English Translation

Yahya (upon him be peace) related to me from Malik from Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr ibn Hazim that Amra bint Abd ar-Rahman said, "Hadrat A'isha, the wife of the Prophet went out to Makka and she had two girl mawlas of hers and a slave belonging to the sons of Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr as-Siddiq . She sent a figured cloak with the two mawlas which was sewn up in a piece of green cloth." Amra continued, "The slave took it and unstitched it and took out the cloak. In its place, he put some felt or skin and sewed it up again. When the mawla girls came to Madina, they gave it to his people. When they opened it, they found felt in it and did not find the cloak. They spoke to the two women and they spoke to Hadrat A'isha, the wife of the Prophet or they wrote to her and suspected the slave. The slave was asked about it and confessed. Hadrat A'isha, the wife of the Noble Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave the order and his hand was cut off. Hadrat A'isha said, 'A thief's hand is cut off for a quarter of a dinar and upwards.' " Malik said, "The limit I prefer above which cutting off the hand is obliged is three dirhams, whether the exchange is high or low. That is because the Beloved Messenger of Allah cut off the hand of a thief for a shield whose value was three dirhams, and Hadrat Uthman ibn Affan cut off the hand of a thief for a citron which was estimated at three dirhams. This is what I prefer of what I have heard on the matter."