Safwān ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was sleeping in the mosque covered by his checked cloak. A thief swiftly snatched that cloak away, but he was caught and brought to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) to be punished for theft. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that the hand of the thief should be cut off. It seems that Sawfān,(may Allah be pleased with him) felt sympathy for the thief, so he said to the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him): "Will you cut off his hand for the sake of only thirty dirhams?" Then he suggested to sell the cloak to the thief on credit and give him time until he can pay its price. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said that this pardon should have been made before bringing the thief to him, because pardon is void if it is made after any of the prescribed corporal punishments is brought to the judge or ruler.

1. Home
2. Jurisprudence and Juristic Principles
3. Prescribed Punishments
4. Conditions of implementing Prescribed Punishments
5. Hadith

1. Home
2. Jurisprudence and Juristic Principles
3. Prescribed Punishments
4. Prescribed Punishment for Theft
5. Hadith

• The hand is to be cut off for a quarter of a dinar or more
• Whatever a needy person eats without putting any in his pocket (and taking it away), there is no penalty on him. But whoever takes something away, he must pay a fine of twice its value and receive punishment. Whoever steals something after ...
• The hand is not to be cut off for taking fruit or Kathar (the pith of the palm-tree)
• A father is not to be killed for killing his child