44/96. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4680 — Stolen Property and Fair Judgment
If A Man Sells An Item And A Third Party Has More Right To It
Hadith About Stolen Property Rights and Fair Judgment
Sunan an-Nasai : 4680
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4680
أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ ذُؤَيْبٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، وَلَقَدْ، أَخْبَرَنِي عِكْرِمَةُ بْنُ خَالِدٍ، أَنَّ أُسَيْدَ بْنَ حُضَيْرٍ الأَنْصَارِيَّ، ثُمَّ أَحَدَ بَنِي حَارِثَةَ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، كَانَ عَامِلاً عَلَى الْيَمَامَةِ وَأَنَّ مَرْوَانَ كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّ مُعَاوِيَةَ كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّ أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ سُرِقَ مِنْهُ سَرِقَةٌ فَهُوَ أَحَقُّ بِهَا حَيْثُ وَجَدَهَا . ثُمَّ كَتَبَ بِذَلِكَ مَرْوَانُ إِلَىَّ فَكَتَبْتُ إِلَى مَرْوَانَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَضَى بِأَنَّهُ إِذَا كَانَ الَّذِي ابْتَاعَهَا مِنَ الَّذِي سَرَقَهَا غَيْرُ مُتَّهَمٍ يُخَيَّرُ سَيِّدُهَا فَإِنْ شَاءَ أَخَذَ الَّذِي سُرِقَ مِنْهُ بِثَمَنِهَا وَإِنْ شَاءَ اتَّبَعَ سَارِقَهُ ثُمَّ قَضَى بِذَلِكَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَعُثْمَانُ فَبَعَثَ مَرْوَانُ بِكِتَابِي إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ وَكَتَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى مَرْوَانَ إِنَّكَ لَسْتَ أَنْتَ وَلاَ أُسَيْدٌ تَقْضِيَانِ عَلَىَّ وَلَكِنِّي أَقْضِي فِيمَا وُلِّيتُ عَلَيْكُمَا فَأَنْفِذْ لِمَا أَمَرْتُكَ بِهِ . فَبَعَثَ مَرْوَانُ بِكِتَابِ مُعَاوِيَةَ فَقُلْتُ لاَ أَقْضِي بِهِ مَا وُلِّيتُ بِمَا قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ .
Usaid bin Zubair Al-Ansari Narrated from:
There was the governor of Al-Yamamah, and Marwan wrote to him saying that Mu'awiyah had written to him, saying that any man who had something stolen from him had more right to it wherever he found it. Then Marwan wrote saying that to me (Usaid).I wrote to Marwan saying that the Prophet had ruled that if the one who bought it from the one who stole it is ot guilty of anything (and did not realize that it was stolen goods), then the owner has the choice: If he wishes, he may buy it from the one who bought it from the thief, or if he wishes he may go after the thief. Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthman also passed judgment along these lines.Marwan sent my letter to Mu'awiyah, and Mu'awiyah wrote to Marwan (saying): 'Neither you nor Usaid are in a position to tell me what to do, rather I am the one who tells you what to do because I am superior in rank to you, so do what I tell you.' Marwan sent the letter of Mu'awiyah to me, and I said: I will not judge according to Mu'awiyah's opinion as long as I am the governor."'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4680In-book reference : Book 44, Hadith 232English translation : Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 4684
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4680
This hadith focuses on stolen property rights and fair judgment. The text explains a case where a stolen item is later found with someone who bought it without knowing it was stolen. The Prophet's ruling, as reported here, gave the original owner a choice. He could take the item by paying its price to the innocent buyer, or he could pursue the thief. This keeps two rights in view: the owner’s right to his property and the innocent buyer’s protection from blame. The hadith also shows that judgment should follow the Prophetic ruling, not personal power or rank. Usaid refused to judge by an opinion that went against the ruling he knew.
What we learn from this hadith
- A stolen item remains tied to the right of its original owner.
- An innocent buyer should not be treated like the thief when he did not know the item was stolen.
- Justice should be based on the Prophetic ruling, not pressure from people in authority.
- A judge or governor should avoid ruling by personal opinion when a clear report is known.
