46/6. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4898 — Intercession Rejected
Mentioning the Different Wordings Reported by Az-Zuhri about the Makhzumi Woman who Stole
Hadith About Intercession in Hudud and Equal Justice
Sunan an-Nasai : 4898
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4898
أَخْبَرَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ بَكَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ شُعَيْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتِ اسْتَعَارَتِ امْرَأَةٌ عَلَى أَلْسِنَةِ أُنَاسٍ يُعْرَفُونَ - وَهِيَ لاَ تُعْرَفُ - حُلِيًّا فَبَاعَتْهُ وَأَخَذَتْ ثَمَنَهُ فَأُتِيَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَعَى أَهْلُهَا إِلَى أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ فَكَلَّمَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِيهَا فَتَلَوَّنَ وَجْهُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ يُكَلِّمُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَتَشْفَعُ إِلَىَّ فِي حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِ " . فَقَالَ أُسَامَةُ اسْتَغْفِرْ لِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . ثُمَّ قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَشِيَّتَئِذٍ فَأَثْنَى عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ " أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّمَا هَلَكَ النَّاسُ قَبْلَكُمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا سَرَقَ الشَّرِيفُ فِيهِمْ تَرَكُوهُ وَإِذَا سَرَقَ الضَّعِيفُ فِيهِمْ أَقَامُوا عَلَيْهِ الْحَدَّ وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ لَوْ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ سَرَقَتْ لَقَطَعْتُ يَدَهَا " . ثُمَّ قَطَعَ تِلْكَ الْمَرْأَةَ .
A'isha Narrated from:
A woman borrowed some jewelry, saying that other people whose names were known but hers was not then she sold it and kept the money. She was brought to the Messenger of Allah, and her people went to Usamah bin Zaid, who spoke to the Messenger of Allah concerning her. The face of ht Messenger of Allah changed color while he was speaking to him. Then the Messenger of Allah said to him: 'Are you interceding with me concerning one of ht Hadd punishments decreed by Allah?' Usamah said: 'Pray for forgiveness for me, O Messenger of Allah!Then the Messenger of Allah stood up that evening, he praised and glorified Allah, the mighty and sublime, as he deserves, then he said: 'The people who came before you were destroyed because, whenever a noble person among them stole, they let him go. But if a low-class person stole, they would carry out the punishment on him. By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, if Fatimah bint Muhammad were to steal, I would cut off her hand.' Then he cut off that woman.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4898In-book reference : Book 46, Hadith 29English translation : Vol. 5, Book 46, Hadith 4902
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4898
This hadith gives one of the fuller reports of the Makhzumi woman's case. She borrowed jewelry using the names of known people while she herself was not known, then sold it and kept the money. Her people went to Usamah bin Zaid, who spoke to the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet's face changed, and he asked whether Usamah was interceding in one of Allah's Hadd punishments. Usamah asked for forgiveness. Later, the Prophet addressed the people and said that earlier people were destroyed because they spared noble thieves and punished weak thieves. He then said that if Fatimah bint Muhammad stole, he would cut off her hand. The central lesson is equal justice without favoritism.
What we learn from this hadith
- Intercession in a Hadd matter after it reaches authority is rejected in this narration.
- Selling borrowed jewelry and keeping the money is shown as a serious wrong.
- The Prophet publicly warned against selective justice.
- Usamah's request for forgiveness shows he accepted the Prophet's correction.
