Sunan an-Nasa'i #4945
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.
حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعْدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمِّي، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنِ ابْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ أَبِي حَبِيبٍ، أَنَّ بُكَيْرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الأَشَجِّ، حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ يَسَارٍ حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ عَمْرَةَ ابْنَةَ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ حَدَّثَتْهُ أَنَّهَا، سَمِعَتْ عَائِشَةَ، تَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم
" لاَ تُقْطَعُ يَدُ السَّارِقِ فِيمَا دُونَ الْمِجَنِّ " . قِيلَ لِعَائِشَةَ مَا ثَمَنُ الْمِجَنِّ قَالَتْ رُبُعُ دِينَارٍ .
The Messenger of Allah said: 'The hand of the thief is not to be cut off for anything less than a shield."' It was said to 'Aishah: 'What is the price of a shield?" She said: "One-quarter of a Dinar."
Narrated by 'Aishah said:
Context
In this hadith, 'Aishah narrates that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stated that a thief's hand should not be cut off for stealing something worth less than a shield. This highlights the importance of proportionality in justice and the need for clear thresholds in legal matters.
Modern Application
This principle can be applied in contemporary discussions about justice and punishment. It encourages a fair and measured approach to legal consequences, ensuring that they are appropriate to the offense.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Justice and Punishments (Hudud) because it emphasizes the need for proportionality in legal consequences and the principles of justice.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ
Al-Maaida (The Table)
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.
وَكَتَبْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ فِيهَآ أَنَّ ٱلنَّفْسَ بِٱلنَّفْسِ وَٱلْعَيْنَ بِٱلْعَيْنِ وَٱلْأَنفَ بِٱلْأَنفِ وَٱلْأُذُنَ بِٱلْأُذُنِ وَٱلسِّنَّ بِٱلسِّنِّ وَٱلْجُرُوحَ قِصَاصٌۭ ۚ فَمَن تَصَدَّقَ بِهِۦ فَهُوَ كَفَّارَةٌۭ لَّهُۥ ۚ وَمَن لَّمْ يَحْكُم بِمَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ فَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلظَّٰلِمُونَ
And We ordained for them therein a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a tooth, and for wounds is legal retribution. But whoever gives [up his right as] charity, it is an expiation for him. And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.
سُورَةُ الأَنفَالِ
Al-Anfaal (The Spoils of War)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
۞ وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا غَنِمْتُم مِّن شَىْءٍۢ فَأَنَّ لِلَّهِ خُمُسَهُۥ وَلِلرَّسُولِ وَلِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ إِن كُنتُمْ ءَامَنتُم بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَىٰ عَبْدِنَا يَوْمَ ٱلْفُرْقَانِ يَوْمَ ٱلْتَقَى ٱلْجَمْعَانِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ
And know that anything you obtain of war booty - then indeed, for Allah is one fifth of it and for the Messenger and for [his] near relatives and the orphans, the needy, and the [stranded] traveler, if you have believed in Allah and in that which We sent down to Our Servant on the day of criterion - the day when the two armies met. And Allah, over all things, is competent.
سُورَةُ المُمۡتَحنَةِ
Al-Mumtahana (She that is to be examined)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّبِىُّ إِذَا جَآءَكَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتُ يُبَايِعْنَكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن لَّا يُشْرِكْنَ بِٱللَّهِ شَيْـًۭٔا وَلَا يَسْرِقْنَ وَلَا يَزْنِينَ وَلَا يَقْتُلْنَ أَوْلَٰدَهُنَّ وَلَا يَأْتِينَ بِبُهْتَٰنٍۢ يَفْتَرِينَهُۥ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِنَّ وَأَرْجُلِهِنَّ وَلَا يَعْصِينَكَ فِى مَعْرُوفٍۢ ۙ فَبَايِعْهُنَّ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُنَّ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ
O Prophet, when the believing women come to you pledging to you that they will not associate anything with Allah, nor will they steal, nor will they commit unlawful sexual intercourse, nor will they kill their children, nor will they bring forth a slander they have invented between their arms and legs, nor will they disobey you in what is right - then accept their pledge and ask forgiveness for them of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
سُورَةُ الشَّمۡسِ
Ash-Shams (The Sun)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَقَالَ لَهُمْ رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ نَاقَةَ ٱللَّهِ وَسُقْيَٰهَا
And the messenger of Allah [Salih] said to them, "[Do not harm] the she-camel of Allah or [prevent her from] her drink."
Common Words
122 total103 unique11 repeated
ٱلله6x
ولا5x
على3x
بما2x
من2x
وٱلله2x
شىء2x
إن2x
بٱلله2x
يوم2x
أن2x
وٱلسارق1x
وٱلسارقة1x
فٱقطعوا1x
أيديهما1x
جزاء1x
كسبا1x
نكلا1x
عزيز1x
حكيم1x
Related Hadiths
About Sunan an-Nasa'i
This hadith is #4945 from Sunan an-Nasa'i, in the Book of The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief. It is graded Sahih and narrated by 'Aishah said:.