Hadith on Hudud (Prescribed Punishments)

20 hadith in the six books

Hudud (singular hadd, literally “limit”) are the punishments fixed in the Qur'an and Sunnah for specific offences such as theft, unlawful sexual intercourse, false accusation and drinking wine. Each of the six books has a Kitab al-Hudud or an equivalent book on theft.

This page lists the most cited narrations: the minimum value for cutting the thief's hand (a quarter of a dinar), the Prophet's response when Usama ibn Zayd interceded for the Makhzumi woman who stole, and reports on pardoning, averting and limiting punishments.

The hand is cut for a quarter of a dinar

Aisha narrates the threshold for cutting the thief's hand: a quarter of a dinar or more.

Bukhari · 6789تُقْطَعُ الْيَدُ فِي رُبُعِ دِينَارٍ ، فَصَاعِدًاThe Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The hand should be cut off for stealing something that is worth a quarter of a Dinar or more."9 narrators·parallel chain Muslim · 4400لَا تُقْطَعُ يَدُ السَّارِقِ إِلَّا فِي رُبْعِ دِينَارٍ فَصَاعِدًاA'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:The hand of a thief should not be cut off but for a quarter of a dinar and upwards9 narrators Abu Dawud · 4384تُقْطَعُ يَدُ السَّارِقِ فِي رُبُعِ دِينَارٍ فَصَاعِدًاAishah reported the prophet ﷺ as saying: A thief’s hand should be cut off for a quarter of a dinar and upwards. Ahmed bin Salih said: The amputation (of a thief’s hand) is for a quarter of a dinar and upwards.9 narrators·parallel chain Nasa'i · 4921تُقْطَعُ يَدُ السَّارِقِ فِي رُبْعِ دِينَارٍ فَصَاعِدًاIt was narrated from 'Aishah that the Messenger of Allah said:"The hand of the thief is to be cut off for a quarter of a Dinar, or more7 narrators Tirmidhi · 1445يَقْطَعُ فِي رُبُعِ دِينَارٍ فَصَاعِدًاNarrated 'Aishah:That the Prophet (ﷺ) used to cut the hand for a fourth of a Dinar and beyond that5 narrators Ibn Majah · 2585لَا تُقْطَعُ الْيَدُ إِلَّا فِي رُبُعِ دِينَارٍ فَصَاعِدًاIt was narrated from Aishah that the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) said:“Do not cut off (the thief's hand) except for something worth one quarter of a Dinar or more5 narrators

Intercession in hudud: Usama and the Makhzumi woman

Quraysh asked Usama ibn Zayd to speak for a woman of Banu Makhzum who had stolen; the Prophet replied, “Do you intercede regarding one of the hudud of Allah?”

Bukhari · 6788أَنَّ قُرَيْشًا أَهَمَّتْهُمُ الْمَرْأَةُ الْمَخْزُومِيَّةُ الَّتِي سَرَقَتْ ، فَقَالُوا : مَنْ يُكَلِّمُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، وَمَنْ يَجْتَرِئُ عَلَيْهِ ، إِلَّا أُسَامَةُ بْنُ زَيْدٍ ، حِThe Quraish people became very worried about the Makhzumiya lady who had committed theft. They said, "Nobody can speak (in favor of the lady) to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and nobody dares do that except Usama who is the favo5 narrators Muslim · 4410أَنَّ قُرَيْشًا أَهَمَّهُمْ شَأْنُ الْمَرْأَةِ الْمَخْزُومِيَّةِ الَّتِي سَرَقَتْ ، فَقَالُوا : مَنْ يُكَلِّمُ فِيهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ؟ ، فَقَالُوا : وَمَنْ يَجْتَرِئُ عَلَيْهِ إِلَّا أُA'isha reported that the Quraish had been anxious about the Makhzumi woman who had committed theft, and said:Who will speak to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about her? They said: Who dare it, but Usama, the loved one of Allah's 7 narrators·parallel chain Abu Dawud · 4373يَا أُسَامَةُ أَتَشْفَعُ فِي حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِ ، ثُمَّ قَامَ فَاخْتَطَبَ ، فَقَالَ : إِنَّمَا هَلَكَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الشَّرِيفُ تَرَكُوهُ وَإِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ اAishah said: 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 Zaid6 narrators·parallel chain Tirmidhi · 1430أَتَشْفَعُ فِي حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِNarrated 'Aishah:"The Quraish were troubled by the affair of a woman from the tribe of Makhzum who stole. So they said: 'Who will speak about her to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?' They said: 'Who can do it other than Usama5 narrators Nasa'i · 4903أَتَشْفَعُ فِي حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِ ، ثُمَّ قَامَ فَخَطَبَ , فَقَالَ :It was narrated from 'Aishah that Quraish were worried about the Mkahzumi woman who had stolen. They said; Who will speak to the Messenger of Allah concerning her?" They said:"Who would dare to do that except Usamah bin 5 narrators Ibn Majah · 2547أَتَشْفَعُ فِي حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِ ؟ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَاخْتَطَبَ ، فَقَالَ :It was narrated from 'Aishah :that Quraish became concerned about the case of the Makhzumi woman who had stolen, and they said: “Who will speak to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) concerning her?” They said: “Who would dare to5 narrators

