سُوْرَةُ المَآئِدَةِ
Surah Al-Maaida (5) — Ayah 38
وَٱلسَّارِقُ وَٱلسَّارِقَةُ فَٱقْطَعُوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَهُمَا جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَسَبَا نَكَـٰلًا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ ﴿38﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And (as for) the male thief and the female thief, cut off (from the wrist joint) their (right) hands as a recompense for that which they committed, a punishment by way of example from Allâh. And Allâh is All-Powerful, All-Wise.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱلسَّارِقُ
wal-sāriqu
And (for) the male thief
وَٱلسَّارِقَةُ
wal-sāriqatu
and the female thief
فَٱقْطَعُوٓا۟
fa-iq'ṭaʿū
[then] cut off
أَيْدِيَهُمَا
aydiyahumā
their hands
جَزَآءًۢ
jazāan
(as) a recompense
بِمَا
bimā
for what
كَسَبَا
kasabā
they earned
نَكَـٰلًۭا
nakālan
(as) an exemplary (punishment)
مِّنَ
mina
from
ٱللَّهِ ۗ
l-lahi
Allah
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
عَزِيزٌ
ʿazīzun
(is) All-Mighty
حَكِيمٌۭ
ḥakīmun
All-Wise
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
38. 1. According to some Zahiri jurists, this ruling of theft is general, whether the stolen item is small or large. Similarly, whether it is kept in a secure place or not, in every case the punishment for theft will be given. Whereas other jurists consider it necessary for there to be a secure place and a minimum threshold. Then, there is a difference among them regarding the determination of the threshold. According to the hadith scholars, the threshold is a quarter dinar or three dirhams (or an item of equivalent value); for theft of less than this, the hand will not be cut. Similarly, the hand will be cut from the wrist (the joint), not from the elbow or the shoulder, as some think. (For details, see the books of hadith, jurisprudence, and commentaries.)
