Sahih Bukhari Volume 5, Book 64, Hadith 4306

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُقَاتِلٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّ امْرَأَةً، سَرَقَتْ فِي عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي غَزْوَةِ الْفَتْحِ، فَفَزِعَ قَوْمُهَا إِلَى أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ يَسْتَشْفِعُونَهُ، قَالَ عُرْوَةُ فَلَمَّا كَلَّمَهُ أُسَامَةُ فِيهَا تَلَوَّنَ وَجْهُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَتُكَلِّمُنِي فِي حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ أُسَامَةُ اسْتَغْفِرْ لِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ‏.‏ فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْعَشِيُّ قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَطِيبًا، فَأَثْنَى عَلَى اللَّهِ بِمَا هُوَ أَهْلُهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنَّمَا أَهْلَكَ النَّاسَ قَبْلَكُمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الشَّرِيفُ تَرَكُوهُ، وَإِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمِ الضَّعِيفُ أَقَامُوا عَلَيْهِ الْحَدَّ، وَالَّذِي نَفْسُ مُحَمَّدٍ بِيَدِهِ، لَوْ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ سَرَقَتْ لَقَطَعْتُ يَدَهَا ‏"‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ أَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِتِلْكَ الْمَرْأَةِ، فَقُطِعَتْ يَدُهَا، فَحَسُنَتْ تَوْبَتُهَا بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ وَتَزَوَّجَتْ‏.‏ قَالَتْ عَائِشَةُ فَكَانَتْ تَأْتِي بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَأَرْفَعُ حَاجَتَهَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏

Narrated By 'Urwa bin Az-Zubair : A lady committed theft during the lifetime of Allah's Apostle in the Ghazwa of Al-Fath, ((i.e. Conquest of Mecca). Her folk went to Usama bin Zaid to intercede for her (with the Prophet). When Usama interceded for her with Allah's Apostle, the colour of the face of Allah's Apostle changed and he said, "Do you intercede with me in a matter involving one of the legal punishments prescribed by Allah?" Usama said, "O Allah's Apostle! Ask Allah's Forgiveness for me." So in the afternoon, Allah's Apostle got up and addressed the people. He praised Allah as He deserved and then said, "Amma ba'du ! The nations prior to you were destroyed because if a noble amongst them stole, they used to excuse him, and if a poor person amongst them stole, they would apply (Allah's) Legal Punishment to him. By Him in Whose Hand Muhammad's soul is, if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad stole, I would cut her hand." Then Allah's Apostle gave his order in the case of that woman and her hand was cut off. Afterwards her repentance proved sincere and she got married. 'Aisha said, "That lady used to visit me and I used to convey her demands to Allah's Apostle."