The Sufficient (Vol 2) · Hadith 1605 (#Ḥadīth #5)

5ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَمَّنْ ذَكَرَهُ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَارِدٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) حَدِيثٌ رُوِيَ لَنَا أَنَّكَ قُلْتَ إِذَا عَرَفْتَ فَاعْمَلْ مَا شِئْتَ فَقَالَ قَدْ قُلْتُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ وَإِنْ زَنَوْا أَوْ سَرَقُوا أَوْ شَرِبُوا الْخَمْرَ فَقَالَ لِي إِنَّا لله وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ وَالله مَا أَنْصَفُونَا أَنْ نَكُونَ أُخِذْنَا بِالْعَمَلِ وَوُضِعَ عَنْهُمْ إِنَّمَا قُلْتُ إِذَا عَرَفْتَ فَاعْمَلْ مَا شِئْتَ مِنْ قَلِيلِ الْخَيْرِ وَكَثِيرِهِ فَإِنَّهُ يُقْبَلُ مِنْكَ.

5. Ahmad ibn Muhammad has narrated from al-Husayn ibn Sa’id from those whom has mentioned (in his book) from ‘Ubaydah ibn Zurara from Muhammad ibn Marid who has said the following: “Once I said to Abu ‘Abdillah ‘There is a Hadith narrated to us that you have told us: ‘When you recognize, do whatever you want.’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, I have said it.’ I then asked, ‘Can they even fornicate, steal and drink wine?’ The Imam then said to me, ‘To Allah we belong and to Him we return, by Allah they have not been fair to us. Is it fair that we will be held responsible for our deeds and they will be exempt!’ What I have said is that when you recognize, do whatever you want, that is, a little good or a great deal; they will be accepted from you.’”

Gradings are classical jarḥ-wa-taʿdīl, name-matched to a rijāl index (not individually re-verified).