Riyad as-Salihin, 650

'Aishah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:

The Quraish were much worried about the case of a Makhzumiyah woman who had committed theft and wondered who should intercede for her with Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) (so that she would not get punished for her crime). Some said Usamah bin Zaid (May Allah be pleased with him) was his beloved and so he may dare do so. So Usamah(May Allah be pleased with him) spoke to him about that matter and the Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Do you intercede when one of the legal punishments ordained by Allah has been voilated?" Then he got up and addressed the people saying, "The people before you were ruined because when a noble person amongst them committed theft, they would leave him, but if a weak person amongst them committed theft, they would execute the legal punishment on him. By Allah, were Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad, to commit the theft, I would have cut off her hand." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

وعنها أن قريشاً أهمهم شأن المرأة المخزومية التى سرقت فقالوا‏:‏ من يكلم فيها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏؟‏ فقالوا‏:‏ من يجترئ عليه إلا أسامة بن زيد حب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏؟‏ فكلمة أسامة، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ “أتشفع في حد من حدود الله تعالى‏؟‏‏!‏” ثم قام فاختطب ثم قال‏:‏ “إنما أهلك من قبلكم أنهم كانوا إذا سرق فيهم الشريف تركوه، وإذا سرق فيهم الضعيف أقاموا عليه الحد‏!‏ وايم الله، لو أن فاطمة بنت محمد سرقت لقطعت يدها” ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏ ‏.‏

References1 variant

In-Book Reference: Introduction, Hadith 650

Sharh · explanationclick to expand

Guidance from the Hadith: 1) It is commendable to get angry for the sake of Allah. But anger for personal revenge or interests is mostly dispraised. 2) The high status of an offender should not spare him the legal punishment. The Shariah rulings should apply to the noble and the weak equally. 3) Discrimination between people in terms of the implementation of the legal punishments is an act of injustice, which throws nations into ruin. 4) It shows the great disapproval of negligence regarding the legal punishments and of those who allow them to be overlooked or intercede for this purpose regarding someone who deserves such a punishment. 5) It points out the status of Usāmah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) with the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). He was known as the Prophet’s beloved one, and so was his father Zayd ibn Hārithah (may Allah be pleased with him).

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