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- Suppose, then, that you have lifted all blame from every agent—a perpetrator(1) of ruin, relentlessly driven(2) by the reasoning of these analogists.
- Could it ever be possible(3) to remove every vestige of reproach from all people, whenever a vile act is committed?
- Would that not entail abandoning the punishment of those who have transgressed, and having mankind forsake justice among the populace?
- In that case no life or property would any longer be guaranteed(4) by due indemnity, and no aggressor would be made to suffer a penalty proportionate(5) to his crime.
- And do the minds or natural instincts of people countenance the claim of the base fellow who says, “What stratagem remains for me?”
(1) The T manuscript reads: “bighak.”
(2) The H manuscript reads: “turran.”
(3) Majmuʿ al-Fatawa: “yumkin”; ʿUqud: “tumkinen”; J: “mumkinan.”
(4) B, J, and H read: “fa-lā yuḍamman,” while T has: “wa-lā yuḍamman.”
(5) ʿUqud and B read: “taʿqabanna.”
٦٥- وَهَبْكَ رفعت اللومَ عن كل فاعلٍ ... فعالَ (١) ردًى طردًا (٢) لهذي المقيسةِ
٦٦- فهل يُمْكِننْ (٣) رفعُ الملامِ جميعِهِ ... عن الناس طُرًّا عند كلِّ قبيحةِ
٦٧- وتركُ عقوبات الذين قد اعتدوا ... وتركُ الورى الإنصافَ بين الرعيةِ
٦٨- فلا تُضمنَنْ (٤) نفسٌ ومالٌ بمثلهِ ... ولا يعقبن (٥) عادٍ بمثل الجريمةِ
٦٩- وهل في عقول الناس أو في طباعهم ... قبولٌ لقول النذل: ما وجه حيلتي
(١) في ط: بغاك.
(٢) في هـ: طرًا.
(٣) في مجموع الفتاوى: يمكن، وفي عقود: تمكنن، وج: ممكنًا.
(٤) في ب وج وهـ: فلا يضمنن، وفي ط: ولا يضمنن.
(٥) في عقود وب: تعقبن.