Sunan Abu Dawud #4412
Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ عَقِيلٍ الْهِلاَلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا جَدِّي، عَنْ مُصْعَبِ بْنِ ثَابِتِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ جِيءَ بِسَارِقٍ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " اقْتُلُوهُ " . فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا سَرَقَ . فَقَالَ " اقْطَعُوهُ " . قَالَ فَقُطِعَ ثُمَّ جِيءَ بِهِ الثَّانِيَةَ فَقَالَ " اقْتُلُوهُ " . فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا سَرَقَ . فَقَالَ " اقْطَعُوهُ " . قَالَ فَقُطِعَ ثُمَّ جِيءَ بِهِ الثَّالِثَةَ فَقَالَ " اقْتُلُوهُ " . فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا سَرَقَ . قَالَ " اقْطَعُوهُ " . ثُمَّ أُتِيَ بِهِ الرَّابِعَةَ فَقَالَ " اقْتُلُوهُ " . فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا سَرَقَ . قَالَ " اقْطَعُوهُ " . فَأُتِيَ بِهِ الْخَامِسَةَ فَقَالَ " اقْتُلُوهُ " . قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَانْطَلَقْنَا بِهِ فَقَتَلْنَاهُ ثُمَّ اجْتَرَرْنَاهُ فَأَلْقَيْنَاهُ فِي بِئْرٍ وَرَمَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْحِجَارَةَ .
A thief was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ). He said: Kill him. The people said: He has committed theft, Messenger of Allah! Then he said: Cut off his hand. So his (right) hand was cut off. He was brought a second time and he said: Kill him. The people said: He has committed theft, Messenger of Allah! Then he said: Cut off his foot.
So his (left) foot was cut off.
He was brought a third time and he said: Kill him.
The people said: He has committed theft, Messenger of Allah!
So he said: Cut off his hand. (So his (left) hand was cut off.)
He was brought a fourth time and he said: Kill him.
The people said: He has committed theft, Messenger of Allah!
So he said: Cut off his foot. So his (right) foot was cut off.
He was brought a fifth time and he said: Kill him.
So we took him away and killed him. We then dragged him and cast him into a well and threw stones over him.
Narrated by Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:
Context
This hadith narrates a series of events involving a thief brought before the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). The Prophet's repeated commands to punish the thief highlight the seriousness of theft and the application of justice. The narrative illustrates the balance between enforcing the law and the consequences of repeated offenses, culminating in a severe punishment.
Modern Application
In modern legal systems, this principle underscores the importance of accountability for repeated offenses. It serves as a reminder that justice must be served while also considering the potential for rehabilitation and reform.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Divine Justice and Punishments (Hudud) because it emphasizes the enforcement of legal consequences for repeated wrongdoing and the seriousness of theft.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ
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بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
وَٱلسَّارِقُ وَٱلسَّارِقَةُ فَٱقْطَعُوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَهُمَا جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَسَبَا نَكَٰلًۭا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ
[As for] the thief, the male and the female, amputate their hands in recompense for what they committed as a deterrent [punishment] from Allah. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
إِنَّمَا جَزَٰٓؤُا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَن يُقَتَّلُوٓا۟ أَوْ يُصَلَّبُوٓا۟ أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُم مِّنْ خِلَٰفٍ أَوْ يُنفَوْا۟ مِنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْىٌۭ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَلَهُمْ فِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ
Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment,
سُورَةُ طه
Taa-Haa (Taa-Haa)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالَ ءَامَنتُمْ لَهُۥ قَبْلَ أَنْ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحْرَ ۖ فَلَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَٰفٍۢ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِى جُذُوعِ ٱلنَّخْلِ وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَآ أَشَدُّ عَذَابًۭا وَأَبْقَىٰ
[Pharaoh] said, "You believed him before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in [giving] punishment and more enduring."
سُورَةُ الشُّعَرَاءِ
Ash-Shu'araa (The Poets)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالَ ءَامَنتُمْ لَهُۥ قَبْلَ أَنْ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِى عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحْرَ فَلَسَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ ۚ لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَٰفٍۢ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
[Pharaoh] said, "You believed Moses before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic, but you are going to know. I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will surely crucify you all."
سُورَةُ الأَعۡرَافِ
Al-A'raaf (The Heights)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُم مِّنْ خِلَٰفٍۢ ثُمَّ لَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides; then I will surely crucify you all."
Common Words
102 total67 unique23 repeated
من6x
خلف4x
فى4x
أن3x
أيديكم3x
وأرجلكم3x
أو3x
ٱلله2x
قال2x
ءامنتم2x
له2x
قبل2x
ءاذن2x
لكم2x
إنه2x
لكبيركم2x
ٱلذى2x
علمكم2x
ٱلسحر2x
ولأصلبنكم2x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #4412 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud). It is graded Da'if and narrated by Narrated Jabir ibn Abdullah:.