Hazrat Abu Mas'ud said: A man was brought who had committed theft. You asked: Did you steal? Then say like this: I found this property. He said: I found this property. So you let him go.

Hazrat Abu Al-Mutawakkil narrates that a thief was brought to Hazrat Abu Hurairah at a time when he was the governor. He said: Did you steal? Did you steal? Say, no, no—he said this two or three times.

Hazrat Muhammad bin Abdur Rahman bin Thawban narrates that a man stole a sheet, so he was brought to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). People said: O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! He has stolen the sheet. Upon this, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I do not think that he has stolen it.

Hazrat Sabi’ Abu Salim narrates that I was present with Hazrat Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) when a thief was brought who had confessed to theft. Upon this, Hazrat Hasan said to him: Perhaps you had snatched it by deception? So that he might say: No.

Hazrat Ikrimah bin Khalid narrates that a thief was brought to Hazrat Umar who had confessed to theft. Upon this, Hazrat Umar said: Surely, in my opinion, this man's hand is not the hand of a thief. The man said: By Allah, I am not a thief. So Hazrat Umar let him go and did not cut off his hand.

Hazrat Ibn Jurayj states that Hazrat Ata said: Among the people of the past, when a thief was brought to them, they would ask: "Did you steal?" And I do not know about them except that you mentioned the names of Hazrat Abu Bakr and Hazrat Umar.

Hazrat Ibn Aun narrates that Hazrat Miskeen, who is a member of my household, told me that I was present with Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) when a man and a woman were brought who had been found in a deserted place. Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the man: "Did you go near this woman?" At this, the companions of Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Say: No." The man said, "No," so he let him go.

Hazrat Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Ma'iz bin Malik: Perhaps you only kissed, or touched, or merely embraced her.

Hazrat Rafi' bin Khadij narrates that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: The hand will not be cut off for stealing fruit or the buds of dates.

Hazrat Shu'aib narrates that Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar said: The hand will not be cut off in any case of theft of an animal until it reaches the place where the animal spends the night, and the hand will not be cut off in any theft of fruits until they reach the place where the dates are dried.