46/4. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4879 — Theft and Pardon
If A Man Lets A Thief Have What He Stole, After Bringing Him Before The Ruler, And Mention Of The Differences Reported From 'Ata In The Narration Of Safwan Bin Umayyah About That
Hadith About Safwan’s Stolen Burdah and Pardon
Sunan an-Nasai : 4879
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4879
أَخْبَرَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَنْبَلٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي قَالَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدٌ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ طَارِقِ بْنِ مُرَقَّعٍ، عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَرَقَ بُرْدَةً فَرَفَعَهُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَمَرَ بِقَطْعِهِ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَدْ تَجَاوَزْتُ عَنْهُ . قَالَ " فَلَوْلاَ كَانَ هَذَا قَبْلَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَنِي بِهِ يَا أَبَا وَهْبٍ " . فَقَطَعَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Safwan bin Umayyah Narrated from:
A man stole his Burdah, so he brought him before the Prophet, who ordered that his hand be cut off. He said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will let him have it." He said: "O Abu Wahb! Why didn't you do that before you brought him to me?" And the Messenger of Allah had (the man's) hand cut off.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4879In-book reference : Book 46, Hadith 10English translation : Vol. 5, Book 46, Hadith 4883
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4879
This hadith about Safwan’s stolen Burdah gives a similar report with slightly different wording. A man stole a Burdah, and Safwan brought him before the Prophet. The Prophet ordered that his hand be cut off. Safwan then said that he had forgiven him, or would let it go. The Prophet replied, “Why was this not before you brought him to me, O Abu Wahb?” Then the Messenger of Allah had his hand cut off. The main teaching is about timing and seriousness. The hadith about theft and pardon shows that once the matter had been brought forward, Safwan’s later pardon did not stop what was ordered in this narration.
What we learn from this hadith
- The report repeats that pardon came after the case reached the Prophet.
- The Prophet’s reply points to the importance of timing.
- The narration treats theft as a serious matter once formally raised.
