46/4. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4880 — Pardon Before Judgment
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 Pardon Before Hadd Judgment
Sunan an-Nasai : 4880
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4880
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمِ بْنِ نُعَيْمٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا حِبَّانُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنِ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَطَاءُ بْنُ أَبِي رَبَاحٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَرَقَ ثَوْبًا فَأُتِيَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَمَرَ بِقَطْعِهِ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هُوَ لَهُ . قَالَ " فَهَلاَّ قَبْلَ الآنَ " .
'Ata bin Abi Rabah Narrated from:
A man stole a garment, and was brought before the Messenger of Allah, who order that his hand be cut off. The man said: "O Messenger of Allah, he can keep it." He said: "Why (did you not say that) before now?"
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4880In-book reference : Book 46, Hadith 11English translation : Vol. 5, Book 46, Hadith 4884
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4880
This hadith about theft in Islam centers on a stolen garment and the timing of pardon. A man stole a garment and was brought before the Messenger of Allah, who ordered that his hand be cut off. Then the owner said that the thief could keep the garment. The Prophet did not treat this late statement as if it had been made earlier. He asked why it was not said before now. The core lesson is simple: when a matter has already reached the authority for judgment, a later offer to forgive may not change the ruling. The hadith teaches care, honesty, and early settlement before a case becomes a formal Hadd matter.
What we learn from this hadith
- Pardon in a theft case should be raised before the matter reaches formal judgment.
- A person should think carefully before taking a case to authority.
- Ownership rights matter, but timing also matters in legal decisions.
- The narration warns against treating serious wrongdoing as a small matter after judgment begins.
