Consider how much of the journey remains and how much of it has been completed. Then come to a mutual agreement about the fare based on that.' So they did as I instructed and settled the matter."

وَ رَوَى مَنْصُورُ بْنُ يُونُسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ اَلْحَلَبِيِّ قَالَ: كُنْتُ قَاعِداً عِنْدَ قَاضٍ وَ عِنْدَهُ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ جَالِسٌ فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلاَنِ فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا إِنِّي تَكَارَيْتُ إِبِلَ هَذَا اَلرَّجُلِ لِيَحْمِلَ لِي مَتَاعاً إِلَى بَعْضِ اَلْمَعَادِنِ فَاشْتَرَطْتُ أَنْ يُدْخِلَنِي اَلْمَعْدِنَ يَوْمَ كَذَا وَ كَذَا لِأَنَّ بِهَا سُوقاً أَتَخَوَّفُ أَنْ يَفُوتَنِي فَإِنِ اُحْتُبِسْتُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ حَطَطْتُ مِنَ اَلْكِرَاءِ عَنْ كُلِّ يَوْمٍ اِحْتَبَسْتُهُ كَذَا وَ كَذَا وَ إِنَّهُ حَبَسَنِي عَنْ ذَلِكَ اَلْوَقْتِ كَذَا وَ كَذَا يَوْماً فَقَالَ اَلْقَاضِي هَذَا شَرْطٌ فَاسِدٌ وَفِّهِ كِرَاهُ فَلَمَّا قَامَ اَلرَّجُلُ أَقْبَلَ إِلَيَّ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ وَ قَالَ "شَرْطُهُ هَذَا جَائِزٌ مَا لَمْ يَحُطَّ بِجَمِيعِ كِرَاهُ".

Mansur ibn Yunus narrated from Muhammad al-Halabi: I was sitting with a judge, and Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) was also present. Two men approached the judge. One of them said: "I hired this man's camels to transport my goods to a certain mine. I stipulated that he must get me there on a specific day because there is a market there, and I feared missing it. I also stipulated that if I was delayed, I would deduct a specific amount from the fare for each day of the delay. However, he delayed me for several days beyond the agreed time." The judge said: "This condition is invalid. Pay him his full fare." When the man left, Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) turned to me and said: "His condition is valid as long as he does not deduct the entire fare."

وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ اَلْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي رَجُلَيْنِ كَانَ مَعَهُمَا دِرْهَمَانِ فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا اَلدِّرْهَمَانِ لِي وَ قَالَ اَلْآخَرُ هُمَا بَيْنِي وَ بَيْنَكَ فَقَالَ "أَمَّا اَلَّذِي قَالَ هُمَا بَيْنِي وَ بَيْنَكَ فَقَدْ أَقَرَّ بِأَنَّ أَحَدَ اَلدِّرْهَمَيْنِ لَيْسَ لَهُ وَ أَنَّهُ لِصَاحِبِهِ وَ يُقْسَمُ اَلْآخَرُ بَيْنَهُمَا".

In the narration of Abdullah ibn al-Mughirah, from more than one of our companions, from Abu Abdillah (a.s): Two men had two dirhams with them. One of them said: "Both dirhams are mine." The other said: "They are shared between me and you." Imam (a.s) said: "As for the one who said: 'They are shared between me and you,' he has admitted that one of the dirhams does not belong to him and is his companion's. The remaining dirham should be divided equally between them."

وَ رَوَى عَبْدُ اَللَّهِ بْنُ مُسْكَانَ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ خَالِدٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ رَجُلَيْنِ كَانَ لَهُمَا مَالٌ مِنْهُ بِأَيْدِيهِمَا وَ مِنْهُ مُتَفَرِّقٌ عَنْهُمَا فَاقْتَسَمَا بِالسَّوِيَّةِ مَا كَانَ فِي أَيْدِيهِمَا وَ مَا كَانَ غَائِباً فَهَلَكَ نَصِيبُ أَحَدِهِمَا مِمَّا كَانَ عَنْهُ غَائِباً وَ اِسْتَوْفَى اَلْآخَرُ أَ يَرُدُّ عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ قَالَ "نَعَمْ مَا يَذْهَبُ بِمَالِهِ".

