Who will speak to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about her? They said: Who dare it, but Usama, the loved one of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? So Usama spoke to him. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Do you intercede regarding one of the punishments prescribed by Allah? He then stood up and addressed (people) saying: O people, those who have gone before you were destroyed, because if any one of high rank committed theft amongst them, they spared him; and it anyone of low rank committed theft, they inflicted the prescribed punishment upon him. By Allah, if Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would have her hand cut off. In the hadith transmitted on the authority of Ibn Rumh (the words are):" Verily those before you perished."
The Book of Legal Punishments - Sahih Muslim 1688a
This narration from Sahih Muslim presents a profound lesson regarding the implementation of divine punishments (hudud) and establishes the principle of absolute justice in Islamic law without regard to social status or personal relationships.
Context and Background
This incident occurred when a woman from the noble tribe of Makhzum committed theft, and her people sought intercession through Usama ibn Zayd, whom the Prophet particularly loved. The Prophet's reaction demonstrates that divine laws cannot be suspended through personal connections or social influence.
Scholarly Commentary
The Prophet's statement "Do you intercede regarding one of the punishments prescribed by Allah?" establishes that hudud are divine rights that cannot be compromised. His subsequent address reveals why previous nations were destroyed: they applied selective justice, sparing the elite while punishing the common people.
The declaration concerning his daughter Fatima serves as the ultimate demonstration that Islamic justice knows no exceptions, not even for the Prophet's own family. This establishes the principle that all Muslims stand equal before Islamic law.
Legal Principles Derived
1. Hudud punishments are divine ordinances that must be applied without discrimination
2. No intercession is permissible in matters of prescribed punishments
3. Equal application of law is essential for societal survival
4. Personal relationships cannot override divine legislation
5. The ruler must implement justice even upon their closest relatives
Historical Significance
This hadith established the foundation for Islamic criminal justice that would distinguish Muslim societies for centuries. It prevented the development of privileged classes immune from law enforcement and ensured that Islamic legal system maintained its integrity by applying equal standards to all members of society, regardless of wealth, power, or lineage.