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Al-Ma'idah (The Table Spread)

Verse 38of 120

وَٱلسَّارِقُ وَٱلسَّارِقَةُ فَٱقْطَعُوٓا۟ أَيْدِيَهُمَا جَزَآءًۢ بِمَا كَسَبَا نَكَٰلًۭا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ﴿٣٨

Translation (Sahih International)

[As for] the thief, the male and the female, amputate their hands in recompense for what they committed as a deterrent [punishment] from Allah. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

Word-by-word meaning

وَٱلسَّارِقُwal-sāriquAnd (for) the male thief
وَٱلسَّارِقَةُwal-sāriqatuand the female thief
فَٱقْطَعُوٓا۟fa-iq'ṭaʿū[then] cut off
أَيْدِيَهُمَاaydiyahumātheir hands
جَزَآءًۢjazāan(as) a recompense
بِمَاbimāfor what
كَسَبَاkasabāthey earned
نَكَـٰلًۭاnakālan(as) an exemplary (punishment)
مِّنَminafrom
ٱللَّهِ ۗl-lahiAllah
وَٱللَّهُwal-lahuAnd Allah
عَزِيزٌʿazīzun(is) All-Mighty
حَكِيمٌۭḥakīmunAll-Wise

Commentary (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

The Necessity of Cutting off the Hand of the ThiefAllah commands and decrees that the hand of the thief, male or female be cut off. During the time of Jahiliyyah, this was also the punishment for the thief, and Islam upheld this punishment. In Islam, there are several conditions that must be met before this punishment is carried out, as we will come to know, Allah willing. There are other rulings that Islam upheld after modifying these rulings, such as that of blood money for example.

Source: Tafsir Ibn Kathir — abridged excerpt

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