سنن ابي داود
Abu Dawud
كتاب الحدودPrescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud)
باب مَا لاَ قَطْعَ فِيهِChapter: For what the thief’s hand is not to be cut off.
Hadith 4388
اُردوEn
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ حَبَّانَ ، أَنَّ عَبْدًا سَرَقَ وَدِيًّا مِنْ حَائِطِ رَجُلٍ فَغَرَسَهُ فِي حَائِطِ سَيِّدِهِ فَخَرَجَ صَاحِبُ الْوَدِيِّ يَلْتَمِسُ وَدِيَّهُ فَوَجَدَهُ ، فَاسْتَعْدَى عَلَى الْعَبْدِ مَرْوَانَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ وَهُوَ أَمِيرُ الْمَدِينَةِ يَوْمَئِذٍ ، فَسَجَنَ مَرْوَانُ الْعَبْدَ وَأَرَادَ قَطْعَ يَدِهِ فَانْطَلَقَ سَيِّدُ الْعَبْدِ إِلَى رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَأَخْبَرَهُ ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، يَقُولُ : " لَا قَطْعَ فِي ثَمَرٍ وَلَا كَثَرٍ ، فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ : إِنَّ مَرْوَانَ أَخَذَ غُلَامِي وَهُوَ يُرِيدُ قَطْعَ يَدِهِ وَأَنَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَمْشِيَ مَعِي إِلَيْهِ فَتُخْبِرَهُ بِالَّذِي سَمِعْتَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَمَشَى مَعَهُ رَافِعُ بْنُ خَدِيجٍ حَتَّى أَتَى مَرْوَانَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَافِعٌ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، يَقُولُ : لَا قَطْعَ فِي ثَمَرٍ وَلَا كَثَرٍ فَأَمَرَ مَرْوَانُ بِالْعَبْدِ فَأُرْسِلَ " ، قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُد : الْكَثَرُ الْجُمَّارُ .
Narrated Rafi ibn Khadij: Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Hibban said: A slave stole a plant of a palm-tree from the orchard of a man and planted it in the orchard of his master. The owner of the plant went out in search of the plant and he found it. He solicited help against the slave from Marwan ibn al-Hakam who was the Governor of Madina at that time. Marwan confined the slave and intended to cut off his hand. The slave's master went to Rafi ibn Khadij and asked him about it. He told him that he had heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: The hand is not to be cut off for taking fruit or the pith of the palm-tree. The man then said: Marwan has seized my slave and wants to cut off his hand. I wish you to go with me to him and tell him that which you have heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. So Rafi ibn Khadij went with him and came to Marwan ibn al-Hakam. Rafi said to him: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: The hand is not to be cut off for taking fruit or the pith of the palm-tree. So Marwan gave orders to release the slave and then he was released. Abu Dawud said: Kathar means pith of the palm-tree.
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
➊ Since fruits attached to trees or fallen dates, as well as trees planted in a garden, are not secure and, in legal terminology, do not fall under the category of theft liable to the hadd (prescribed punishment), taking such things without permission or secretly is undoubtedly a crime. However, the hand is not to be cut off for this; rather, an appropriate discretionary punishment (ta'zir), admonition, or fine will be imposed.
➋ After the command of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) becomes known, there remains no place for giving preference to personal, political, or other interests.
➊ Since fruits attached to trees or fallen dates, as well as trees planted in a garden, are not secure and, in legal terminology, do not fall under the category of theft liable to the hadd (prescribed punishment), taking such things without permission or secretly is undoubtedly a crime. However, the hand is not to be cut off for this; rather, an appropriate discretionary punishment (ta'zir), admonition, or fine will be imposed.
➋ After the command of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) becomes known, there remains no place for giving preference to personal, political, or other interests.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 4388
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
The meaning of Imam Nasa’i rahimahullah’s statement is that “Abu Maymun” is unknown (majhool). I do not know who this is; therefore, this is an error, because the chain of the well-known narration, which is that of the hadith masters (huffaz muhaddithin), such as: Layth and Sufyan al-Thawri, is as follows: “from Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Hibban from his uncle Wasi’ from Rafi’ ibn Khadij” and: “from Yahya ibn Sa’id from Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Hibban from his uncle that Rafi’ ibn Khadij…”, just as the two narrations preceding the aforementioned narration are. In the chain containing Abu Maymun, there is an error and mistake. And Allah knows best. However, the text (matn) of the hadith is authentic, because it is also narrated in the same manner through other authentic chains.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 4971
Shaykh Safi ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri
Takhrij:
«أخرجه أبوداود، الحدود، باب ما لا قطع فيه، حديث:4388، والترمذي، الحدود، حديث:1449، والنسائي، قطع السارق، حديث:4963، وابن ماجه، الحدود، حديث:2593، وأحمد:3 /463، 4 /140، 142، وابن حبان (الإحسان): 6 /318، حديث:4449.»©Explanation:
From the apparent meaning and purport of this hadith, Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah and his companions have deduced that fruits which are still on the tree and are fresh—whether they are in a protected place or an unprotected place—do not incur the punishment of amputation of the hand (qat‘ yad) for theft.
Then, by analogy upon this, they have said that for meat, milk, beverages, bread, and other food items as well, there is no punishment of amputation of the hand.
However, the majority (jumhur) have stipulated the condition that if these items are unprotected, then taking them does not incur the punishment of amputation of the hand; otherwise, it will be considered theft and the punishment of amputation of the hand will apply.
They have stipulated this condition in order to reconcile this hadith with the hadith of Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As radi Allahu anhuma (which will come after two hadiths).
And they have said that, in reality, this hadith pertains to the general custom of the people of Madinah, that they did not keep their orchards protected and secure.
«أخرجه أبوداود، الحدود، باب ما لا قطع فيه، حديث:4388، والترمذي، الحدود، حديث:1449، والنسائي، قطع السارق، حديث:4963، وابن ماجه، الحدود، حديث:2593، وأحمد:3 /463، 4 /140، 142، وابن حبان (الإحسان): 6 /318، حديث:4449.»©Explanation:
From the apparent meaning and purport of this hadith, Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah and his companions have deduced that fruits which are still on the tree and are fresh—whether they are in a protected place or an unprotected place—do not incur the punishment of amputation of the hand (qat‘ yad) for theft.
Then, by analogy upon this, they have said that for meat, milk, beverages, bread, and other food items as well, there is no punishment of amputation of the hand.
However, the majority (jumhur) have stipulated the condition that if these items are unprotected, then taking them does not incur the punishment of amputation of the hand; otherwise, it will be considered theft and the punishment of amputation of the hand will apply.
They have stipulated this condition in order to reconcile this hadith with the hadith of Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As radi Allahu anhuma (which will come after two hadiths).
And they have said that, in reality, this hadith pertains to the general custom of the people of Madinah, that they did not keep their orchards protected and secure.
Source: Bulugh al-Maram: Commentary by Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Page: 1058
