‘A’isha, the wife of Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him), reported that the Quraish were concerned about the woman who had committed theft during the lifetime of Allah’s Apostle (may peace be upon him), in the expedition of Victory (of Mecca). They said: Who would speak to Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) about her? They (again) said: Who can dare do this but Usama b Zaid, the loved one of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him)? She was brought to Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) and Usama b. Zaid spoke about her to him (interceded on her behalf). The colour of the face of Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) changed, and he said: Do you intercede in one of the prescribed punishments of Allah? He (Usama) said: ‘Messenger of Allah, seek forgiveness for me. When it was dusk. Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) stood up and gave an address. He (first) glorified Allah as He deserves, and then said: Now to our topic. This (injustice) destroyed those before you that when any one of (high) rank committed theft among them, they spared him, and when any weak one among them committed theft, they inflicted the prescribed punishment upon him. By Him in Whose Hand is my life, even if Fatima daughter of Muhammad were to commit theft, I would have cut off her hand. He (the Holy Prophet) then commanded about that woman who had committed theft, and her hand was cut off. ‘A’isha (further) said: Hers was a good respentance, and she later on married and used to come to me after that, and I conveyed her needs (and problems) to Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him).
Hadith In Arabic Text :
وحدثني أبو الطاهر، وحرملة بن يحيى، – واللفظ لحرملة – قالا أخبرنا ابن، وهب قال أخبرني يونس بن يزيد، عن ابن شهاب، قال أخبرني عروة بن الزبير، عن عائشة، زوج النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم أن قريشا أهمهم شأن المرأة التي سرقت في عهد النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في غزوة الفتح فقالوا من يكلم فيها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقالوا ومن يجترئ عليه إلا أسامة بن زيد حب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم . فأتي بها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فكلمه فيها أسامة بن زيد فتلون وجه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فقال ” أتشفع في حد من حدود الله ” . فقال له أسامة استغفر لي يا رسول الله . فلما كان العشي قام رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فاختطب فأثنى على الله بما هو أهله ثم قال ” أما بعد فإنما أهلك الذين من قبلكم أنهم كانوا إذا سرق فيهم الشريف تركوه وإذا سرق فيهم الضعيف أقاموا عليه الحد وإني والذي نفسي بيده لو أن فاطمة بنت محمد سرقت لقطعت يدها ” . ثم أمر بتلك المرأة التي سرقت فقطعت يدها . قال يونس قال ابن شهاب قال عروة قالت عائشة فحسنت توبتها بعد وتزوجت وكانت تأتيني بعد ذلك فأرفع حاجتها إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم .
Chapter : The Book Pertaining to Punishments Prescribed by Islam – كتاب الحدود