Pardoning before a case reaches the ruler

Abu Dawud · 4376تَعَافُّوا الْحُدُودَ فِيمَا بَيْنَكُمْ فَمَا بَلَغَنِي مِنْ حَدٍّ فَقَدْ وَجَبَNarrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As: The Prophet ﷺ said: Forgive the infliction of prescribed penalties among yourselves, for any prescribed penalty of which I hear must be carried out.6 narrators Nasa'i · 4890تَعَافَوْا الْحُدُودَ فِيمَا بَيْنَكُمْ ، فَمَا بَلَغَنِي مِنْ حَدٍّ فَقَدْ وَجَبَIt was narrated from 'Amr bin Shu'aib from his father, from' Abdullah bin 'Amr that the Messenger of Allah said:"Pardon matters among yourselves that may deserve a Hadd punishment, for whatever is brought to my attention6 narrators

Averting hudud where possible

Tirmidhi · 1424ادْرَءُوا الْحُدُودَ عَنِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ , فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُ مَخْرَجٌ فَخَلُّوا سَبِيلَهُ , فَإِنَّ الْإِمَامَ أَنْ يُخْطِئَ فِي الْعَفْوِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يُخْطِئَ فِي الْعُقُوبَةِNarrated 'Aishah: that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "Avert the legal penalties from the Muslims as much as possible, if he has a way out then leave him to his way, for if the Imam makes a mistake in forgiving it would be 9 narrators·parallel chain

The punishment as expiation

Bukhari · 18بَايِعُونِي عَلَى أَنْ لَا تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا ، وَلَا تَسْرِقُوا ، وَلَا تَزْنُوا ، وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُمْ ، وَلَا تَأْتُوا بِبُهْتَانٍ تَفْتَرُونَهُ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَأَرْجُلِكُمْ ، وَلَا تَعْصُوا فwho took part in the battle of Badr and was a Naqib (a person heading a group of six persons), on the night of Al-'Aqaba pledge Allah's Apostle said while a group of his companions were around him, "Swear allegiance to m5 narrators

Establishing the hudud

Ibn Majah · 2540أَقِيمُوا حُدُودَ اللَّهِ فِي الْقَرِيبِ وَالْبَعِيدِ وَلَا تَأْخُذْكُمْ فِي اللَّهِ لَوْمَةُ لَائِمٍIt was narrated from `Ubadah bin Samit that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:“Carry out the legal punishments on relatives and strangers, and do not let the fear of blame stop you from carrying out the command of Allah (S6 narrators Ibn Majah · 2538حَدٌّ يُعْمَلُ بِهِ فِي الْأَرْضِ خَيْرٌ لِأَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ مِنْ أَنْ يُمْطَرُوا أَرْبَعِينَ صَبَاحًاIt was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:“A legal punishment that is carried out in the land is better for the people of that land than if it were to rain for forty days.”6 narrators

No more than ten lashes outside a hadd

Bukhari · 6848لَا يُجْلَدُ فَوْقَ عَشْرِ جَلَدَاتٍ ، إِلَّا فِي حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِThe Prophet (ﷺ) used to say, "Nobody should be flogged more than ten stripes except if he is guilty of a crime, the legal punishment of which is assigned by Allah."7 narrators Muslim · 4460لَا يُجْلَدُ أَحَدٌ فَوْقَ عَشَرَةِ أَسْوَاطٍ إِلَّا فِي حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِAbu Barda Ansari reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:None should be given more than ten lashes, but in case of any Hadd out of the Huded of Allah8 narrators