It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cut off a hand for the theft of a shield, the price of which was three dirhams.

It is narrated from Abdullah bin Abdur Rahman Makki that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The hand will not be cut off for taking fruit hanging on a tree, or for a goat wandering on a mountain. But when the goat comes into its home, or the fruit is picked and placed somewhere to be eaten, then if someone steals it, the hand will be cut off, provided its value is equal to that of a shield." (That is, three dirhams or more.)

It is narrated from Hazrat Amrah bint Abdur Rahman that a man stole a citron (lemon or a sour fruit or a fruit of the orange family) during the time of Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) had its price assessed, and it came to three dirhams at the rate of twelve dirhams per dinar. So Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) had his hand cut off.

Umm al-Mu'minin Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "It has not been a long time, nor have I forgotten, that the thief's hand is to be cut off for a quarter dinar or more."

It is narrated from Hazrat Amrah bint Abdur Rahman that Ummul Momineen Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) went to Makkah. With her were two slave girls whom she had freed (mawla) and a slave who was from the children of Abdullah bin Abi Bakr. Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) sent a sheet from Makkah through the hands of those two slave girls, on which there were pictures of men, and it was sewn up wrapped in a green cloth. What the slave did was, he unstitched the seam of the cloth, took out the sheet from it, and in its place put a bag or a sheepskin, and then sewed it up again. When those slave girls came to Madinah and handed over the trust to whom Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) had instructed, they unstitched it and saw that it was felt, not the sheet. They asked the slave girls, and the slave girls informed Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) or wrote to her, and expressed their suspicion about the slave. When the slave was questioned, he confessed. Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) ordered his hand to be cut off, and his hand was cut off. Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The hand is cut off for a quarter dinar or more.

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: In my view, when a thief steals property worth three dirhams, it becomes obligatory to cut his hand, because the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered the hand to be cut for a shield whose price was three dirhams, and Sayyiduna Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, ordered the hand to be cut for a citron (a type of lemon fruit) whose price was three dirhams. This is the best that I have heard.

It is narrated from Nafi‘ that a slave of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) had run away and committed theft. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) sent this slave to Sa‘id bin al-‘As, who was the governor of Madinah, to have his hand cut off. Sa‘id bin al-‘As refused and said: When someone runs away, his hand is not cut off. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: In which Book of Allah did you find this ruling? Then Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) ordered, and his hand was cut off.

Hazrat Zuraiq bin Hakeem apprehended a runaway slave who had committed theft. Then this issue seemed difficult to him, so he wrote to Umar bin Abdul Aziz, who was the Amir al-Mu'mineen at that time, and he also wrote that he had heard that if a slave runs away and then commits theft, his hand should not be cut off. Umar bin Abdul Aziz replied in writing and referred to his letter and said: You have written that you heard that if a slave is a runaway and commits theft, his hand should not be cut off, whereas Allah has said: "As for the thief, male or female, cut off their hands as a recompense for what they have earned, a punishment from Allah. Allah is Mighty, Wise." So if this slave has stolen the equivalent of a quarter dinar or more, then cut off his hand.

Hazrat Qasim bin Muhammad, Salim bin Abdullah, and Urwah bin Zubair used to say: When a runaway slave steals to the extent for which the hand is to be cut off, then his hand will be cut off.

Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, said: In our view, there is no difference of opinion in this matter.