The Case of Items Donated to al-Ka‘bah

“I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.), say, ‘A people were coming from Egypt, and on the way one of them died, who had said in his will to donate one thousand dirham to al-Ka‘bah. The executor of the will, on his arrival in Makkah, asked and he was directed to banu Shaybah. He went and informed them about the donation. They said, ‘You have freed yourself of the responsibility: you can give it to us.’ The man (executor of will) stayed and asked people who directed him to abu Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali (a.s.). Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘He came to me and asked about the donation. I said, ‘Al-Ka‘bah does not need it. Look for the visitors of this House who may have lost their supplies, their animals for transportation, or are not able to return home, and give it to such people whom I mentioned to you.’ The man then went to banu Shaybah and informed them of the words of abu Ja’far (a.s.). They said, ‘He is lost, a heretic and knowledge (religious) is not acquired from him. He does not have any knowledge. We ask you through this House and through so and so to convey our words to him.’ He (the man) has said I then went to abu Ja‘far (a.s.), and said, ‘I went to banu Shaybah and informed them, but they think that you are such and such person and that you do not have any religious knowledge. They then asked me on oath by the great One to inform you of their words.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘I ask you to do when you go back to them what they had asked you to do. Say to them from me, ‘Of my knowledge, were I the person in charge of the affairs of the Muslim, is that I would cut off their hands. I then would hang them by the curtains of al- Ka‘bah, make them stand on stools and command the announcer to announce, ‘These are thieves who steal from Allah, so you must take notice of this fact.’”