Chapter on the Legal Punishment for Theft
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 4|Book 1|Chapter 12
وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ بْنِ هِلاَلٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لَهُ أَخْبِرْنِي عَنِ اَلسَّارِقِ لِمَ تُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ اَلْيُمْنَى وَ رِجْلُهُ اَلْيُسْرَى وَ لاَ تُقْطَعُ يَدُهُ اَلْيُمْنَى وَ رِجْلُهُ اَلْيُمْنَى فَقَالَ "مَا أَحْسَنَ مَا سَأَلْتَ إِذَا قُطِعَتْ يَدُهُ اَلْيُمْنَى وَ رِجْلُهُ اَلْيُمْنَى سَقَطَ عَلَى جَانِبِهِ اَلْأَيْسَرِ وَ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ عَلَى اَلْقِيَامِ وَ إِذَا قُطِعَتْ يَدُهُ اَلْيُمْنَى وَ رِجْلُهُ اَلْيُسْرَى اِعْتَدَلَ وَ اِسْتَوَى قَائِماً" قَالَ قُلْتُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ كَيْفَ يَقُومُ وَ قَدْ قُطِعَتْ رِجْلُهُ قَالَ "إِنَّ اَلْقَطْعَ لَيْسَ مِنْ حَيْثُ رَأَيْتَ تُقْطَعُ إِنَّمَا تُقْطَعُ اَلرِّجْلُ مِنَ اَلْكَعْبِ وَ يُتْرَكُ لَهُ مِنْ قَدَمِهِ مَا يَقُومُ عَلَيْهِ يُصَلِّي وَ يَعْبُدُ اَللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ" قُلْتُ فَمِنْ أَيْنَ تُقْطَعُ اَلْيَدُ قَالَ "تُقْطَعُ اَلْأَرْبَعُ اَلْأَصَابِعِ وَ يُتْرَكُ لَهُ اَلْإِبْهَامُ يَعْتَمِدُ عَلَيْهَا فِي اَلصَّلاَةِ يَغْسِلُ بِهَا وَجْهَهُ لِلصَّلاَةِ".
Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Hilal narrated from his father from Abu Abdullah عليه السلام who said: I asked Imam عليه السلام: "Tell me why the right hand and the left foot of a thief are cut off, but not the right hand and the right foot?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "What a good question you have asked! If his right hand and right foot were cut off, he would fall onto his left side and would not be able to stand. But when his right hand and left foot are cut off, he remains balanced and can stand upright." I said: "May I be your ransom, how can he stand when his foot has been cut off?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "The cutting is not as you perceive it. The foot is cut off from the ankle, leaving part of the foot so that he can stand on it, perform prayer, and worship Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Mighty and Majestic." I asked: "From where is the hand cut off?" Imam عليه السلام replied: "The four fingers are cut off, and the thumb is left for him so that he may lean on it during prayer and wash his face for prayer."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh