46/1. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4873 — Theft
The Seriousness of Theft
Hadith About Theft and Taking Even Small Things
Sunan an-Nasai : 4873
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4873
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ الْمُخَرِّمِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، ح وَأَنْبَأَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، رضى الله عنه قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah said; 'Allah curses the thief who steals an egg and had his hand cut off, and who steals a rope and has his hand cut off.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4873In-book reference : Book 46, Hadith 4English translation : Vol. 5, Book 46, Hadith 4877
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4873
This hadith about theft warns against treating small stolen items as harmless. The Messenger of Allah says that Allah curses the thief who steals an egg and has his hand cut off, and who steals a rope and has his hand cut off. The wording makes theft look dangerous from the beginning, even when the item sounds small. It teaches that a person should not open the door to stealing by saying, “It is only a little.” Small theft can show a careless heart toward other people’s property. The hadith about stealing an egg and a rope reminds Muslims to respect ownership, fear unlawful taking, and not make light of what belongs to others.
What we learn from this hadith
- Theft is condemned even when the stolen item seems small.
- Respect for other people’s property starts with small things.
- The narration warns against treating stealing as a light habit.
