Sunan an-Nasa'i #4891
The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
أَخْبَرَنِي هِلاَلُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حُسَيْنٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ، - هُوَ ابْنُ أَبِي بَشِيرٍ - قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عِكْرِمَةُ، عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ، أَنَّهُ طَافَ بِالْبَيْتِ وَصَلَّى ثُمَّ لَفَّ رِدَاءً لَهُ مِنْ بُرْدٍ فَوَضَعَهُ تَحْتَ رَأْسِهِ فَنَامَ فَأَتَاهُ لِصٌّ فَاسْتَلَّهُ مِنْ تَحْتِ رَأْسِهِ فَأَخَذَهُ فَأَتَى بِهِ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ إِنَّ هَذَا سَرَقَ رِدَائِي . فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَسَرَقْتَ رِدَاءَ هَذَا " . قَالَ نَعَمْ . قَالَ " اذْهَبَا بِهِ فَاقْطَعَا يَدَهُ " . قَالَ صَفْوَانُ مَا كُنْتُ أُرِيدُ أَنْ تُقْطَعَ يَدُهُ فِي رِدَائِي . فَقَالَ لَهُ " فَلَوْ مَا قَبْلَ هَذَا " . خَالَفَهُ أَشْعَثُ بْنُ سَوَّارٍ .
he circumambulated theKa'bah and prayed, then he rolled up a Rid' of his and placed it beneath his head, and slept. A thief came and slid it out from beneath his head and took it. He brought him to the Prophet and said: "This man stole my Rida. The Prophet said to him: Did you steal this man's Rida?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Take him away and cut his hand off." Safwan said: "I* did not want to have his hand cut off for my Rida'." He said: "Why (did you not say that) before now?"
Narrated by It was narrated from Safwan bin Umayyah that:
Context
In this narration, a thief steals a man's cloak while he is sleeping, and the matter is brought before the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The Prophet's response emphasizes the seriousness of theft and the consequences that follow. This incident illustrates the importance of justice and accountability in society.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Justice and Punishments (Hudud) because it highlights the importance of accountability for wrongdoing and the consequences of theft.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ يُوسُفَ
Yusuf (Joseph)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
2 ayahs
فَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمْ جَعَلَ ٱلسِّقَايَةَ فِى رَحْلِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا ٱلْعِيرُ إِنَّكُمْ لَسَٰرِقُونَ
So when he had furnished them with their supplies, he put the [gold measuring] bowl into the bag of his brother. Then an announcer called out, "O caravan, indeed you are thieves."
قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ أَن نَّأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدْنَا مَتَٰعَنَا عِندَهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِذًۭا لَّظَٰلِمُونَ
He said, "[I seek] the refuge of Allah [to prevent] that we take except him with whom we found our possession. Indeed, we would then be unjust."
سُورَةُ طه
Taa-Haa (Taa-Haa)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُوا۟ بِهِۦ فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةًۭ مِّنْ أَثَرِ ٱلرَّسُولِ فَنَبَذْتُهَا وَكَذَٰلِكَ سَوَّلَتْ لِى نَفْسِى
He said, "I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful [of dust] from the track of the messenger and threw it, and thus did my soul entice me."
سُورَةُ صٓ
Saad (The letter Saad)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
۩ Sajdah
قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ إِلَىٰ نِعَاجِهِۦ ۖ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْخُلَطَآءِ لَيَبْغِى بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ وَقَلِيلٌۭ مَّا هُمْ ۗ وَظَنَّ دَاوُۥدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّٰهُ فَٱسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُۥ وَخَرَّ رَاكِعًۭا وَأَنَابَ ۩
[David] said, "He has certainly wronged you in demanding your ewe [in addition] to his ewes. And indeed, many associates oppress one another, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds - and few are they." And David became certain that We had tried him, and he asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing [in prostration] and turned in repentance [to Allah].
سُورَةُ عَبَسَ
Abasa (He frowned)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّىٰٓ
The Prophet frowned and turned away
Common Words
82 total76 unique4 repeated
قال3x
من3x
ٱلله2x
إلا2x
فلما1x
جهزهم1x
بجهازهم1x
جعل1x
ٱلسقاية1x
فى1x
رحل1x
أخيه1x
ثم1x
أذن1x
مؤذن1x
أيتها1x
ٱلعير1x
إنكم1x
لسرقون1x
بصرت1x
Related Hadiths
About Sunan an-Nasa'i
This hadith is #4891 from Sunan an-Nasa'i, in the Book of The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief and narrated by It was narrated from Safwan bin Umayyah that:.