46/15. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4978 — Repeated Theft and Narrator Warning
Cutting off the hands and feet of the thief
Hadith About Repeated Thief with An-Nasa'i's Hadith Note
Sunan an-Nasai : 4978
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4978
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ عَقِيلٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا جَدِّي، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُصْعَبُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْمُنْكَدِرِ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ جِيءَ بِسَارِقٍ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " اقْتُلُوهُ " . فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا سَرَقَ . قَالَ " اقْطَعُوهُ " . فَقُطِعَ ثُمَّ جِيءَ بِهِ الثَّانِيَةَ فَقَالَ " اقْتُلُوهُ " . فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا سَرَقَ . قَالَ " اقْطَعُوهُ " . فَقُطِعَ فَأُتِيَ بِهِ الثَّالِثَةَ فَقَالَ " اقْتُلُوهُ " . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا سَرَقَ . فَقَالَ " اقْطَعُوهُ " . ثُمَّ أُتِيَ بِهِ الرَّابِعَةَ فَقَالَ " اقْتُلُوهُ " . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا سَرَقَ . قَالَ " اقْطَعُوهُ " . فَأُتِيَ بِهِ الْخَامِسَةَ قَالَ " اقْتُلُوهُ " . قَالَ جَابِرٌ فَانْطَلَقْنَا بِهِ إِلَى مِرْبَدِ النَّعَمِ وَحَمَلْنَاهُ فَاسْتَلْقَى عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ ثُمَّ كَشَّرَ بِيَدَيْهِ وَرِجْلَيْهِ فَانْصَدَعَتِ الإِبِلُ ثُمَّ حَمَلُوا عَلَيْهِ الثَّانِيَةَ فَفَعَلَ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ حَمَلُوا عَلَيْهِ الثَّالِثَةَ فَرَمَيْنَاهُ بِالْحِجَارَةِ فَقَتَلْنَاهُ ثُمَّ أَلْقَيْنَاهُ فِي بِئْرٍ ثُمَّ رَمَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ بِالْحِجَارَةِ . قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ وَهَذَا حَدِيثٌ مُنْكَرٌ وَمُصْعَبُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ لَيْسَ بِالْقَوِيِّ فِي الْحَدِيثِ وَاللَّهُ تَعَالَى أَعْلَمُ .
Jabir bin `Abdullah Narrated from:
A thief was brought to the Messenger of Allah and he said: 'Kill him.' They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, he only stole.' He said: 'Cut off (his hand).' So his hand was cut off. Then he was brought a second time and he said: 'Kill him.' They said; 'O Messenger of Allah, he only stole.' He said: 'Cut off (his foot).' So his foot was cut off.He was brought to him a third time and he said: 'Kill him.' They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, he only stole. He said: 'Cut off (his other hand).' Then he was brought to him a fourth time and he said: Kill him.' They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, he only stole.' He said: 'Cut off (his other foot).'He was brought to him a fifth time and he said: "So we took him to an animal pen and attacked him. He lay down on his back then waved his arms and legs (in the air), and the camels ran away. Then they attacked him a second time and he did the same thing, then they attacked him a third time, and we threw stones at him and killed him, then we threw him into a well and threw stones on top of him."(Hasan) Abu 'Abdur-Rahman (An-Nasai) said: This Hadith is Munkar, Musab bin Thabit is not strong in Hadith.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4978In-book reference : Book 46, Hadith 108English translation : Vol. 5, Book 46, Hadith 4981
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4978
This hadith about a repeated thief reports that a thief was brought to the Messenger of Allah several times. Each time the Prophet said, "Kill him," the people said that he had only stolen, and cutting was carried out until the fifth time, when the killing was done. The narration then describes how the people took him to an animal pen and killed him with stones, then threw him into a well. This version also contains An-Nasa'i's note that the hadith is munkar and that Mus'ab bin Thabit is not strong in hadith. So the content must be handled with care: it is a reported event and also includes a clear criticism note.
What we learn from this hadith
- The narration describes repeated stealing and repeated punishment.
- The people asked for clarification each time by saying that he had only stolen.
- The text includes An-Nasa'i's warning that this hadith is munkar.
