The incident described by the author of Muntahi-al-Amal and reproduced by Allama Jazairi is as follows:
Once a thief was produced in the court of Motasim Abbasi and the thief admitted that he had committed theft.
“The Abbasiad Caliph turned to the theologians then present at the time in his court and asked them as to what portion of the thief’s hand should be cut off according to the religious law.”
“’One of the groups of theologians referred to the first verse of thc Holy Quran mentioned above and another, to the second also cited above. Then, the Caliph consulted Imam Muhammad Taqi (A) who also happened to be present at that time in his court, and asked him as to what he had to say in the matter.”
The Holy Imam (A) exclaimed: “You have already heard what the two opposite groups of the theologians have said about it.” But the caliph said to him: “I want your opinion, Sir”
“Thereupon, the Holy Imam (A) referred to the order of Hazrat Ali (A) in that respect i.e., if only four fingers of the culprit are cut off, the commandment of Allah in the Holy Quran is fulfilled”.
AlIama Jazairi of Lahore has reproduced (Abu Turab vol. 2, p. 113) the account of an incident from Muntahi-ul-Ama1 (vol. 2, p. 234) relating the same question, which once took place in the court of Motasim Abbasi, the Abbasiad Caliph.
When called upon to explain his claim, the Holy Imam (A) elaborated the point as follows ;
“In so far as the comments on the two verses of the Holy Quran by the theologians present here are concerned, they are correct and quite relevant in their respective places, but the words of the Holy Quran which were kept in view by Hazrat Ali (A) while awarding punishment to a thief were neither of the first verse nor of the second but of another verse which, I submit, has escaped the sight of the honorable theologians present here.”
“The Holy Imam (A) recited the following verse of the ‘Holy Quran’ :
“The parts (of the body) with which Sajdah (putting of head on the ground while offering prayers to Allah) is perfonned are all for Allah.” Explaining the above verse of the Holy Quran, Imam Muhammad Taqi (A) said to Motasim Abbasi, the then Abbasiad Caliph :
“If besides the forehead, palms of both the hands are not used while performing ‘Sajdah’ the ‘Sajdah’ would be incomplete and consequently the prayers also. This is what is meant by th verse I have just recited and followed by Hazrat Ali (A) when awarding punishment to a thief i.e., cutting off only four fingers of his or her hand”:
When enlightened by the Holy Imam (A) on the point of punishment to a thief, Motasim did not only agree with the views presented to him by the Holy Imam (A) but followed them and the thief concerned was awarded the punishment accordingly.