46/6. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4902 — Intercession and Allah’s Limits
Mentioning the Different Wordings Reported by Az-Zuhri about the Makhzumi Woman who Stole
Hadith About Intercession in Hadd Punishment
Sunan an-Nasai : 4902
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4902
قَالَ الْحَارِثُ بْنُ مِسْكِينٍ قِرَاءَةً عَلَيْهِ وَأَنَا أَسْمَعُ، عَنِ ابْنِ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَنَّ عُرْوَةَ بْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَخْبَرَهُ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ امْرَأَةً، سَرَقَتْ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي غَزْوَةِ الْفَتْحِ فَأُتِيَ بِهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَكَلَّمَهُ فِيهَا أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ فَلَمَّا كَلَّمَهُ تَلَوَّنَ وَجْهُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَتَشْفَعُ فِي حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِ " . فَقَالَ لَهُ أُسَامَةُ اسْتَغْفِرْ لِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ . فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْعَشِيُّ قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَثْنَى عَلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ " أَمَّا بَعْدُ إِنَّمَا هَلَكَ النَّاسُ قَبْلَكُمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الشَّرِيفُ تَرَكُوهُ وَإِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الضَّعِيفُ أَقَامُوا عَلَيْهِ الْحَدَّ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ " وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَوْ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ سَرَقَتْ قَطَعْتُ يَدَهَا " .
A'isha Narrated from:
A woman stole at the time of the Messenger of Allah, during the Conquest, and she was brought to the Messenger of Allah. Usamah bin Zaid spoke to him concerning her. But when he spoke to him, the face of the Messenger of Allah changed color, and the Messenger of Allah said: "Are you interceding concerning one of the Hadd punishment decreed by Allah?" Isa,aj said to him: "O Messenger of Allah ask Allah to forgive me!"When evening came, the Messenger of Allah stood up and 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 would let him go. But if one who was weak stole, they would carry out the Hadd punishment on him." Then he said: "By the One in whose hand is my soul, if Fatimah bint Muhammad were to steal, I would cut off her hand."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4902In-book reference : Book 46, Hadith 33English translation : Vol. 5, Book 46, Hadith 4906
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4902
This hadith about intercession in Hadd punishment adds more detail to the case. A woman stole during the time of the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, during the Conquest, and Usamah bin Zaid spoke to him concerning her. The Prophet’s face changed color, and he asked whether Usamah was interceding concerning one of the Hadd punishments decreed by Allah. Usamah then asked the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم to seek forgiveness for him. Later, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم stood, praised Allah, and explained that earlier people were destroyed because they let a noble thief go but punished a weak thief. The teaching is careful and direct: personal influence must not be used to block justice where the text describes a Hadd matter.
What we learn from this hadith
- Intercession is not treated lightly when a Hadd punishment is involved.
- Usamah’s request for forgiveness shows that a mistake can be acknowledged.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم publicly corrected a harmful pattern of unequal justice.
- The text links social favoritism with the downfall of earlier people.
