Chapter on the Liability of One Who Carried Something and Claimed Its Loss

قَدْ ذَهَبَ أَوْ أُهْرِقَ أَوْ قُطِعَ عَلَيْهِ الطَّرِيقُ فَإِنْ جَاءَ عَلَيْهِ بِبَيِّنَةٍ عَادِلَةٍ أَنَّهُ قُطِعَ عَلَيْهِ أَوْ ذَهَبَ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‌ءٌ وَ إِلَّا ضَمِنَ‌[1] وَ فِي رَجُلٍ حَمَلَ مَعَهُ رَجُلٌ فِي سَفِينَتِهِ طَعَاماً فَنَقَصَ قَالَ هُوَ ضَامِنٌ قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّهُ رُبَّمَا زَادَ قَالَ تَعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ زَادَ فِيهِ شَيْئاً قُلْتُ لَا قَالَ هُوَ لَكَ.

Hadith.3920 - Hammad narrated from Al-Halabi, from Abu Abdillah (as), regarding a camel driver who carries oil and claims that it was lost, spilled, or taken by robbers. Imam (as) said: "If he brings trustworthy evidence that it was stolen, lost, or taken, then he is not liable. Otherwise, he is responsible for compens

قَالَ ع‌ فِي الْغُسَّالِ وَ الصُّوَّاغِ‌[2] مَا سُرِقَ مِنْهُمْ مِنْ شَيْ‌ءٍ فَلَمْ يَخْرُجْ بِبَيِّنَةٍ عَلَى أَمْرٍ بَيِّنٍ أَنَّهُ قَدْ سُرِقَ وَ كُلُّ قَلِيلٍ لَهُ أَوْ كَثِيرٍ[3] فَإِنْ فَعَلَ فَلَيْسَ‌ عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‌ءٌ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يُقِمْ بَيِّنَةً وَ زَعَمَ أَنَّهُ قَدْ ذَهَبَ الَّذِي ادَّعَى فَقَدْ ضَمِنَهُ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ عَلَى قَوْلِهِ بَيِّنَةٌ[1].

Hadith.3921 - Imam (as) said: "Regarding the washer (ghassal) and the goldsmith (sawwagh), if something is stolen from them and they do not provide clear evidence proving that it was stolen, whether it is little or much, then they are liable. However, if they establish proof with clear evidence, then they are not liabl

قَالَ‌[2] فِي رَجُلٍ تَكَارَى دَابَّةً إِلَى مَكَانٍ مَعْلُومٍ فَتَضِيعُ الدَّابَّةُ قَالَ إِنْ كَانَ جَازَ الشَّرْطَ فَهُوَ ضَامِنٌ وَ إِنْ دَخَلَ وَادِياً فَلَمْ يُوثِقْهَا فَهُوَ ضَامِنٌ وَ إِنْ سَقَطَتْ فِي بِئْرٍ فَهُوَ ضَامِنٌ لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يَسْتَوْثِقْ مِنْهَا[3].

Hadith.3922 - Imam (as) said regarding a man who rents an animal to travel to a specified location, but the animal is lost: "If he exceeded the agreed conditions, he is liable. If he entered a valley and did not secure the animal properly, he is liable. And if it fell into a well, he is liable because he did not take p

إِنَّهُ إِنْ شَاءَ أَخَذَ الزَّيْتَ وَ قَالَ انْخَرَقَ وَ لَكِنْ لَا يُصَدَّقُ إِلَّا بِبَيِّنَةٍ عَادِلَةٍ[5] وَ أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ تَكَارَى دَابَّةً فَأَخَذَتْهَا الذِّئْبَةُ[6] فَشَقَّتْ عَيْنَهَا فَنَفَقَتْ‌[7] فَهُوَ لَهَا ضَامِنٌ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ مُسْلِماً

Hadith.3923 - It is narrated about a camel driver who was hired to transport oil to a certain land. He claimed that some of the oil skins were torn, causing the oil to spill. Imam (as) said: "The owner may take the remaining oil if he wishes." Imam (as) also said: "The camel driver's claim that the skins were torn is n

أَ تَتَّهِمُهُ فَقُلْتُ لَا قَالَ فَلَا تُضَمِّنْهُ‌[3].

My father sent some goods to Syria with a camel driver, and the camel driver claimed that one of the loads was lost. I mentioned this to Abu Abdillah (as). Imam (as) said: "Do you suspect him?" I said: "No." Imam (as) said: "Then do not hold him liable."

عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يُقِيمَ الْبَيِّنَةَ أَنَّ ذَلِكَ سُرِقَ مِنْ بَيْنِ مَتَاعِهِ وَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‌ءٌ وَ إِنْ سُرِقَ مَعَ مَتَاعِهِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ شَيْ‌ءٌ[4].

