وروي أنه عليه السلام رُفع إليه رجلان سرقا من مال الله، أحدهما عبد من مال الله، والآخر من عُرُوضِ الناس. فقال عليه السلام :
It is related that two persons were brought to Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him. They had committed theft of public property. One of them was a slave purchased from public money and the other had been purchased by someone among the people. Then Amir al-mu'minin said:
أَمَّا هذَا فَهُوَ مِنْ مَالِ اللهِ
As for this one who is the property of public money,
وَلاَ حَدَّ عَلَيْهِ،
there is no punishment for him
مَالُ اللهِ أَكَلَ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضاً،
for it means one property of Allah having taken another property of Allah.
وَأَمَّا الاْخَرُ فَعَلَيْهِ الْحَدُّ،
As for the other, he should get the punishment.
فقطع يده.
Consequently, his hand was cut.
