for Allah, Exalted is He, says:

“As for the male thief and the female thief, cut off their hands as a recompense for what they have earned, a deterrent punishment from Allah. And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.” [Surah al-Ma'idah]

Fourth: highway robbers. Their prescribed punishment is what Allah has mentioned in His saying:

“Indeed, the recompense of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive throughout the land spreading corruption is that they be killed, or crucified, or have their hands and feet cut off on opposite sides, or be exiled from the land.” [Surah al-Ma'idah 5:33]

Does the word “or” in this verse indicate choice or differentiation? The scholars have two opinions on this:

The first view is that it indicates differentiation.

The second view is that it indicates choice.

According to the view that it indicates differentiation, His saying, “that they be killed, or crucified,” is understood to mean that if they kill only, without taking wealth, they are put to death; if they kill and take wealth, they are put to death and crucified; and if they take wealth only, their hands and feet are cut off on opposite sides—that is, the right hand and the left foot are cut off. But if they merely make the roads unsafe, without assaulting either property or life, they are exiled from the land.

As for exile from the land, does it mean that they are expelled from that place, or that they are imprisoned?

The scholars also have two opinions on this. Some of them said that exile from the land means that they are imprisoned, rather than being expelled to other lands, because if they are expelled to other lands, they may return once again to their former conduct, and thus no benefit would be gained from exiling them. But if they are imprisoned, they are kept away from people, so that their harm does not reach anyone.