Chapter 9(b)

“I heard abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ’My father would say, “There are two laws about war: (1) During an ongoing war when the enemy is not defeated about the prisoners of war the Imam has the choice to execute, cut off their hands and legs, one of each of the opposite side, without (doing something to) stopping blood flow so that the victim dies by bleeding. This is stated in words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious: ‘The only proper punishment for those who fight against Allah and His Messenger and try to spread evil in the land is to be killed, crucified, or either to have one of their hands and feet cutoff from the opposite sides or to be sent into exile. These are to disgrace them in this life and they will suffer a great torment in the life hereafter.’ (5:33) “Of the choices that Allah has given to the Imam is one and that is execution. There are no different choices.’” “I then asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, ‘. . . or that they are exiled. . . .’ He (the Imam) said it is up to the search and pursuit of the troops until he flees. If the troops capture him certain of the rules that I just describe will be executed in his case. “The other law about war (2) is when it is over and the enemy is defeated. About every prisoner of war that is captured, the Imam has the choice to set them free as favor to them or they pay ransom to set themselves free. The Imam may also decide to keep them as slaves.’”

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the two groups of whom one is rebellious and the other deals with justice and the latter group defeats the rebellious group. He (the Imam) replied, ‘People of justice must not pursue the fleeing ones, kill the prisoner or hurt the wounded. This is when the rebellious ones do not have a group around to whom then they can return, but if they have such a group, then the prisoners are executed, the fleeing ones are persued and the wounded ones are eliminated.’”

“I once said to Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.), ‘The way Ali (a.s.), dealt with people of Qiblah was different from the way the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, dealt with the pagans.’ He the narrator has said, ‘He (the Imam) became angry and sat in his place;’ then said, ‘He by Allah, did deal with them according to the method of the Messenger of Allah on the day of victory. On the day of al- Basra, Ali (a.s.), wrote to Malik who was on the front line, and commanded him, “You must not hit anyone except advancing attackers, you must not kill the fleeing, you must not hurt the wounded and those who close their doors have immunity.” Malik received the letter of commandment but he placed it in front of himself on the saddle before reading. He then ordered them to fight and they fought until they were pushed into the alleys of al-Basra. He then opened the letter of commandment and ordered to announce the contents of the letter of commandment.’”

“I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘In the ways of the dealings of Ali (a.s.), with the people of al-Basra, the benefit for the Shi ‘ah was greater than all things on which the sun shines. He (a.s.), knew that those people will become dominant. Were he to make them prisoners his followers would have been made prisoners likewise.’ I then asked, ‘Will al-Qa’im (a.s.), deal with people like his dealings?’ He (the Imam) replied, ‘No, Ali (a.s.), dealt with them with favors due to his knowledge of their domination. Al-Qa’im will deal with them differently because they will not have any domination.’”

“When people on the day of camel were defeated, Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), said, ‘You must not pursue the fleeing, you must not hurt the wounded, and those who close their door are granted immunity.’ On the day of Siffin he eliminated the attackers and the fleeing and gave permission about the wounded. Aban ibn Taghlib said to “Abd Allah ibn Sharik, ‘These are two different ways of dealings.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘On the day of al-Basra people killed Talhah and al- Zubayr. Mu‘awiyah was alive and he was the commander.’”