17/6. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1430 — Equal Justice Against Theft
What Has Been Related About It Being Disliked To Intercede In Legal Punishments
Hadith About Equal Justice in Islam
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1430
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1430
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ قُرَيْشًا، أَهَمَّهُمْ شَأْنُ الْمَرْأَةِ الْمَخْزُومِيَّةِ الَّتِي سَرَقَتْ فَقَالُوا مَنْ يُكَلِّمُ فِيهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالُوا مَنْ 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 فَاخْتَطَبَ فَقَالَ " إِنَّمَا أَهْلَكَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الشَّرِيفُ تَرَكُوهُ وَإِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الضَّعِيفُ أَقَامُوا عَلَيْهِ الْحَدَّ وَايْمُ اللَّهِ لَوْ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ سَرَقَتْ لَقَطَعْتُ يَدَهَا " . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ مَسْعُودِ ابْنِ الْعَجْمَاءِ وَيُقَالُ مَسْعُودُ بْنُ الأَعْجَمِ وَابْنِ عُمَرَ وَجَابِرٍ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى حَدِيثُ عَائِشَةَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
A'isha Narrated from:
The Quraish Were Troubled By The Affair Of A Woman From The Tribe Of Makhzum Who Stole. So They Said: 'Who Will Speak About Her To The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ)?' They Said: 'Who Can Do It Other Than Usamah Bin Zaid, The One Dear To The Messenger Of Allah?' So Usamah Spoke With Him, The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said: 'Do You Intercede About A Penalty From Allah'S Penalties?'Then He Stood Up And Addressed The People Saying: 'Those Before You Were Only Destroyed Because They Used To Leave A Noble Person If He Stole. And If A Weak Person Stole They Would Establish The Penalty Upon Him. And By Allah! If Fatimah Bint Muhammad Stole, Then I Would Cut Off Her Hand.
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1430In-book reference : Book 17, Hadith 10English translation : Vol. 3, Book 15, Hadith 1430
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1430
This hadith about equal justice tells the story of a Makhzumi woman who stole. The Quraish wanted someone to speak to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم about her, and Usamah bin Zaid spoke to him. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked, "Do you intercede about a penalty from Allah's penalties?" Then he addressed the people. He said that earlier people were destroyed because when a noble person stole, they left him, but when a weak person stole, they applied the penalty. He then swore that if Fatimah bint Muhammad stole, he would cut off her hand. The message is clear: justice must not depend on status.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم rejected intercession in a legal penalty after it reached that stage.
- The hadith warns against treating noble and weak people differently.
- Class-based favoritism in justice is described as a cause of destruction.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used his own family example to show fairness.
