According to the
traditions reported by Yaqoob-e-Kulaini, Shaikh Saduq and Sahih Bukhari on the
authority of the Infallible Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a.s.) that during the period
of the second caliph, a slave girl was brought to him on the charge of disloyalty to her master. Her
story was narrated as follows:
A man had given shelter to a slave girl and he used to go
out of country for some time. Once, as he was going out again, he gave the
slave girl in his wife’s care. In his absence, the slave girl became mature and
became very beautiful. The wife of the
man with the intention that her husband may not marry this slave girl got her
intoxicated and with the help of her neighboring woman, damaged her virginity.
When the man returned from the trip abroad, asked about
the slave girl. The wife innocently said that she had eloped with a young man.
The man searched and found the slave girl and brought her to the caliph. The
caliph seeing the complexity of the case, requested the Commander of the
Faithful Imam Ali (a.s.) to pursue the case.
Imam Ali (a.s.) sent for the man, his wife, the slave
girl and witnesses if any. The man and his wife gave the same statement as
previously given to the caliph. Imam Ali
(a.s.) called the first witness and unsheathed his sword and said: “Do you know
that I am Ali Ibn Abi Talib? Tell me the truth, the truth and nothing but the
truth.” The woman was very clever and gave the false evidence as given
earlier. Imam Ali (a.s.) ordered her to be kept in confinement, separate from
other witnesses. He (a.s.) called the second witness and said to her: “Do you see this sword? If you do not tell
the truth, I shall behead you with this sword. And remember the woman who has
just gone out told me the truth, and therefore I have given her pardon. If you tell me the true story, the same you
shall get”. Hearing this, the second woman related the true story of the
case out of fear for her life.
Having heard the true story from the second witness, Imam Ali (a.s.) said: “After the Prophet Daniel
(Da’nyal), I am the first man who
has forced different statements from two witnesses.” He (a.s.) ordered
punishment to the wife of the man and ordered him to divorce his wife and marry
the innocent girl. When his orders were carried out, he paid the dowry of the
girl from his own pocket. He also
fined the four women witnesses One Hundred Dirham each, and gave the whole
amount of penalty to the slave girl.
After this strange but righteous judgment was passed, the
second caliph besought the favor of Imam Ali (a.s.) of telling the story of
Prophet Daniel (Da’niyal). Imam Ali
(a.s.) told the following story:
Prophet Daniel was an orphan who had lost both his
parents. At that time the ruler was one from Bani Israel and had two judges
(Qazis) among his courtiers. Both these judges (Qazis) used to visit the king
along with a very pious and Godly man. Once, the king wanted to send a trust
worthy person abroad for an assignment and sought their advice in the
selection. They advised the king to send the pious man on that assignment. The
pious man specifically asked the two judges (Qazis) to take care of his wife
with virtue in his absence. His wife was a pretty, beautiful and pious woman. Thereafter,
the two judges (Qazis) visited the house and saw the beautiful woman and madly
felt in love with her. When the two judges expressed their carnal desire, the
pious woman flatly refused their plea for sin. Thereupon the two judges (Qazis)
threatened to complain against her to the king that she had committed adultery
and would result in her stoning to death. She replied that they may say
whatever they want but she will never consent to the sin.
The wicked judges (Qazis) complained to the king falsely alleging
that she had committed adultery. The king was surprised to hear it but deferred
the decision for three days. The king discussed the matter with the Vazir and
he too was surprised.
On the third day, the Vazir was passing through a lane
where the Prophet Daniel was playing with other children. The Vazir stopped and
listened. Prophet Daniel said to the other children to stage the drama of the
wife of the pious man and the judges (Qazis). The Prophet Daniel became the
judge and asked other children to present the case. On hearing the allegation
of adultery, he asked the witnesses: “Where
and when and on which day and at what time the crime occurred?” Naturally, the witnesses gave different answers and the
truth was revealed.
The Vazir reported the whole drama to the king who decided
the case accordingly.
Source
used: Wafi volume 9, page 161, Manaqib volume 7, page 193, Turuq-e-Hikma page
60
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