حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَيُّوبُ عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ أَنَّ عَلِيًّا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أُتِيَ بِقَوْمٍ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ الزَّنَادِقَةِ وَمَعَهُمْ كُتُبٌ فَأَمَرَ بِنَارٍ فَأُجِّجَتْ ثُمَّ أَحْرَقَهُمْ وَكُتُبَهُمْ قَالَ عِكْرِمَةُ فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَالَ لَوْ كُنْتُ أَنَا لَمْ أُحْرِقْهُمْ لِنَهْيِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَلَقَتَلْتُهُمْ لِقَوْلِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ بَدَّلَ دِينَهُ فَاقْتُلُوهُ وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَا تُعَذِّبُوا بِعَذَابِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
مسند امام احمد بن حنبل · Hadith 2551
It was narrated from Tkrimah that some of these heretics were brought to 'Ali and they had some books with them. He issued orders that a fire be lit, then he burned them and their books. 'Ikrimah said: News of that reached Ibn 'Abbas (RA) and he said: If it were me, I would not have burned them because the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) forbade it; but I would have executed them because the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Whoever changes his religion, execute him." And the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Do not punish with the punishment of Allah, may He be glorified and exalted."
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020