Liability of Carrier Animals and Owners of Ships

سُئِلَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ جَمَّالٍ اسْتُكْرِيَ مِنْهُ إِبِلٌ وَ بُعِثَ مَعَهُ بِزَيْتٍ إِلَى أَرْضٍ فَزَعَمَ أَنَّ بَعْضَ زِقَاقِ الزَّيْتِ انْخَرَقَ فَأَهْرَاقَ مَا فِيهِ‌[1] فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ إِنْ شَاءَ أَخَذَ الزَّيْتَ وَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ انْخَرَقَ وَ لَكِنَّهُ لَا يُصَدَّقُ إِلَّا بِبَيِّنَةٍ عَادِلَةٍ[2].

“Once abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), was asked about the case of a man who hired a camel man to transport oil to another location and he thought that certain skin sacks were damaged and oil was lost. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he likes he can accept the oil.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Even if it is damaged he is not considered truthf

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْمَلَّاحِ أَحْمِلُ مَعَهُ الطَّعَامَ ثُمَّ أَقْبِضُهُ مِنْهُ فَنَقَصَ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ مَأْمُوناً فَلَا تُضَمِّنْهُ.

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who transported people on the water to the other side and I carried foodstuff through him then received it from him and it was reduced. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he is trusted, you must not hold him liable.’”

هُوَ ضَامِنٌ قُلْتُ إِنَّهُ‌ رُبَّمَا زَادَ قَالَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ زَادَ شَيْئاً قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ هُوَ لَكَ.

“In the case of a man who carries foodstuff in the ship and it is reduced, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘He is liable.’ I then asked, ‘What if it is increased?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Do you know it is increased?’ I replied, ‘No, I do not know.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is for you.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ اسْتَأْجَرَ سَفِينَةً مِنْ مَلَّاحٍ فَحَمَّلَهَا طَعَاماً وَ اشْتَرَطَ عَلَيْهِ إِنْ نَقَصَ الطَّعَامُ فَعَلَيْهِ قَالَ جَائِزٌ قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّهُ رُبَّمَا زَادَ الطَّعَامُ قَالَ فَقَالَ يَدَّعِي الْمَلَّاحُ أَنَّهُ زَادَ فِيهِ شَيْئاً قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ هُوَ لِصَاحِبِ الطَّعَامِ الزِّيَادَةُ وَ عَلَيْهِ النُّقْصَانُ إِذَا كَانَ قَدِ اشْتَرَطَ عَلَيْهِ ذَلِكَ‌[1].

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a man who hired a ship from a sailor and loaded it with foodstuff, with the condition that if it was reduced he was liable. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is permissible.’ I then said, ‘Perhaps it increases.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘Does the sailor claim that he has increase

حَمَلَ أَبِي مَتَاعاً إِلَى الشَّامِ مَعَ جَمَّالٍ فَذَكَرَ أَنَّ حِمْلًا مِنْهُ ضَاعَ فَذَكَرْتُ ذَلِكَ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ أَ تَتَّهِمُهُ قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ فَلَا تُضَمِّنْهُ.

“My father carried goods to al-Sham with a camel man, then he remembered that one load was lost. I mentioned it to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and he asked, ‘Do you charge him?’ I replied, ‘No, I do not charge him.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘You must not hold him liable.’”

إِنْ كَانَ مَأْمُوناً فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‌ءٌ وَ إِنْ كَانَ غَيْرَ مَأْمُونٍ فَهُوَ ضَامِنٌ.

“About the case of a camel man who breaks what he carries or spills, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If he is trusted, there is nothing on him; but if he is not trusted then he is liable.’”

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ‌ الْأَجِيرُ الْمُشَارِكُ هُوَ ضَامِنٌ إِلَّا مِنْ سَبُعٍ أَوْ مِنْ غَرَقٍ أَوْ حَرَقٍ أَوْ لِصٍّ مُكَابِرٍ.

7. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Muhammad ibn al-Hassan ibn Shammun from ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman from Misma’ ibn ‘Abd al-Malik who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘One hired and a partner are liable unless it (the loss) is b