Sahih Muslim Book - 29, Hadith - 4410

حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ حَدَّثَنَا لَيْثٌ ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحٍ أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّيْثُ عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنَ عَائِشَةَ أَنَّ قُرَيْشًا أَهَمَّهُمْ شَأْنُ الْمَرْأَةِ الْمَخْزُومِيَّةِ الَّتِى سَرَقَتْ فَقَالُوا مَنْ يُكَلِّمُ فِيهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَقَالُوا وَمَنْ يَجْتَرِئُ عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ أُسَامَةُ حِبُّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم-. فَكَلَّمَهُ أُسَامَةُ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « أَتَشْفَعُ فِى حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللَّهِ ». ثُمَّ قَامَ فَاخْتَطَبَ فَقَالَ « أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا أَهْلَكَ الَّذِينَ قَبْلَكُمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الشَّرِيفُ تَرَكُوهُ وَإِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الضَّعِيفُ أَقَامُوا عَلَيْهِ الْحَدَّ وَايْمُ اللَّهِ لَوْ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ سَرَقَتْ لَقَطَعْتُ يَدَهَا ». وَفِى حَدِيثِ ابْنِ رُمْحٍ « إِنَّمَا هَلَكَ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ ».

It was narrated from 'Aishah that Quraish were concerned about the case of the Makhzumi woman who had stolen. They said: "Who will speak to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) concerning her?" Then they said: "Who would dare to do that but Usamah, the beloved of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w)?" So Usamah spoke to him, and the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "Are you interceding about one of the Hadd punishments of Allah?" Then he stood up and delivered a speech in which he said: "O people, those who came before you were doomed because if a nobleman among them stole, they let him off, but if a lowly person stole, they carried out the punishment on him. By Allah, if Fatimah the daughter of Muhammad were to steal, I would cut off her hand."