I asked him about a launderer to whom I gave a garment, and he claimed that it was stolen from among his belongings. Imam (as) said: "He must provide evidence that it was stolen from among his belongings, and if he does so, then he is not liable. Similarly, if it was stolen along with his belongings, he is not liable."

لَهُ إِنَّ جَمَّالًا لَنَا كَانَ يُكَارِينَا فَحَمَلَ عَلَى غَيْرِهِ‌[5] فَضَاعَ قَالَ ضَمِّنْهُ وَ خُذْ مِنْهُ.

I said to Imam (as): "We had a camel driver who used to work for us. He loaded goods onto someone else's camel, and they were lost." Imam (as) said: "Hold him liable and take compensation from him."

وَ كَانَ‌[6] أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع يُضَمِّنُ الصَّبَّاغَ‌[7] وَ الْقَصَّارَ وَ الصَّائِغَ- احْتِيَاطاً عَلَى أَمْتِعَةِ النَّاسِ وَ كَانَ لَا يُضَمِّنُ مِنَ الْغَرَقِ وَ الْحَرَقِ وَ الشَّيْ‌ءِ الْغَالِبِ‌[1] وَ إِذَا غَرِقَتِ السَّفِينَةُ وَ مَا فِيهَا فَأَصَابَهُ النَّاسُ فَمَا قَذَفَ بِهِ الْبَحْرُ عَلَى سَاحِلِهِ فَهُوَ لِأَهْلِهِ وَ هُمْ أَحَقُّ بِهِ وَ مَا غَاصَ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ وَ تَرَكَهُ صَاحِبُهُ فَهُوَ

Hadith.3927 - Commander of the Faithful (as) used to hold the dyer, launderer, and goldsmith liable as a precaution to protect people's belongings. However, he did not hold them liable for damages caused by drowning, fire, or overwhelming events. And if a ship sinks along with its cargo, and people recover what washes

لَا يُضَمَّنُ الصَّائِغُ وَ لَا الْقَصَّارُ وَ لَا الْحَائِكُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونُوا مُتَّهَمِينَ فَيَجِيئُونَ بِالْبَيِّنَةِ فَيُخَوَّفُ وَ يُسْتَحْلَفُ لَعَلَّهُ يُسْتَخْرَجُ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ[2].

وَ أُتِيَ عَلِيٌّ ع‌[3] بِصَاحِبِ حَمَّامٍ وُضِعَتْ عِنْدَهُ الثِّيَابُ فَضَاعَتْ فَلَمْ يُضَمِّنْهُ وَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ أَمِينٌ‌[4].

Hadith.3929 - Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) was presented with the case of a bathhouse attendant with whom clothes were deposited, but they were lost. Imam (as) did not hold him liable and said: "He is merely a trustee."

وَ إِنَّ عَلِيّاً ع ضَمَّنَ رَجُلًا مُسْلِماً أَصَابَ خِنْزِيراً لِنَصْرَانِيٍّ قِيمَتَهُ‌[5].

Hadith.3930 - Indeed, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) held a Muslim man liable to pay the value of a pig that belonged to a Christian, which he had harmed.

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

Hadith.3931 - Ibn Muskan narrated from Abu Basir, from Abu Abdillah (as), regarding a man who hires a porter, and the porter either breaks what he is carrying or spills it. Imam (as) said: "If he is trustworthy, then he is not liable. But if he is not trustworthy, then he is liable."

رَوَى ابْنُ أَبِي نَصْرٍ[1] عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ سِرْحَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ فِي رَجُلٍ حَمَلَ مَتَاعاً عَلَى رَأْسِهِ فَأَصَابَ إِنْسَاناً فَمَاتَ أَوْ انْكَسَرَ مِنْهُ شَيْ‌ءٌ فَهُوَ ضَامِنٌ.

Hadith.3932 - Ibn Abi Nasr narrated from Dawood bin Sirhan, from Abu Abdillah (as): "If a man carries goods on his head and accidentally strikes someone, causing their death or breaking something, then he is liable."

كَتَبَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى الْفَقِيهِ ع‌ فِي رَجُلٍ دَفَعَ ثَوْباً إِلَى الْقَصَّارِ لِيُقَصِّرَهُ فَدَفَعَهُ الْقَصَّارُ إِلَى قَصَّارٍ غَيْرِهِ لِيُقَصِّرَهُ فَضَاعَ الثَّوْبُ هَلْ يَجِبُ عَلَى الْقَصَّارِ أَنْ يَرُدَّ مَا دَفَعَهُ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ إِنْ كَانَ الْقَصَّارُ مَأْمُوناً فَوَقَّعَ ع هُوَ ضَامِنٌ لَهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ ثِقَةً مَأْمُوناً[2] إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ.

A man wrote to the 'Jurist' (Imam Hasan ibn Ali Al-Askari (as)) asking about a case where a person gave a garment to a launderer to clean, and the launderer then handed it over to another launderer to clean, but the garment was lost. Should the first launderer be required to compensate for what he entrusted to another?