What is Sunan an-Nasa'i 4970 about?

This hadith from Sunan an-Nasa'i (Book of The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief), narrated by It was narrated that Rafi bin Khadij said:, states: ""I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'The hand is not to be cut off for (stealing) produce or the spadix of palm trees."'"

Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sunan an-Nasa'i, which contains 5,768 hadiths across 52 books. It is hadith number 4970 in the Book of The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

Hadith numbering varies across editions and translations (USC-MSA, Dar as-Salam, Fath al-Bari, and others). If you followed a link citing a different number but landed here, you may have been redirected to the canonical version in our library. If you were looking for a different hadith entirely, use the search bar to find it by text.

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#4969

#4970

Sunan an-Nasa'i

#4971

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Sunan an-Nasa'i #4970

The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ يَحْيَى بْنَ سَعِيدٍ الْقَطَّانَ، يَقُولُ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ حَبَّانَ، عَنْ رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ لاَ قَطْعَ فِي ثَمَرٍ وَلاَ كَثَرٍ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

"I heard the Messenger of Allah say: 'The hand is not to be cut off for (stealing) produce or the spadix of palm trees."'

Narrated by It was narrated that Rafi bin Khadij said:

Context

In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ clarifies that there is no punishment of cutting off a hand for stealing produce or the spadix of palm trees. This statement reflects a compassionate approach to justice, emphasizing the importance of context and the nature of the theft. It highlights the need for fairness in applying punishments.

Modern Application

In contemporary society, this principle encourages a more humane approach to justice, particularly in cases of theft related to basic needs. It reminds us to consider the circumstances surrounding actions before passing judgment.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Buying and Selling and Punishments (Hudud) because it addresses the context of theft within commerce and the appropriate response to such actions.

Buying and Selling Punishments (Hudud)