Liability for Animal’s Causing Losses

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الْبَقَرِ وَ الْغَنَمِ وَ الْإِبِلِ يَكُونُ فِي الرَّعْيِ فَتُفْسِدُ شَيْئاً هَلْ عَلَيْهَا ضَمَانٌ فَقَالَ إِنْ أَفْسَدَتْ نَهَاراً فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهَا ضَمَانٌ مِنْ أَجْلِ أَنَّ أَصْحَابَهُ يَحْفَظُونَهُ وَ إِنْ أَفْسَدَتْ لَيْلًا فَإِنَّ عَلَيْهَا ضَمَانٌ‌[2].

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of cows, sheep and camels in a pasture which destroy certain things; if anyone is held responsible for anything. He (the Imam) said, ‘If they destroy during the day there is no responsibility; the owners must protect them (their belongings);

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَ‌ وَ داوُدَ وَ سُلَيْمانَ إِذْ يَحْكُمانِ فِي الْحَرْثِ إِذْ نَفَشَتْ فِيهِ غَنَمُ الْقَوْمِ‌[3] فَقَالَ لَا يَكُونُ النَّفْشُ إِلَّا بِاللَّيْلِ إِنَّ عَلَى صَاحِبِ الْحَرْثِ أَنْ يَحْفَظَ الْحَرْثَ بِالنَّهَارِ وَ لَيْسَ عَلَى صَاحِبِ الْمَاشِيَةِ حِفْظُهَا بِالنَّهَارِ وَ إِنَّمَا رَعْيُهَا بِالنَّهَارِ وَ إِرْزَاقُهَا فَمَا أَفْسَدَتْ فَلَيْسَ عَلَي

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘. . . and Dawud and Sulayman who judged about the plantation which was damaged by the sheep of the people.’ (21:78) Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Such damage can happen only during the night. It is the responsibility of th

قُلْتُ لَهُ قَوْلُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ- وَ داوُدَ وَ سُلَيْمانَ إِذْ يَحْكُمانِ فِي الْحَرْثِ‌[1] قُلْتُ حِينَ حَكَمَا فِي الْحَرْثِ كَانَتْ قَضِيَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ كَانَ أَوْحَى اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِلَى النَّبِيِّينَ قَبْلَ دَاوُدَ إِلَى أَنْ بَعَثَ اللَّهُ دَاوُدَ أَيُّ غَنَمٍ نَفَشَتْ‌[2] فِي الْحَرْثِ فَلِصَاحِبِ الْحَرْثِ رِقَابُ الْغَنَمِ وَ لَا يَكُونُ النَّفْشُ إِلَّا بِاللَّيْلِ فَإِنَّ عَ

“I once said abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘What is the meaning of the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, “Dawud and Sulayman who issued judgment about the plantation.’” I asked, ‘Was it one issue about which they gave judgment?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, had sent revelation to the p