Chapter: For what the thief’s hand is not to be cut off.

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.

This tradition has also been transmitted by Muhammad bin Yahya bin Hibban through a different chain of narrators. This version adds: Marwan gave him some lashes and let him go.

Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about fruit which was bung up and said: If a needy person takes some with his mouth and does not take a supply away in his garment, there is nothing on him, but he who carries any of it is to be fined twice the value and punished, and he who steals any of it after it has been put in the place where dates are dried to have his hand cut off if their value reaches the value of a shield. If he steals a thing less in value than it, he is to be find twice the value and punished. Abu Dawud said: Jarin means the place where dates are dried.