Arabic (Original)
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.
English Translation
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) was brought some of these heretics who had books with them. He ordered a fire to be kindled and burned them and their books. Ikrimah said: This reached Ibn Abbas, and he said: 'Had it been me, I would not have burned them, because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prohibited it. But I would have killed them, because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Whoever changes his religion, kill him. And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Do not punish with the punishment of Allah the Almighty (i.e., fire).'