What is Sunan an-Nasa'i 4978 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."'"

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 4978 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?

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#4977

#4978

Sunan an-Nasa'i

#4979

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Sunan an-Nasa'i #4978

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.

أَخْبَرَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ حَبَّانَ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ، مِنْ قَوْمِهِ 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 the punishment of cutting off a hand for theft does not apply to certain types of produce. This statement reflects a compassionate approach to justice, recognizing the necessity of context in legal matters. The Prophet's guidance emphasizes the importance of fairness and proportionality in punishment.

Modern Application

This hadith can be applied today by encouraging a balanced approach to justice that considers the circumstances surrounding an offense. It reminds us to advocate for fairness and to avoid harsh penalties that may not be warranted in specific situations.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Punishments (Hudud) because it discusses the limitations and conditions under which certain punishments may be applied.

Punishments (Hudud)