Question:

Can one trust the Prophet (s.) both in religious and worldly matters?

Answer:

Muhammad Ibn Ali reported that a Bedouin came before the Prophet (s.): “He asked him for seventy pieces of silver as a price for a camel mare that he sold from him, but the Messenger (s.) said: “I have already paid them to you.” The Bedouin said: “Put between you and me a man to judge between us.” Then there came a man from the Quraish, to whom the Messenger said: “Judge between us!” He asked the Bedouin: “What do you claim from the Messenger of God?” He answered: “Seventy pieces of silver as the price of a camel mare that i sold from him.” Then he asked the prophet: “What do you say, O Messenger of God?” He replied: “I have already paid him.” He asked the Bedouin: “What do you say?” He answered: “He did not pay me.” He asked the messenger: “Do you have proof that you have already paid him?” He replied: “No.” He asked the Bedouin: “Did you take an oath that your right was not respected and that you would take it?” He said: “Yes.” The Prophet (s.) said: “I ask for a judgement in the matter with him from a man who judges between us according to the judgment of God.” Thereupon the Prophet (s.) went with the Bedouin to Ali Ibn Abi Talib (a.) and he asked: “What is your concern, O Messenger of God?” He answered: “O father of Al-Hasan, judge between me and this Bedouin.” Ali asked: “O Bedouin, what is your claim against the Messenger of God?” He answered: “Seventy pieces of silver for the price of a camel mare that i sold to him.” Ali (a.) asked: “What do you say, O Messenger of God?” He answered: “I already paid him its price.” Ali said: “O Bedouin, was the messenger believable in what he said?” He answered: “No, he paid me nothing.” Thereupon Ali (a.) drew his sword and beheaded him.” The Prophet (s.) asked: “What have you done, O Ali?” He answered: “O Messenger of God, we believe in You concerning that which God commands and forbids and concerning Paradise and Fire and the reward and the punishment and concerning the revelation of God, but concerning the price of a Bedouin’s camel mare, we shall not believe in You? I executed him because he declared you to be a liar when I asked him: “Was the messenger believable in what he said? Because he said: “No, he paid me nothing.” The Prophet (s.) said: “You have made the right decision, but do not repeat anything similar! Then he turned his attention to the Quraishite man who had followed him and said: “This is the judgment of God and not what you have judged with.” [Al-Faqih of As-Saduq, Volume 3 Page 65 – 66 Hadith 3425]

محمد بن علي بن الحسين باسناده إلى قضايا أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام قال: جاء أعرابي إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وآله فادعى عليه سبعين درهما ثمن ناقة باعها منه، فقال: قد أوفيتك، فقال: اجعل بيني وبينك رجلا يحكم بيننا، فأقبل رجل من قريش، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: احكم بيننا، فقال للأعرابي: ما تدعي على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله؟ فقال: سبعين درهما ثمن ناقة بعتها منه فقال: ما تقول يا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله؟ فقال: قد أوفيته، فقال للأعرابي: ما تقول؟ فقال: لم يوفني، فقال لرسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: ألك بينة أنك قد أوفيته؟ قال: لا، فقال للأعرابي: أتحلف أنك لم تستوف حقك وتأخذه؟ قال: نعم، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: لأتحاكمن مع هذا إلى رجل يحكم بيننا بحكم الله، فأتى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله علي بن أبي طالب عليه السلام ومعه الأعرابي، فقال علي عليه السلام ما لك يا رسول الله؟ قال: يا أبا الحسن احكم بيني وبين هذا الأعرابي فقال علي عليه السلام: يا أعرابي ما تدعي على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله؟ قال: سبعين درهما ثمن ناقة بعتها منه، فقال: ما تقول يا رسول الله؟ قال: قد أوفيته ثمنها، فقال: يا أعرابي أصدق رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله فيما قال، قال الأعرابي: لا، ما أوفاني شيئا، فأخرج علي عليه السلام سيفه فضرب عنقه، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: لم فعلت يا علي ذلك؟ فقال: يا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله نحن نصدقك على أمر الله ونهيه، وعلى أمر الجنة والنار، والثواب والعقاب، ووحي الله عز وجل، ولا نصدقك على ثمن ناقة الأعرابي، وإني قتلته، لأنه كذبك لما قلت له: أصدق رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله، فقال: لا ما أوفاني شيئا، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله: أصبت يا علي، فلا تعد إلى مثلها، ثم التفت إلى القرشي، وكان قد تبعه، فقال: هذا حكم الله لا ما حكمت به