Sunan an-Nasa'i The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief

May Allah curse the thief who steals an egg and his hand is cut off for that, and he steals a rope and his hand is cut off for that

Chapter: The Seriousness of Theft

Authentic 3 scholars’ grades Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan an-Nasa'i 4873

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ الْمُخَرِّمِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، ح وَأَنْبَأَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِي مُعَاوِيَةَ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، رضى الله عنه قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏

"‏ لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ ‏"

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May Allah curse the thief who steals an egg and his hand is cut off for that, and he steals a rope and his hand is cut off for that."

Reported by An-Nasa’i (No. 4873), Al-Bukhari (No. 6783, 6799), Muslim (No. 1687a), Ibn Majah (No. 2583) and Ahmad (No. 7127).

Explanation

The Hadīth indicates that the curse, which is being expelled and distanced from Allah’s mercy, is applicable to thieves. This is because a thief steals insignificant things like an egg and a rope and becomes accustomed to stealing small things and ends up stealing bigger things. This causes his hand to be cut off, and he deserves the invocation of curse which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made against him, or the information that he is cursed.

Explanation in Arabic

أفاد الحديث أن اللعن -أي الطرد والإبعاد عن رحمة الله- لمن يسرق؛ لأنه يسرق الشيء الحقير مثل البيضة والحبل، إلا أن سارق هذه الأشياء اليسيرة لما تعوَّد على أخذها جره ذلك إلى سرقة ما هو أعظم منها، فكان ذلك سببًا في قطع يده، واستحقاق الدعاء عليه باللعن أو الإخبار بوقوع اللعن عليه.

جواز الدعاء باللعن على من سرق، وعلى أصحاب الكبائر عمومًا، ولكن الدعاء بلعن المعين لا يجوز, ولو تعلق به هذا الوصف.
وجوب قطع يد السارق، وأن ذلك لا ينافي الرحمة به.
أن المصلحة العامة تقدم على المصلحة الخاصة.

Classical commentary

Al-Sindi — Hashiyat al-Sindi on Sunan al-Nasa'i

( لَعَنَ اللَّه السَّارِق يَسْرِق الْبَيْضَة فَتُقْطَع يَده وَيَسْرِق الْحَبْل فَتُقْطَع يَده ) قَالَ النَّوَوِيّ قَالَ جَمَاعَة الْمُرَاد بِهَا بَيْضَة الْحَدِيد وَحَبْل السَّفِينَة كُلّ وَاحِد مِنْهُمَا لَهُ قِيمَة ظَاهِرَة وَلَيْسَ هَذَا السِّيَاق مَوْضِع اِسْتِعْمَالهمَا بَلْ بَلَاغَة الْكَلَام تَأْبَاهُ لِأَنَّهُ لَا يُذَمّ فِي الْعَادَة مَنْ خَاطَرَ بِيَدِهِ فِي شَيْء لَهُ قَدْر وَإِنَّمَا يُذَمّ مَنْ خَاطَرَ بِهَا فِيمَا لَا قَدْر لَهُ فَهُوَ مَوْضِع تَقْلِيل لَا تَكْثِير وَالصَّوَاب أَنَّ الْمُرَاد التَّنْبِيه عَلَى عِظَم مَا خَسِرَ وَهِيَ يَده فِي مُقَابَلَة حَقِير مِنْ الْمَال وَهُوَ رُبْع دِينَار فَإِنَّهُ يُشَارِك الْبَيْضَة وَالْحَبْل فِي الْحَقَارَة أَوْ أَرَادَ جِنْس الْبِيض و…

Scholar	Grade	Applies to	Work
Al-Albanid. 1420 AH	AuthenticSahih	The hadith	No. 4873
Zubair Ali Zaid. 1435 AH	AuthenticSahih Muslim	The hadith	No. 4873
Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghuddahd. 1417 AH	AuthenticSahih	The hadith	No. 4873

Grades of other versions (14)

AuthenticAl-Albani صحيح — صحيح ابن ماجه (2112)
AuthenticAl-Albani صحيح — صحيح الجامع (5097)
AuthenticAl-Albani صحيح — صحيح النسائي (4888)
Authentic chainShu'ayb al-Arna'ut إسناده صحيح على شرط الشيخين — تخريج المسند لشعيب (7436)
Authentic chainShu'ayb al-Arna'ut إسناده صحيح على شرط البخاري — تخريج صحيح ابن حبان (5748)
AuthenticAl-Bukhari صحيح — صحيح البخاري (6783)
AuthenticAl-Bukhari صحيح — صحيح البخاري (6799)
AuthenticMuslim صحيح — صحيح مسلم (1687)
AuthenticIbn al-Qayyim صحيح — زاد المعاد (5/45)
WeakIbn Abd al-Barr شاذ — الاستذكار (6/544)
AuthenticIbn al-Mulaqqin صحيح — الإعلام بفوائد عمدة الأحكام (9/209)
AuthenticIbn Hibban أخرجه في صحيحه — صحيح ابن حبان (5748)
Al-Daraqutni يرويه أبو بكرِ بنُ عيَّاشٍ، عن أبي حُصَينٍ، عن أبي صالِحٍ، عن أبي هُرَيرةَ، قاله سَهلُ بنُ خلَّادٍ عنه، ولا يُعرَفُ هذا عن أبي حُصَينٍ، وإنَّما رواه أبو بكرٍ وغَيرُه عن الأعمَشِ، عن أبي صالِحٍ، عن أبي هُرَيرةَ، وهو الصَّوابُ. — علل الدارقطني (1887)
ابن حزم احتج به ، وقال في المقدمة: (لم نحتج إلا بخبر صحيح من رواية الثقات مسند) — المحلى (11/356)

Other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6783

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah curses a man who steals an egg and gets his hand cut off, or steals a rope and gets his hands cut off." Al-A`mash said, "People used to interpret the Baida as an iron helmet, and they used to think that the rope may cost a few dirhams."

لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ، يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ، وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 6799

Allah 's Apostle said, "Allah curses the thief who steals an egg (or a helmet) for which his hand is to be cut off, or steals a rope, for which his hand is to be cut off."

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih Muslim 1687a

Let there be the curse of Allah upon the thief who steals an egg and his hand is cut off, and steals a rope and his hand is cut off.

لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Ibn Majah 2583

“May Allah curse the thief! He steals an egg and his hand is cut off, and he steals a rope and his hand is cut off”

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Musnad Ahmad 7127

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا الْأَعْمَشُ عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah Arabic only

Not graded Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Bulugh al-Maram 1230

"May Allah curse the thief who steals an egg for which his hand is cut off, or steals a rope for which his hand is to be cut off.' Agreed upon.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ‏- رضى الله عنه ‏- قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ ‏- صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏-{ لَعَنَ اَللَّهُ السَّارِقَ ؛ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ ، فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ ، وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ ، فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ }…

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

See all 7 versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Mishkat al-Masabih 3592

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, “God curse a thief who steals an egg and has his hand cut off, and steals a rope and has his hand cut off!”* (Bukhari and Muslim.) *It has been suggested that baida (egg or steel helmet) should have the latter meaning and that a ship’s rope should be…

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السارِقَ يسرقُ البيضةَ فتُقطعُ يَده وَيسْرق الْحَبل فتقطع يَده»

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Also reported by… (11)

الاستذكار (899)لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ ، يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ ، وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ
التحقيق في مسائل الخلاف لابن الجوزي (1950)لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ ، يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ ، فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ ، وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ ، فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ
السنن الصغير للبيهقي (1496)لَعَنَ اللَّهِ السَّارِقُ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ ، فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ ، وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ ، فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ
السنن الكبرى للبيهقي (15773)لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ ، وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ
السنن الكبرى للنسائي (7075)لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ ، فَتُقْطَعَ يَدُهُ ، وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ ، فَتُقْطَعَ يَدُهُ
المهروانيات والفوائد المنتخبة الصحاح والغرائب ليوسف بن محمد (147)لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ ، وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ
شرح السنة (2602)لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ ، فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ ، وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ ، فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ
صحيح ابن حبان (5867)لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ ، وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ
مستخرج أبي عوانة (4944)لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ ، وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ
مصنف ابن أبي شيبة (27536)لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ ؛ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ , وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ
معالم التنزيل تفسير البغوي (475)لَعَنَ اللَّهُ السَّارِقَ يَسْرِقُ الْبَيْضَةَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدَهُ , وَيَسْرِقُ الْحَبْلَ فَتُقْطَعُ يَدَهُ

May Allah curse the thief who steals an egg and his hand is cut off for that, and he steals a rope and his hand is cut off for that

Explanation

Explanation in Arabic

Classical commentary

Scholars’ grades

Other versions

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah curses a man who steals an egg and gets his hand cut off, or steals a rope and gets his hands cut off." Al-A`mash said, "People used to interpret the Baida as an iron helmet, and they used to think that the rope may cost a few dirhams."

Allah 's Apostle said, "Allah curses the thief who steals an egg (or a helmet) for which his hand is to be cut off, or steals a rope, for which his hand is to be cut off."

Let there be the curse of Allah upon the thief who steals an egg and his hand is cut off, and steals a rope and his hand is cut off.

“May Allah curse the thief! He steals an egg and his hand is cut off, and he steals a rope and his hand is cut off”

"May Allah curse the thief who steals an egg for which his hand is cut off, or steals a rope for which his hand is to be cut off.' Agreed upon.

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Explanation

Explanation in Arabic

Classical commentary

Scholars’ grades

Other versions

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah curses a man who steals an egg and gets his hand cut off, or steals a rope and gets his hands cut off." Al-A`mash said, "People used to interpret the Baida as an iron helmet, and they used to think that the rope may cost a few dirhams."

Allah 's Apostle said, "Allah curses the thief who steals an egg (or a helmet) for which his hand is to be cut off, or steals a rope, for which his hand is to be cut off."

Let there be the curse of Allah upon the thief who steals an egg and his hand is cut off, and steals a rope and his hand is cut off.

“May Allah curse the thief! He steals an egg and his hand is cut off, and he steals a rope and his hand is cut off”

"May Allah curse the thief who steals an egg for which his hand is cut off, or steals a rope for which his hand is to be cut off.' Agreed upon.

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