Imam pardons the immoral

Question:

Did the Imam (a.) pardon a person having same sex intercourse?

Answer:

Malik Ibn Atiyyah reported that Imam As-Sadiq (a.) said: “While the commander of the believers (a.) was between a group of his companions, a man came to him and said: “O commander of the believers, i slept with a boy, so purify me!” He said to him: “O you, go to your dwelling place! It might be that you have been disturbed many times.” When the next day came, the man returned to him and said: “O commander of the believers, i slept with a boy, so purify me!” He said to him: “O you, go into your dwelling place! It may be that you have been disturbed many times.” Until he had done this three times after his first time, and when he was at the fourth time, he said to him: “O you, Prophet Muhammad (s.) gave three judgments against those of your kind, so decide which of them you want!” The man said: “What are these, O Commanders of the Believers!” He said: “A stroke with the sword on your neck, which causes what it has to cause, or the throwing down of a mountain, with hands and feet tied, or the burning with fire.” The man said: “O Commander of the Believers, which of these is the worst?” He said: “Burning with fire.” The man said: “I choose it, O Commander of the Believers.” He said: “Then take it, i will hold you in readiness.” The man said: “All right.” Then he stood up and prayed two bowings (Rak’ah). Then he sat in his testimony (Tashahhud) and said: “God, i sinned with what you know, and that terrified me. So I came before the Successor of Your Messenger and the Son of the Uncle of Your Prophet and asked him to purify me. He gave me the choice of one of three types of punishment. God, I chose the worst of them and I ask You to accept it as compensation for my sins and not to burn me with Your fire after my death.”Then he stood up while he cried until he sat down in the pit that the commander of the faithful (a.) had dug for him and looked at the fire that was burning around him. Then the commander of the believers (a.) began to weep and also tears flowed from the eyes of all his companions. The Commander of the Believers (a.) said to him: “Get up, O you, for you have made the angels of heaven and the angels of the earth weep. God has turned to you, so lift yourself up and repeat nothing of what you have done.” [Al-Kafi of Al-Kulaini, volume 7 page 128 – 129 Hadith 1]

علي بن إبراهيم، عن أبيه، عن ابن محبوب، عن ابن رئاب، عن مالك بن عطية عن أبي عبد الله عليه السلام قال: بينا أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام في ملا من أصحابه إذ أتاه رجل فقال: يا أمير المؤمنين: إني قد أوقبت على غلام فطهرني، فقال له: يا هذا امض إلى منزلك لعل مرارا هاج بك فلما كان من غد عاد إليه فقال له: يا أمير المؤمنين إني أوقبت على غلام فطهرني فقال له: يا هذا امض إلى منزلك لعل مرارا هاج بك حتى فعل ذلك ثلاثا بعد مرته الأولى فلما كان في الرابعة قال له: يا هذا إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله حكم في مثلك بثلاثة أحكام فاختر أيهن شئت، قال: وما هن يا أمير المؤمنين؟ قال: ضربة بالسيف في عنقك بالغة ما بلغت أو اهداء من جبل مشدود اليدين والرجلين، أو إحراق بالنار فقال: يا أمير المؤمنين أيهن أشد علي؟ قال: الاحراق بالنار قال: فإني قد اخترتها يا أمير المؤمنين قال: خذ لذلك أهبتك فقال: نعم فقام فصلى ركعتين ثم جلس في تشهده فقال: اللهم إني قد أتيت من الذنب ما قد علمته وإني تخوفت من ذلك فجئت إلى وصي رسولك وابن عم نبيك فسألته أن يطهرني فخيرني بين ثلاثة أصناف من العذاب اللهم فإني قد اخترت أشدها اللهم فإني أسألك أن تجعل ذلك كفارة لذنوبي وأن لا تحرقني بنارك في آخرتي ثم قام وهو باك حتى جلس في الحفرة التي حفرها له أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وهو يرى النار تتأجج حوله قال: فبكى أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام وبكى أصحابه جميعا فقال له أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: قم يا هذا فقد أبكيت ملائكة السماء وملائكة الأرض فإن الله قد تاب عليك فقم ولا تعاودن شيئا مما قد فعلت