Question 2069: A Nissan with a heavy load drove over our sewage manhole in front of the house, causing the manhole cover to break and the edge to collapse. The Nissan's wheel and undercarriage were also damaged. Who is liable for the damages?
Answer
✅ Answer: Please pay attention to the following narrations:
1 عَنْ عَلِیِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِیمَ عَنْ أَبِیهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِیِّ عَنِ السَّکُونِیِّ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ مَنْ أَخْرَجَ مِیزَاباً أَوْ کَنِیفاً أَوْ أَوْتَدَ وَتِداً أَوْ أَوْثَقَ دَابَّةً أَوْ حَفَرَ بِئْرَاً فِی طَرِیقِ الْمُسْلِمِینَ فَأَصَابَ شَیْئاً فَعَطِبَ فَهُوَ لَهُ ضَامِنٌ.
📚 Al-Kafi Vol. 7, p. 350
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: 'He who builds a gutter, a privy, drives a nail, ties a mount in a place, or digs a well in the path of the Muslims, and something hits and is ruined or broken, then he is responsible for it!'
2 عَنْ أَبِی أَیُّوبَ عَنْ سَمَاعَةَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنِ الرَّجُلِ یَحْفِرُ الْبِئْرَ فِی دَارِهِ أَوْ فِی مِلْکِهِ فَقَالَ مَا کَانَ حَفَرَ فِی دَارِهِ أَوْ فِی مِلْکِهِ فَلَیْسَ عَلَیْهِ ضَمَانٌ وَ مَا حَفَرَ فِی الطَّرِیقِ أَوْ فِی غَیْرِ مِلْکِهِ فَهُوَ ضَامِنٌ لِمَا یَسْقُطُ فِیهَا.
📚 Al-Kafi Vol. 7, p. 350
Sam'a said: 'I asked Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) about a person who digs a well in his house or on his property; the Imam said: 'What he digs in his house or on his property, there is no liability on him, but what he digs in a road or not on his property, he is responsible for what falls into it!'
3 عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِی عَبْدِ اللَّهِ (علیه السلام) قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ رَجُلٌ حَفَرَ بِئْراً فِی غَیْرِ مِلْکِهِ فَمَرَّ عَلَیْهَا رَجُلٌ فَوَقَعَ فِیهَا قَالَ فَقَالَ عَلَیْهِ الضَّمَانُ لِأَنَّ کُلَّ مَنْ حَفَرَ فِی غَیْرِ مِلْکِهِ کَانَ عَلَیْهِ الضَّمَانُ.
📚 Al-Kafi Vol. 7, p. 350
Zurarah said: 'I said to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him): 'A person digs a well not on his own property, and someone passes by and falls into it.' The Imam said: 'He is liable! Because whoever digs not on his property is liable!'
✅ Based on the above narrations and others, whoever digs a well in the path of Muslims or not on their own property is liable for whatever falls into it and the damage it causes.
Therefore, regarding the above question, the damage to the vehicle whose wheel fell into the well is the responsibility of the man who dug the well in the path of the Muslims, and the Nissan driver has no liability.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر