46/6. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4899 — Quraish Worried
Mentioning the Different Wordings Reported by Az-Zuhri about the Makhzumi Woman who Stole
Hadith About Quraish and the Makhzumi Woman
Sunan an-Nasai : 4899
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4899
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ قُرَيْشًا، أَهَمَّهُمْ شَأْنُ الْمَخْزُومِيَّةِ الَّتِي سَرَقَتْ فَقَالُوا مَنْ يُكَلِّمُ فِيهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالُوا وَمَنْ يَجْتَرِئُ عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ حِبُّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَكَلَّمَهُ أُسَامَةُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَتَشْفَعُ فِي حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِ " . ثُمَّ قَامَ فَخَطَبَ فَقَالَ " إِنَّمَا هَلَكَ الَّذِينَ قَبْلَكُمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الشَّرِيفُ تَرَكُوهُ وَإِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الضَّعِيفُ أَقَامُوا عَلَيْهِ الْحَدَّ وَايْمُ اللَّهِ لَوْ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ سَرَقَتْ لَقَطَعْتُ يَدَهَا " .
A'isha Narrated from:
Quraish were worried about the Mkahzumi woman who had stolen. They said; Who will speak to the Messenger of Allah concerning her?" They said: "Who would dare to do that except Usamah bin Zaid, the beloved of the Messenger of Allah?" so Usamah spoke to him and the Messenger of Allah said: "Are you interceding concerning one of the Hadd punishments decreed by Allah?"Then he stood up and addressed (the people) and said: "Those who came before you were destroyed because, whenever a noble person among them stole, they would let him go. But if a person who was weak stole, they would carry out the punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatimah the daughter of Muhammad were to steal, I would cut off her hand."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4899In-book reference : Book 46, Hadith 30English translation : Vol. 5, Book 46, Hadith 4903
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4899
This hadith about the Makhzumi woman shows how people reacted when someone from a respected group had stolen. Quraish were worried and asked who would speak to the Messenger of Allah about her. They chose Usamah bin Zaid because he was beloved to the Prophet. But the Prophet asked whether he was interceding concerning one of Allah's Hadd punishments. Then he addressed the people and explained that earlier nations were destroyed because they let noble thieves go and punished weak people. He swore that if Fatimah the daughter of Muhammad stole, he would cut off her hand. The narration is a direct warning against class-based justice and favoritism.
What we learn from this hadith
- Worry over a respected person's case did not change the ruling.
- Choosing Usamah as an intercessor did not make the request acceptable.
- The Prophet linked selective justice with the destruction of earlier people.
- The example of Fatimah shows that justice must not favor family or status.
