أَخْبَرَنَا سُوَيْدٌ قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ الزُّهْرِيِّ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ أَنَّ امْرَأَةً سَرَقَتْ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي غَزْوَةِ الْفَتْحِ مُرْسَلٌ فَفَزِعَ قَوْمُهَا إِلَی أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ يَسْتَشْفِعُونَهُ قَالَ عُرْوَةُ فَلَمَّا کَلَّمَهُ أُسَامَةُ فِيهَا تَلَوَّنَ وَجْهُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ أَتُکَلِّمُنِي فِي حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِ قَالَ أُسَامَةُ اسْتَغْفِرْ لِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَلَمَّا کَانَ الْعَشِيُّ قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَطِيبًا فَأَثْنَی عَلَی اللَّهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّمَا هَلَکَ النَّاسُ قَبْلَکُمْ أَنَّهُمْ کَانُوا إِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمْ الشَّرِيفُ تَرَکُوهُ وَإِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمْ الضَّعِيفُ أَقَامُوا عَلَيْهِ الْحَدَّ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَوْ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ سَرَقَتْ لَقَطَعْتُ يَدَهَا ثُمَّ أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِيَدِ تِلْکَ الْمَرْأَةِ فَقُطِعَتْ فَحَسُنَتْ تَوْبَتُهَا بَعْدَ ذَلِکَ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا وَکَانَتْ تَأْتِينِي بَعْدَ ذَلِکَ فَأَرْفَعُ حَاجَتَهَا إِلَی رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
سنن نسائی · Hadith 4918
It was narrated that Az Zuhri said: “Urwah bin Az-Zubair told me that a woman stole at the time of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم during the Conquest. Her people went to Usamah bin Zaid, to ask him to intercede.” ‘Urwah said: “When Usamah spoke to him concerning her, the face of the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم changed color and he said: ‘Are you speaking to me concerning one of the Hadd punishments of Allah?’ Usamah said: ‘Pray to Allah for forgiveness for me, Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم.’ When evening came, the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم : stood up to deliver a speech. He praised Allah as He deserves, then he said: ‘The people who came before you were destroyed because, whenever a noble person among them stole, they would let him go. But if one who was weak stole, they would carry out the Hadd punishment on him. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if Fatimah bint Muhammad were to steal, I would cut off her hand.’ Then the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم ordered that the hand of that woman be cut off. After that she repented sincerely, and ‘Aishah said: ‘She used to come to me after that, and I would convey her needs to the Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم.“ (Sahih)
Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020