Muwatta Malik (Yahya)

Hazrat Zuraiq bin Hakeem apprehended a runaway slave who had committed theft. Then this issue seemed difficult to him, so he wrote to Umar bin Abdul Aziz, who was the Amir al-Mu'mineen at that time, and he also wrote that he had heard that if a slave runs away and then commits theft, his hand should not be cut off. Umar bin Abdul Aziz replied in writing and referred to his letter and said: You have written that you heard that if a slave is a runaway and commits theft, his hand should not be cut off, whereas Allah has said: "As for the thief, male or female, cut off their hands as a recompense for what they have earned, a punishment from Allah. Allah is Mighty, Wise." So if this slave has stolen the equivalent of a quarter dinar or more, then cut off his hand.