The Quraish were anxious about the Makhzumi woman who had committed theft, They said : Who will speak to the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) about her ? Then they said: Who will be bold enough for it but Uasmah bin Zaid, the prophet’s (ﷺ) friend! So Usamah spoke to him, and the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said : Are you interceding regarding one of the punishments prescribed by Allah ? He then got up and gave an address, saying : What destroyed your predecessors was just that when a person of rank among them committed a theft, They left him alone , and when a weak one of them committed a theft, they inflicted the prescribed punishment on him . I swear by Allah that if Fatimah daughter of Muhammad should steal, I would have her hand cut off.
Hadith Commentary: The Makhzumi Woman's Theft
This narration from Sunan Abi Dawud 4373 in the Book of Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud) demonstrates the absolute justice and equality Islam establishes before the law. The Quraysh's anxiety reveals pre-Islamic tribal mentality where noble lineage provided immunity from punishment.
Scholarly Analysis of Legal Principles
The Prophet's rhetorical question "Are you interceding regarding one of the punishments prescribed by Allah?" establishes that Hudud are divine rights not subject to human mediation or tribal preferences.
His declaration about Fatimah demonstrates that Islamic law knows no aristocracy - all stand equal before divine legislation, regardless of social status or proximity to prophethood.
Historical Context & Wisdom
The reference to "what destroyed your predecessors" connects this incident to universal historical patterns where civilizations crumble when they establish dual justice systems for elites and commoners.
Classical scholars emphasize that this hadith establishes the principle of legal equality as fundamental to Islamic governance and social stability, preventing the corruption that plagued earlier nations.