What is stealing ?
To take something without the knowledge and permission of its owner is theft or stealing. If a book or a pen of a classmate is taken without his permission, then it is theft. Similarly at home, money taken without the permission of parents is stealing.
Stealing is a great sin
Stealing is not only a very bad habit but also a great sin. Stealing even a needle is Haram (prohibited) for a Muslim. By stealing one seeks to gain something to which he has no legal right.
Prophet Muhammad (ï·º) said, "A thief is not a believer at the time of stealing". Allah is watching us all the time, and everywhere. One who steals seems to think that Allah is just as unaware of his act as owner of the goods which he is stealing. Although Allah is watching him, his heart is free from Allah's fear.
The Outcome of Stealing
The stolen goods are never blessed. In addition, stealing brings shame and ill-fame to the thief when caught. The thief may also land up in Hell. There was a man called Karkara who looked after the family and the belongings of Prophet (ï·º). The man died and Allah's Messenger (ï·º) said, "He is in the (Hell) fire." When the people visited his house, they found in his place a cloak he had stolen from the war-booty.
Punishment for Stealing
The right hand of the thief is cut off. If he steals again then his/her left hand is also cut off. The hands of a thief are not cut off if the stolen goods are not worth a certain minimum value.
This punishment appears to be severe but in fact it is not. Allah is Most Merciful. He has ordered this punishment in order to protect our wealth from theft. The fear of losing his hand will stop a thief from stealing. Those who find this punishment harsh feel sorry only for the thief. They do not feel sorry for the person whose hard-earned money is stolen and who remains unable to enjoy the fruit of his hard work.
What does Qur'an say about stealing ?
Allah has commanded that the hand of a thief be cut. The Holy Qur'an says:
"[As for] the thief, the male and the female, amputate their hands in recompense for what they earned [i.e., committed] as a deterrent [punishment] from Allah. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise."
[Al-Ma'idah:38]
If someone is forced to steal due to adverse circumstances, then he can be forgiven. During the caliphate of Umar R there was famine. Many people committed theft to meet their requirements but their hands were not cut off. Similarly, if a person does not provide enough provision for his family then some money can be taken from his possession without his knowledge to meet the requirements.
The wife of Abu Sufyan R Hind Bint Utba R came to Prophet (ï·º) and said, "O Allah's Messenger! Abu Sufyan R is a miser. Is there any harm if I spend something from his property for our children? Prophet (ï·º) replied, "There is no harm for you if you feed them from it justly and reasonably (with no extravagance)"
Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is Rahmatul Lil Aalameen (Mercy for Worlds). But he never relaxed punishments. The people of the Quraish were worried about a lady from Bani Makhzüm who had committed theft. They asked Usama Ibn Zaid R to plead for her pardon with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). When Usama R spoke about that to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), he said, "Do you try to plead for somebody in a case connected with Allah's prescribed punishments?" Then he got up and delivered a sermon saying, "What destroyed the nations preceding you, was that if a noble amongst them stole, they would forgive him, and if a poor person amongst them stole, they would inflict Allah's legal punishment on him By Allah, if Fatima R, the daughter of Muhammad (ﷺ) were to steal, I would cut off her hand"
A young man who had committed theft was brought before Umar R. After investigation he ordered that the hand of the thief be cut off. The thief said that this was his first crime and asked for forgiveness and promised that he will never steal again. Umar R said, "You are lying. You have committed thefts many times before." The thief kept repeating his words and Umar R gave him the same answer each time. Finally the thief accepted that it was not his first crime and asked Umar R Nobody except myself and Allah know that I have been committing thefts. How did you come to know about Umar R replied, "Allah does not humiliate and put to shame a person unless his evil exceeds the limit." Hence getting caught indicates that the young man had committed thefts many times before.
Allah had asked Prophet Muhammad (ï·º) to take an oath from women, who accept the faith, that they would not steal. Prophet (ï·º) took oath from his companions that they will not commit theft. Let us also take oath that we shall never steal.
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Allah and his messenger knows best
Good information
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