^10 Some jurisprudents agreed with me on that and others said...

^10 Some jurisprudents agreed with me on that and others said, ‘The hand must be cut from the elbow.’ Al-Mu'tasim asked what their evidence was and they said, ‘Allah has said, (… wash your faces and your hands as far as the elbows…) .[^11] Then, al-Mu'tasim turned to Muhammad bin Ali and asked him, ‘O Abu Ja'far, what do you say on that?’ He said, ‘O Ameerul Mo’mineen, the jurisprudents have talked about that.’ Al-Mu'tasim said, ‘Let what they have said aside.

What do you have to say?’ Imam al-Jawad (a.s) said, ‘O Ameerul Mo’mineen, would you exempt me from that?’ Al-Mu'tasim said, ‘I adjure you by Allah that you tell what you have.’ Imam al-Jawad (a.s) said, ‘Now, since you have put me on oath, I will say. They (jurisprudents) are mistaken.

Only the fingers should be cut from the joints of their origins and the palm should be left safe.’ Al-Mu'tasim asked about the evidence and Imam al-Jawad (a.s) said, ‘The messenger of Allah said, ‘Prostration is on seven organs; the face, the two hands, the two knees and the two feet.’ Then, if his hand is cut from the wrist or the elbow, he shall not have a hand to prostrate on it and Allah has said, (the places of worship (prostration) are for Allah) meaning these seven organs that one prostrates on; (so pray not unto anyone along with Allah).

What is for Allah is not cut.’ Al-Mu'tasim approved this answer and ordered the hand of the thief to be cut from the joints of fingers without the palm. Zarqan added that Abu Dawod said, “After three days, I went to al- Mu'tasim and said to him, ‘Being loyal to Ameerul Mo’mineen is obligatory on me.

I tell you about something that I know I may go to Hell because of it (if I do not tell it).’ Al-Mu'tasim said, ‘What is it?’ I said, ‘Ameerul Mo’mineen had gathered in his meeting the jurisprudents and ulama of his subjects for a serious matter of religion. He asked them about the verdict on it and they told him of the verdict they had. Your family, leaders, viziers and scribes had attended the meeting and the people outside had also heard of that.

Then, all the sayings of these jurisprudents and ulama were brushed aside just for a saying of a man, whom a group of the nation believe in his imamate and claim that he is worthier of your position than you, and then his suggestion is followed and preferred to the verdicts of the jurisprudents.’ Al-Mu'tasim changed color and noticed what I drew his attention to.