46/6. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4900 — Equal Justice in Islam
Mentioning the Different Wordings Reported by Az-Zuhri about the Makhzumi Woman who Stole
Hadith About Equal Justice in Islam and Theft
Sunan an-Nasai : 4900
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4900
أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْجَوَّابِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمَّارُ بْنُ رُزَيْقٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أُمَيَّةَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ سَرَقَتِ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ مِنْ بَنِي مَخْزُومٍ فَأُتِيَ بِهَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالُوا مَنْ يُكَلِّمُهُ فِيهَا قَالُوا أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ . فَأَتَاهُ فَكَلَّمَهُ فَزَبَرَهُ وَقَالَ " إِنَّ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ كَانُوا إِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الشَّرِيفُ تَرَكُوهُ وَإِذَا سَرَقَ الْوَضِيعُ قَطَعُوهُ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ سَرَقَتْ لَقَطَعْتُهَا " .
A'isha Narrated from:
A woman of Quraish, from banu Makhzum, stole, and she was brought to the Prophet. They said: 'Who will speak to him concerning her?' They said: 'Usamah bin Zaid.' So he came to the Prophet and spoke to him. But he rebuked him, and he said; 'Among the Children of Israel, if a noble person stole, they would let him go. But if a low-class person stole, they would cut off his hand. By the One in whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, if Fatimah bint Muhammad were to steal, I would cut off her hand.""
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4900In-book reference : Book 46, Hadith 31English translation : Vol. 5, Book 46, Hadith 4904
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4900
This hadith about equal justice in Islam shows a firm stand against favoritism in matters of theft and punishment. A woman from Quraish, from Banu Makhzum, stole and was brought to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. People looked for someone to speak on her behalf, and Usamah bin Zaid came forward. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم rebuked him and gave a strong warning from the example of the Children of Israel: when a noble person stole, they left him, but when a low-status person stole, they punished him. The message is plain and powerful. Islamic justice is not based on family name, social rank, or public image. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم even mentioned Fatimah bint Muhammad to show that no one is above the law.
What we learn from this hadith
- Justice must not change because of a person’s social rank.
- Favoritism in legal matters is condemned in the text.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught that family ties do not cancel accountability.
- A community is harmed when the weak are punished but the powerful are excused.