Abdullah ibn Muskan narrated from Sulayman ibn Khalid, who said: I asked Abu Abdillah (a.s) about two men who had shared wealth. Some of it was in their possession, and some of it was scattered and not in their hands. They divided equally what was in their possession, as well as what was absent. Later, one of them lost his share of the absent wealth, while the other received his share in full. I asked: "Should the one who received his full share compensate the other?" Imam (a.s) said: "Yes, he should compensate him. He cannot take all the wealth for himself."

وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ اِبْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَمِيلَةَ عَنْ سِمَاكِ بْنِ حَرْبٍ عَنِ اِبْنِ طَرَفَةَ: أَنَّ رَجُلَيْنِ اِدَّعَيَا بَعِيراً فَأَقَامَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا بَيِّنَةً فَجَعَلَهُ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ بَيْنَهُمَا.

In the narration of Ibn Faddal, from Abu Jamilah, from Simak ibn Harb, from Ibn Tarafah: Two men claimed ownership of a camel, and each presented evidence to support his claim. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s) ruled that the camel should be divided equally between them.

وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ أَبِي اَلْعَلاَءِ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي اَلرَّجُلِ يُبْضِعُهُ اَلرَّجُلُ ثَلاَثِينَ دِرْهَماً فِي ثَوْبٍ وَ آخَرُ عِشْرِينَ دِرْهَماً فِي ثَوْبٍ فَبَعَثَ اَلثَّوْبَيْنِ وَ لَمْ يَعْرِفْ هَذَا ثَوْبَهُ وَ لاَ هَذَا ثَوْبَهُ قَالَ "يُبَاعُ اَلثَّوْبَانِ فَيُعْطَى صَاحِبُ اَلثَّلاَثِينَ ثَلاَثَةَ أَخْمَاسِ اَلثَّمَنِ وَ اَلْآخَرُ خُمُسَيِ اَلثَّمَنِ" قَالَ فَقُلْتُ فَإِنَّ صَاحِبَ اَلْعِشْرِينَ قَالَ لِصَاحِبِ اَلثَّلاَثِينَ اِخْتَرْ أَيَّهُمَا شِئْتَ قَالَ "لَقَدْ أَنْصَفَهُ".

In the narration of Al-Husayn ibn Abi Al-Ala' from Ishaq ibn Ammar, who reported: Abu Abdillah (a.s) was asked about a case where a man entrusted another with thirty dirhams to buy a garment, and another entrusted him with twenty dirhams for another garment. Both garments were sent, but it was unclear which garment belonged to whom. Imam (a.s) said: "The two garments should be sold, and the one who entrusted thirty dirhams should receive three-fifths of the price, and the other should receive two-fifths of the price." I then said: "What if the one who entrusted twenty dirhams said to the other, 'Choose whichever garment you prefer'?" Imam (a.s) replied: "He has treated him fairly."

وَ فِي رِوَايَةِ اَلسَّكُونِيِّ عَنِ اَلصَّادِقِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ: فِي رَجُلٍ اِسْتَوْدَعَ رَجُلاً دِينَارَيْنِ وَ اِسْتَوْدَعَهُ آخَرُ دِينَاراً فَضَاعَ دِينَارٌ مِنْهُمَا فَقَالَ "يُعْطَى صَاحِبُ اَلدِّينَارَيْنِ دِينَاراً وَ يَقْتَسِمَانِ اَلدِّينَارَ اَلْبَاقِيَ بَيْنَهُمَا نِصْفَيْنِ".

In the narration of Al-Sakuni from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s), from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s): A man entrusted another with two dinars, and another person entrusted him with one dinar. One of the dinars was lost. Imam (a.s) said: "The owner of the two dinars should be given one dinar, and the remaining dinar should be divided equally between them."

وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ صَبَّاحٍ اَلْمُزَنِيِّ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلاَنِ إِلَى أَمِيرِ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا يَا أَمِيرَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّ هَذَا غَادَانِي فَجِئْتُ أَنَا بِثَلاَثَةِ أَرْغِفَةٍ وَ جَاءَ هُوَ بِخَمْسَةِ أَرْغِفَةٍ فَتَغَدَّيْنَا وَ مَرَّ بِنَا رَجُلٌ فَدَعَوْنَاهُ إِلَى اَلْغَدَاءِ فَجَاءَ فَتَغَدَّى مَعَنَا فَلَمَّا فَرَغْنَا وَهَبَ لَنَا ثَمَانِيَةَ دَرَاهِمَ وَ مَضَى فَقُلْتُ يَا هَذَا قَاسِمْنِي فَقَالَ لاَ أَفْعَلُ إِلاَّ عَلَى قَدْرِ اَلْحِصَصِ مِنَ اَلْخُبْزِ قَالَ "اِذْهَبَا فَاصْطَلِحَا" قَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنَّهُ يَأْبَى أَنْ يُعْطِيَنِي إِلاَّ ثَلاَثَةَ دَرَاهِمَ وَ يَأْخُذُ هُوَ خَمْسَةَ دَرَاهِمَ فَاحْمِلْنَا عَلَى اَلْقَضَاءِ قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ "يَا عَبْدَ اَللَّهِ أَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ ثَلاَثَةَ أَرْغِفَةٍ تِسْعَةُ أَثْلاَثٍ" قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ "وَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّ خَمْسَةَ أَرْغِفَةٍ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ ثُلُثاً" قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ "فَأَكَلْتَ أَنْتَ مِنْ تِسْعَةِ أَثْلاَثٍ ثَمَانِيَةً وَ بَقِيَ لَكَ وَاحِدٌ وَ أَكَلَ هَذَا مِنْ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ ثَمَانِيَةً وَ بَقِيَ لَهُ سَبْعَةٌ وَ أَكَلَ اَلضَّيْفُ مِنْ خُبْزِ هَذَا سَبْعَةَ أَثْلاَثٍ وَ مِنْ خُبْزِكَ هَذَا اَلثُّلُثَ اَلَّذِي بَقِيَ مِنْ خُبْزِكَ فَأَصَابَ كُلَّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْكُمْ ثَمَانِيَةُ أَثْلاَثٍ فَلِهَذَا سَبْعَةُ دَرَاهِمَ بَدَلَ كُلِّ ثُلُثٍ دِرْهَمٌ وَ لَكَ أَنْتَ لِثُلُثِكَ دِرْهَمٌ فَخُذْ أَنْتَ دِرْهَماً وَ أَعْطِ هَذَا سَبْعَةَ دَرَاهِمَ".

It is narrated from Sabbah Al-Muzani, who raised it (in chain of narration): Two men came to Commander of the Faithful (a.s). One of them said: "O Commander of the Faithful, this man and I went out together. I brought three loaves of bread, and he brought five loaves of bread. We had lunch together, and a man passed by us, so we invited him to join us for lunch. He came and ate with us. When we finished, he gifted us eight dirhams and left. I said to this man: 'Divide the dirhams with me.' He said: 'I will not do so except based on the proportion of the shares of the bread.' Commander of the Faithful (a.s) said: 'Go and reconcile between yourselves.' The man replied: 'O Commander of the Faithful, he refuses to give me more than three dirhams while he takes five dirhams. Judge between us.' Commander of the Faithful (a.s) said to him: 'O servant of Allah (swt), do you know that three loaves of bread equal nine thirds?' He said: 'Yes.' Imam (a.s) continued: 'And do you know that five loaves of bread equal fifteen thirds?' He said: 'Yes.' Imam (a.s) said: 'You ate from your nine-thirds eight-thirds, leaving you one-third. And this man ate from his fifteen-thirds eight-thirds, leaving him seven-thirds. The guest ate seven-thirds from this man's bread and one-third from your bread. Thus, each of you consumed eight-thirds. This man is entitled to seven dirhams, one dirham for each remaining third of bread he contributed, and you are entitled to one dirham for the one-third you contributed. So, take one dirham, and give this man seven dirhams.'"