أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا بَقِيَّةُ بْنُ الْوَلِيدِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي صَفْوَانُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَزْهَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْحَرَازِيُّ عَنْ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ أَنَّهُ رَفَعَ إِلَيْهِ نَفَرٌ مِنْ الْکَلَاعِيِّينَ أَنَّ حَاکَةً سَرَقُوا مَتَاعًا فَحَبَسَهُمْ أَيَّامًا ثُمَّ خَلَّی سَبِيلَهُمْ فَأَتَوْهُ فَقَالُوا خَلَّيْتَ سَبِيلَ هَؤُلَائِ بِلَا امْتِحَانٍ وَلَا ضَرْبٍ فَقَالَ النُّعْمَانُ مَا شِئْتُمْ إِنْ شِئْتُمْ أَضْرِبْهُمْ فَإِنْ أَخْرَجَ اللَّهُ مَتَاعَکُمْ فَذَاکَ وَإِلَّا أَخَذْتُ مِنْ ظُهُورِکُمْ مِثْلَهُ قَالُوا هَذَا حُکْمُکَ قَالَ هَذَا حُکْمُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَرَسُولِهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
سنن نسائی · Hadith 4889
It was narrated from An Numan bin Bashir that a group of the Kala’iyIn complained to him about some people who had stolen some goods, so he detained them for several days, then he let them go. They came and said: “You let them go without any pressure (to make them admit to their crime) or beating?” An-Numan said: “What do you want? If you wish, I will beat them, and if Allah brings back your goods thereby, all well and good. Otherwise I will take retaliation from your backs (by beating you) likewise.” They said: “Is this your ruling?” He said: “This is the ruling of Allah and His Messenger صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم.“ (Da`if)
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020