Hazrat Amr bin Abu Sufyan narrates that a thief was brought to Hazrat Ibn Zubair, so he cut off his hand. Upon this, Hazrat Aban bin Uthman said to him: Cauterize (seal) it. He replied: You are very merciful to him. He said: No, but this act is Sunnah.

Hazrat Amr narrates that Hasan Basri said: Branding the thief is the Sunnah method.

Hazrat Hujayyah narrates that Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) used to cut off the hands of thieves and cauterize them, then imprison them and have their wounds treated. When the wound would heal, he would say, "Raise your hands," so they would raise them as if they were red male organs. Then he would say, "Who cut your hands?" They would reply, "Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) did." He would ask, "Why were they cut?" They would reply, "We committed theft." Then he would say, "O Allah, bear witness! O Allah, bear witness! You may go."

Hazrat Yazid ibn Khusayfah narrates that a man was brought to Hazrat Umar ibn Abdul Aziz who had stolen a bird. So he asked Hazrat Sa’ib ibn Yazid for a fatwa regarding this. He replied: I have not seen anyone whose hand was cut for stealing a bird. And in this matter, the punishment of cutting the hand will not be carried out on the thief. Hazrat Umar ibn Abdul Aziz released him and did not cut his hand.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Yasar narrates that a man who had stolen a chicken was brought before Hazrat Umar bin Abdul Aziz. He intended to cut off his hand. Hazrat Abu Salamah bin Abdur Rahman said to him that Hazrat Usman had stated: There is no punishment of cutting the hand for stealing a bird.

Hazrat Abu Khalid narrates from a man that Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) did not cut the hand (of a thief) for stealing a bird.

Hazrat Ibn Jurayj says that I heard a trustworthy elder saying that the punishment of cutting the hand will not be applied in the case of a falcon that has been stolen, even if its price is one dinar or even more.

Hazrat Ibn Jurayj says that Hazrat Amr bin Shu'aib also used to say the same.

Hazrat Zuhri states that some people were brought to Marwan bin Hakam who used to steal shrouds from graves, so Marwan beat them and exiled them at a time when a large number of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) were present.

Hazrat Zuhri narrates that during the caliphate of Hazrat Muawiyah, when Marwan was the governor of Madinah, a grave-cloth thief was caught. Marwan then consulted the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the jurists present in Madinah regarding this matter. None of them found any precedent of cutting off the hand of a grave-cloth thief, so all of them unanimously agreed that he should be beaten and paraded around.