The punishment for theft in Islam

 

The Islamic system is an integrated whole, so the wisdom of the legislative details cannot be properly understood unless the nature of the system, its origins and principles are considered. Likewise, these details are not suitable for application unless the system is taken as a whole and implemented as a whole, this is in general. As for the punishment for theft: Islam establishes the right of every individual to life and his right to all means to preserve his life, and every person has the right to obtain these means: First, through work as long as he is able to work . If he is unable to obtain the means of life, then the Muslim community must provide him with what preserves his life, first from the expenses that are imposed on him by Sharia on those in his family who are able. Second, on those in his neighborhood who are able. Third, from the treasury of the Muslims from his right imposed on him in zakat in a mutual system for social care and social security. Islam is also strict in determining the means of collecting money, so individual ownership is not based on anything except what is permissible. Therefore, individual ownership in the Muslim community does not arouse the grudges of those who do not own, as everyone can become rich through the available legitimate means and the honorable competitive market. Islam educates people's consciences and morals, making their thinking directed towards work and earning, not theft , and thus preserves the interests of the individual and society together. So why does a thief steal under this system? He only steals for the sake of greed for wealth without working , and wealth is not sought in this way that terrifies the Muslim community in the House of Islam , deprives them of the peace of mind that they have the right to enjoy, and deprives the owners of lawful money of peace of mind about their lawful money. If a person steals after this, he does not steal and has an excuse, and no one should show him mercy when the crime is proven against him and his case is referred to the system. The human soul is naturally inclined to love money, and perhaps this is what drives most people to work and toil. Islam always corrects the motives of the soul so that it is controlled either by encouragement or intimidation. Hence, Islam urged people to earn lawful money and encouraged it and intimidated theft with this punishment , so that society, including the righteous and the wicked in it, may be straightened out. In the hadith [Verily, Allah restrains by the ruler what He does not restrain by the Qur’an]. Since cutting off the hand of a thief exposes him and brandes him with the stigma of theft and informs people of what he did, Islam has established a guard over those accused of theft. His hand is not cut off if there is suspicion that he stole, nor is his hand cut off for the stolen item if it is insignificant and not worthy of consideration, or if it is not in a safe place. Rather, in that case the thief is punished by beating or imprisonment, and his hand is not cut off. Among the controls that the Shariah has established for implementing the punishment of cutting off the hand of a thief are: First: The stolen item must be something of value, meaning that it has an economic significance in people’s lives. On the authority of Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), on the authority of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said: [The hand (i.e. the hand of a thief) is cut off for a quarter of a dinar or more .

 

 

Second: The stolen item must be kept in a safe place.

Third: There is no amputation or discretionary punishment for dates taken to eat by mouth. Fourth:

There is no amputation for stealing during famine, which is why Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) abolished amputation in the year of the ashes when famine was widespread.

Fifth: If a slave steals something, he should see whether his master is feeding him or not. If not, his master must pay double the price of the stolen item.
As our master Omar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) did with the servants of Ibn Hatib bin Abi Balta’ah when they stole the camel of a man from Muzaynah. He ordered their amputation, but when it became clear to him that their master was starving them, he averted the punishment from them and fined their master double the price of the camel as a discipline. The rule is that punishments are averted by doubts. Thus, the punishments of Islam should be understood in light of its comprehensive system that takes precautions before taking precautions. The limits prevent the occurrence of crime, and therefore we see throughout Islamic history and over a wide area of ​​Muslim countries that the punishment for theft was not applied except within the narrowest limits and in a very limited number not exceeding dozens with all these millions of people, as it has become established in the conscience of Muslims that theft is a crime among the bad crimes that threaten social security and society itself, such that it deserves such a physical punishment that is similar to the death penalty, and the greater the sin and crime, the greater the punishment.

 

 

 

 

 

Secondly, if the Islamic system is organized, work is obligatory, and money is collected from the rich according to what Allah has prescribed and given to the poor, then the whole society will be organized and there will be no strife or hatred. As for theft, its main cause is strife, hatred, and dissatisfaction with what Allah has apportioned, or the rich person not paying what Allah has obligated upon him of zakat. As for the punishment, as you mentioned, my sister, it is not cutting off the hand. In general, Allah is not unjust to the slaves, and theft is not proven by mere suspicion or doubt.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The limit of theft in Christianity..!!!

A gift for every Christian who objects to cutting off the hand of a thief in Islam. The

punishment for theft in Christianity

is burning, stoning, and cutting off the hand..!

Joshua Chapter 7
15 (And he who is caught in an unlawful act shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has, because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, and because he has committed an abomination in Israel)


Interpretation of the text by Father Tadros Yacoub Malti


Saint Athanasius the Apostolic says: [ When Achan was accused of theft, he did not protest that he was zealous in wars, but when his transgression was proven, the whole people stoned him with stones[132] ]

And finally it became a living lesson for all generations regarding the believer’s commitment to eradicate every trace of sin in his life without discussion. Joshua, son of Nun, destroyed every trace of Achan and all his wealth , so that we may surrender our inner lives and behavior into the hands of our living God Jesus, who alone can uproot the roots of our sins, leaving no trace of evil or the likeness of evil in us. Let us hold fast to the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which every stumbling block in us is cut off, so that we do not perish, remembering the commandment of the Lord to us: “If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from
you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you...” (Matthew 5:29, 30). And if your right hand causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you...” (Matthew 5:29, 30). And if your right hand causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you...” (Matthew 5:29, 30). And if your right hand causes you to stumble, pluck it off and throw it from you... (Matthew 5:29, 30). And if your right hand causes you to stumble, pluck it off and throw it from you... (Matthew 5:29, 30).