46/5. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4889 — Return What Was Taken
Stealing Something that Is Kept In A Protected Place
Hadith About Repentance and Returning Stolen Jewelry
Sunan an-Nasai : 4889
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4889
أَخْبَرَنَا عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الْحَسَنُ بْنُ حَمَّادٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ هَاشِمٍ الْجَنْبِيُّ أَبُو مَالِكٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، رضى الله عنهما أَنَّ امْرَأَةً، كَانَتْ تَسْتَعِيرُ الْحُلِيَّ لِلنَّاسِ ثُمَّ تُمْسِكُهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " لِتَتُبْ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتَرُدَّ مَا تَأْخُذُ عَلَى الْقَوْمِ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " قُمْ يَا بِلاَلُ فَخُذْ بِيَدِهَا فَاقْطَعْهَا " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
A woman used, to borrow jewelry from people then keep it. The Messenger of Allah said: "Let this woman repent to Allah and His Messenger and give back to people what she has taken." Then the Messenge of Allah said "Get up, O Bilal, take her hand and cut it off."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4889In-book reference : Book 46, Hadith 20English translation : Vol. 5, Book 46, Hadith 4893
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4889
This hadith about borrowed jewelry gives a direct call to repair the wrong. A woman used to borrow jewelry from people and then keep it. The Messenger of Allah said that she should repent to Allah and His Messenger and give back to people what she had taken. Then he ordered Bilal to take her hand and cut it off. The wording shows two clear themes: repentance and returning rights. The narration does not let a person treat stolen or withheld property as a light issue. It also does not separate repentance from giving back what belongs to people. For anyone searching for a hadith about returning stolen property, this report points to both inner repentance and outward return.
What we learn from this hadith
- Repentance is mentioned together with returning what was taken.
- Keeping borrowed jewelry is treated as a serious violation in the narration.
- People's property rights must be respected.
- Words of repentance should be matched with giving back rights.
