The questioner presented his query in the form of a couplet...
The questioner presented his query in the form of a couplet, which is as follows: يَدٌ بِخَمْسِ مِئَين عَسْجَدٍ وُوَدِيَتْ مَا بَالُهَا قُطِعَتْ فِي رُبْعِ دِيْنَارٍ؟ “The hand, whose atonement is five hundred dinars; why should it be amputated for a quarter of a dinar?”[^2] Sayyid Murtadha, in reply, recited this couplet: عِزُّ الاَمَانَةِ أَاغْلاَهَا وَ أَارْخَصَهَا ذِلُّ الْخِيَانَةِ فَافْهَمْ حِكْمَةَ الْبَارِيْ “The honour of trustworthiness made it high-priced, while the abjectness of treachery lowered its value, so comprehend the wisdom of Allah.”[^3] and [^4] [^1]: One dinar is equal to one legal mithqal of coined gold, and one legal mithqal is equivalent to 18 barley grains.
Thus, one legal mithqal is equal to ¾ ordinary mithqal. [^2]: Of course, it must be noted that five hundred dinars is in the event that five fingers are cut. However, as we have previously mentioned, according to the Shi'a faith, only four fingers are to be cut for theft. [^3]: This incident has been mentioned in vol. 6, pg. 134 of Tafsir Alusi, however, it has been attributed to Alam al-Din al-Sakhavi instead of 'Alam al-Huda. [^4]: Tafsir-e-Namuna, vol. 4, pg. 376 Previous…
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