Chapter 9(a) - Granting Immunity

- قُلْتُ لَهُ مَا مَعْنَى قَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ ص يَسْعَى بِذِمَّتِهِمْ أَدْنَاهُمْ‌[3] قَالَ لَوْ أَنَ‌ جَيْشاً مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ حَاصَرُوا قَوْماً مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ فَأَشْرَفَ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ أَعْطُونِي الْأَمَانَ حَتَّى أَلْقَى صَاحِبَكُمْ وَ أُنَاظِرَهُ فَأَعْطَاهُ أَدْنَاهُمُ الْأَمَانَ وَجَبَ عَلَى أَفْضَلِهِمُ الْوَفَاءُ بِهِ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘What is the meaning of the words of the Holy Prophet, . . commitment of a person of the lowest position among them becomes a commitment of all of them (Muslims)?’” He (the Imam) replied, ‘It means, if the Muslim army surrounds a stronghold of the pagans an

أَنَّ عَلِيّاً ع أَجَازَ أَمَانَ عَبْدٍ مَمْلُوكٍ لِأَهْلِ حِصْنٍ مِنَ الْحُصُونِ وَ قَالَ هُوَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), once honored the immunity granted by a Muslim slave to the people of a fortress, saying, ‘He is of the believing people.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع يَقُولُ‌- مَا مِنْ رَجُلٍ آمَنَ رَجُلًا عَلَى ذِمَّةٍ ثُمَّ قَتَلَهُ إِلَّا جَاءَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ يَحْمِلُ لِوَاءَ الْغَدْرِ.

‘Whoever provides a commitment of immunity to someone but then kills him, he on the Day of Judgment will come, carrying the banner of betrayal.’”

لَوْ أَنَّ قَوْماً حَاصَرُوا مَدِينَةً فَسَأَلُوهُمُ الْأَمَانَ فَقَالُوا لَا فَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا نَعَمْ فَنَزَلُوا إِلَيْهِمْ كَانُوا آمِنِينَ.

“If a people surrounds a city and the people of the city ask for immunity and they reply negatively to their request but they think it is a positive response and came out of their fortress, such people are entitled to a binding commitment of immunity.”

قَرَأْتُ فِي كِتَابٍ لِعَلِيٍّ ع أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص كَتَبَ كِتَاباً بَيْنَ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ وَ مَنْ لَحِقَ بِهِمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ يَثْرِبَ- أَنَّ كُلَّ غَازِيَةٍ غَزَتْ‌[1] بِمَا يُعَقِّبُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضاً بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ الْقِسْطِ بَيْنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ فَإِنَّهُ لَا يَجُوزُ حَرْبٌ‌[2] إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهَا وَ إِنَّ الْجَارَ كَالنَّفْسِ غَيْرَ مُضَارٍّ وَ لَا آثِمٍ وَ حُرْمَةَ الْجَارِ عَلَى ال

‘Every mobilization that is arranged for an armed confrontation must be continued step by step with legitimacy and justice among the Muslims. It is not permissible to start a war without the permission of the people (who will maintain it). The rights of neighbors are just like one’s soul that must be held harmless and