Hadith Text & Reference

"The hand of the thief is to be cut off for one-quarter of a Dinar or more."

Source: Sunan an-Nasa'i 4918 | Book: The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief

Legal Ruling (Hukm)

This hadith establishes the minimum value (nisab) for the implementation of the prescribed punishment (hadd) for theft. The ruling is that the hand is not to be cut for theft of property valued below one-quarter of a Dinar.

Value of One-Quarter Dinar

Scholars have determined that one-quarter of a gold Dinar, at the time of the Prophet (ﷺ), was equivalent to three silver Dirhams. In contemporary terms, scholars calculate this based on the prevailing value of gold, establishing a specific monetary threshold that must be stolen for the punishment to apply.

Conditions for Application

This punishment is not applied arbitrarily. Classical scholars stipulated numerous conditions that must be met, including: the thief being a sane adult, the property being stolen from a secure location (hirz), the thief having full ownership of the stolen item, and the value of the stolen property reaching the specified minimum.

Wisdom & Objective

The primary wisdom behind this severe punishment is the protection of society's wealth and property, which is one of the five essential objectives (maqasid) of Islamic Law. By establishing a strong deterrent, it safeguards the rights of individuals and maintains public order and security.