5106 - : وَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَمِيرِ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فَأَقَرَّ بِالسَّرِقَةِ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ "أَ تَقْرَأُ شَيْئاً مِنْ كِتَابِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ" قَالَ نَعَمْ سُورَةَ اَلْبَقَرَةِ فَقَالَ "قَدْ وَهَبْتُ يَدَكَ لِسُورَةِ اَلْبَقَرَةِ " فَقَالَ اَلْأَشْعَثُ أَ تُعَطِّلُ حَدّاً مِنْ حُدُودِ اَللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَقَالَ "وَ مَا يُدْرِيكَ مَا هَذَا إِذَا قَامَتِ اَلْبَيِّنَةُ فَلَيْسَ لِلْإِمَامِ أَنْ يَعْفُوَ وَ إِذَا أَقَرَّ اَلرَّجُلُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ فَذَاكَ إِلَى اَلْإِمَامِ إِنْ شَاءَ عَفَا وَ إِنْ شَاءَ قَطَعَ".
Hadith.5106 - A man came to Commander of the Faithful 
and confessed to theft.
Commander of the Faithful asked him: "Do you recite anything from the Book of Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic?"
The man replied: "Yes, Surah Al-Baqarah."
Imam said: "I have pardoned your hand for the sake of Surah Al-Baqarah."
Al-Ashath objected, saying: "Are you suspending one of the punishments prescribed by Allah (swt), the Exalted?"
Commander of the Faithful replied: "And what do you know about this matter? When evidence is established, the Imam has no authority to pardon, but when a man confesses against himself, then it is up to the Imam - if he wishes, he may pardon, and if he wishes, he may order the cutting."
