Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

528 Financial and judiciaiy institutions at the time of 'Ali
punishment."306 He also said: "If a hadd punishment is carried out on
a man for zina, theft or slander, and he dies, there is no compensation
for him."307 The evidence is that retaliation is obligatory, and that
which is obligatory has no guarantee of safety, so there is no liability
in carrying it out as long as there is no shortcoming or negligence.308
3.3.12. The bandit who is caught
If he did not take any wealth or kill anyone, he is to be detained
until he repents. K he took wealth but did not kill anyone, his hand
and foot on opposite sides are to be cut off. If he took wealth and
killed someone, his hand and foot on opposite sides are to be cut off,
then be should be cmciiied until he dies. If he repents before he is
caught, he is liable for the wealth and is subject to retaliation, but he
is not subjected to the hadd punishment.309
Al-UZth ibn Badr, who was a bandit, repented before he was
caught. Because of that, 'Ali (4) accepted his repentance and
waived the $add punishment for banditry.310
3.3.13. If a killer confesses so as to prevent
an innocent person being accused
A man was brought to Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali (&) from a
mined place. He had been found holding a knife that was dripping
with blood, standing before a slain person who was lying in a pool of
blood. 'Ali (&) asked him, and he said: "I killed him." 'Ali (&)
said: "Take him and execute him." When he was taken away, a man
came mshing in and said: "0 people, do not be hasty; take him back
to 'Ali (&)." So they took him back, and the second man said: "0
Amir al-Mu'mineen, this is not the one who did it. I killed him." 'Ali
(A) said to the first man: "What made you say that you killed him
when you did not kill him?, He said: "0 Amir al-Mu'mineen, what
else could I do when the policeman found the man lying in a pool of