Dalīl al-Ṭālib - Marʿi al-Karmi - (175)

Section
If the depositary wishes to travel⦗1⦘ he must return the deposit either to its owner, to someone who customarily safeguards that owner’s property, or to the owner’s agent⦗2⦘. If none of these options is possible and he does not fear for the deposit while carrying it on the journey, he may travel with it and incurs no liability. However, if he does fear for it, he must hand it over to the judge⦗4⦘; if that is impossible, then to a trustworthy person⦗5⦘.

A traveller who takes a deposit with him and it is lost during the journey is not liable for its loss.

If the depositary transgresses with respect to the deposit—such as riding the animal for a purpose other than watering it, wearing the garment for a reason other than fear of moth damage⦗6⦘, taking the coins out in order to spend them or merely to inspect them and then returning them, or even just untying the purse—his action is unlawful, he becomes liable, and he must return the item immediately. It does not regain the status of a trust unless a new contract is concluded⦗7⦘.

Authentic is the report: “Whenever you betray and then resume being trustworthy, you are (again) trustworthy.”

(1) In manuscript N the text reads: “wa idha” (“and if”). (2) The phrase “or to his agent” is missing in manuscript M. (3) Manuscript M has “wa in” (“and if”) with the conjunctive particle. (4) Manuscript A reads: “to the judge.” (5) Al-Insaf states: “The correct view is to look to what is most beneficial—either handing it to the judge or to a trustworthy person; if the two options are equal, preference is given to the judge” (Hashiyat al-Rawd, 5/464). (6) With a damma on the first consonant, uthath is the plural of uththa, a moth that gnaws wool. If the custodian fails to air the cloth and it is damaged by these insects, he is liable for the resulting loss (Hashiyat al-Rawd, 5/465). (7) Manuscript M inserts in the commentary the word “jadid” (“new”).

فصل وإن١ أراد المودع السفر رد الوديعة إلى مالكها أو إلى من يحفظ ماله عادة أو إلى وكيله٢ فإن تعذر ولم يخف عليها معه في السفر سافر بها ولا ضمان فإن٣ خاف عليها دفعها للحاكم٤ فإن تعذر فلثقة٥. ولا يضمن مسافر أودع فسافر بها فتلفت بالسفر. وإن تعدى المودع في الوديعة بأن ركبها لا لسقيها أو لبسها لا لخوف من عث٦ أو أخرج الدراهم لينفقها أو لينظر إليها ثم ردها أو حل كيسها فقط حرم عليه وصار ضامنا ووجب عليه ردها فورا ولا تعود أمانة بغير عقد متجدد٧. صح: "كلما خنت ثم عدت إلى الأمانة فأنت أمين".

١ في "ن" "وإذا". ٢ قوله: "أو إلى وكيله" سقط من "م". ٣ في "م" "وإن" بالواو. ٤ في "أ" "إلى الحاكم". ٥ قال في الإنصاف: والصواب هنا أن يراعي الأصلح في دفعها إلى الحاكم أو الثقة فإن استوى الأمران فالحاكم. حاشية الروض "٥/٤٦٤". ٦ بضم العين المهملة جمع: عثة سوسة تلحس الصوف ويضمن نقصها بها إن لم ينشرها لتفريطه. حاشية الروض "٥/٤٦٥". ٧ أدرجه في "م" في الشرح بلفظ: "جديد".