What is this? They said: She committed zina, and ʿUmar ordered that she be stoned, ‘Ali took her from them and sent them back. They went back to ʿUmar ؓ who said: Why have you come back? They said: ʿAli ؓ sent us back. He said: ʿAli has only done this because of something he knows. So he sent for ʿAli who was somewhat angry. He said: Why did you send these people back? He said: Didnʿt you hear the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: “The Pen has been lifted from three: from the sleeper until he wakes up, from the minor until he grows up and from the insane until he comes to his senses.” ‘Umar said: Yes I did. ʿAli ؓ said:This is the insane woman of the tribe of Banu so and so, Perhaps he came to her when she was in that state. ʻUmar ؓ said: I do not know. He [‘Ali] said: And I do not know. And he did not stone her.
عَنْ أَبِي ظَبْيَانَ الْجَنْبِيِّ أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ أُتِيَ بِامْرَأَةٍ قَدْ زَنَتْ فَأَمَرَ بِرَجْمِهَا فَذَهَبُوا بِهَا لِيَرْجُمُوهَا فَلَقِيَهُمْ عَلِيٌّ فَقَالَ مَا هَذِهِ؟ قَالُوا زَنَتْ فَأَمَرَ عُمَرُ بِرَجْمِهَا فَانْتَزَعَهَا عَلِيٌّ مِنْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَرَدَّهُمْ فَرَجَعُوا إِلَى عُمَرَ فَقَالَ مَا رَدَّكُمْ؟ قَالُوا رَدَّنَا عَلِيٌّ قَالَ مَا فَعَلَ هَذَا عَلِيٌّ إِلا لِشَيْءٍ قَدْ عَلِمَهُفَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى عَلِيٍّ فَجَاءَ وَهُوَ شِبْهُ الْمُغْضَبِ فَقَالَ مَا لَكَ رَدَدْتَ هَؤُلاءِ؟ قَالَ أَمَا سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ رُفِعَ الْقَلَمُ عَنْ ثَلاثَةٍ عَنِ النَّائِمِ حَتَّى يَسْتَيْقِظَ وَعَنِ الصَّغِيرِ حَتَّى يَكْبَرَ وَعَنِ الْمُبْتَلَى حَتَّى يَعْقِلَ قَالَ بَلَى قَالَ عَلِيٌّ فَإِنَّ هَذِهِ مُبْتَلاةُ بَنِي فُلانٍ فَلَعَلَّهُ أَتَاهَا وَهُوَ بِهَا فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لَا أَدْرِي قَالَ وَأَنَا لَا أَدْرِي فَلَمْ يَرْجُمْهَا