What is Sunan an-Nasa'i 4990 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 'Atiyyah said:, states: "'I was among the prisoners of Quraizah; we were examined, and whoever had grown (pubic) hair was killed, and whoever had not grown hair, he was allowed to live and was not killed.""

Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Hasan. Hasan hadiths are considered good and acceptable 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 4990 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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#4989

#4990

Sunan an-Nasa'i

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Sunan an-Nasa'i #4990

The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief

Hasan

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

أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ عَطِيَّةَ، أَنَّهُ أَخْبَرَهُ قَالَ كُنْتُ فِي سَبْىِ قُرَيْظَةَ وَكَانَ يُنْظَرُ فَمَنْ خَرَجَ شِعْرَتُهُ قُتِلَ وَمَنْ لَمْ تَخْرُجِ اسْتُحْيِيَ وَلَمْ يُقْتَلْ ‏.‏

'I was among the prisoners of Quraizah; we were examined, and whoever had grown (pubic) hair was killed, and whoever had not grown hair, he was allowed to live and was not killed."

Narrated by It was narrated that 'Atiyyah said:

Context

This hadith recounts the examination of prisoners from the tribe of Quraizah, where those who had reached puberty were executed. It illustrates the harsh realities of justice during wartime and the criteria used to determine life and death in such contexts.

Modern Application

This principle raises important questions about justice and the treatment of individuals in conflict situations. It invites reflection on how societies today approach justice, especially in times of war or unrest.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Punishments (Hudud) because it describes the criteria for determining punishment during a conflict, highlighting the complexities of justice.

Punishments (Hudud)

Related Ayahs

سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ

Al-Maaida (The Table)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

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 الشُّعَرَاءِ

Ash-Shu'araa (The Poets)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

فَٱفْتَحْ بَيْنِى وَبَيْنَهُمْ فَتْحًۭا وَنَجِّنِى وَمَن مَّعِىَ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

Then judge between me and them with decisive judgement and save me and those with me of the believers."

سُورَةُ غَافِرٍ

Ghafir (The Forgiver)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

فَلَمَّا جَآءَهُم بِٱلْحَقِّ مِنْ عِندِنَا قَالُوا۟ ٱقْتُلُوٓا۟ أَبْنَآءَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَعَهُۥ وَٱسْتَحْيُوا۟ نِسَآءَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا كَيْدُ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ إِلَّا فِى ضَلَٰلٍۢ

And when he brought them the truth from Us, they said, "Kill the sons of those who have believed with him and keep their women alive." But the plan of the disbelievers is not except in error.

سُورَةُ التَّوۡبَةِ

At-Tawba (The Repentance)

1 ayah

وَجَآءَ ٱلْمُعَذِّرُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ لِيُؤْذَنَ لَهُمْ وَقَعَدَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ ۚ سَيُصِيبُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ

And those with excuses among the bedouins came to be permitted [to remain], and they who had lied to Allah and His Messenger sat [at home]. There will strike those who disbelieved among them a painful punishment.

سُورَةُ النَّمۡلِ

An-Naml (The Ant)

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

1 ayah

فَأَنجَيْنَٰهُ وَأَهْلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱمْرَأَتَهُۥ قَدَّرْنَٰهَا مِنَ ٱلْغَٰبِرِينَ

So We saved him and his family, except for his wife; We destined her to be of those who remained behind.

Common Words

86 total67 unique10 repeated

من6x

ٱلذين4x

فى4x

أو3x

ٱلله2x

ورسوله2x

ٱلأرض2x

لهم2x

عذاب2x

إلا2x

إنما1x

جزؤا1x

يحاربون1x

ويسعون1x

فسادا1x

أن1x

يقتلوا1x

يصلبوا1x

تقطع1x

أيديهم1x

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About Sunan an-Nasa'i

This hadith is #4990 from Sunan an-Nasa'i, in the Book of The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief. It is graded Hasan and narrated by It was narrated that 'Atiyyah said:.

Browse all Sunan an-Nasa'i All Hadith Collections

Sunan an-Nasa'i #4990

Context

Modern Application

Topics

Related Ayahs

Common Words

Related Hadiths

About Sunan an-Nasa'i

About This Hadith