"The hand of the thief is to be cut off for one-quarter of a Dinar or more."
The Book of Cutting off the Hand of the Thief
Sunan an-Nasa'i - Hadith 4920
Hadith Text
"The hand of the thief is to be cut off for one-quarter of a Dinar or more."
Legal Value Threshold
One-quarter Dinar represents the nisab (minimum value) for theft requiring hand amputation. Classical scholars calculated this as equivalent to three Dirhams of pure silver. This amount was substantial in early Islamic society, ensuring the punishment applied only to significant theft, not minor infractions.
Conditions for Application
Scholars established strict conditions: the stolen property must reach the nisab, be taken from a secure location (hirz), and the thief must have full legal capacity. The punishment does not apply to items of ambiguous ownership or necessities taken during genuine need.
Wisdom Behind the Legislation
This divinely-prescribed punishment serves multiple purposes: protecting societal wealth, deterring crime, and establishing justice. The specific value threshold ensures proportionality between crime and punishment, reflecting Islam's balanced approach to criminal justice that considers both individual rights and communal welfare.