from the Prophet that dry ablution pertains specifically to the hand itself (1). Accordingly, what is meant by “hands” in the verse is the hand alone.

The procedure is that a strong man is brought and the thief’s hand is firmly tied with a rope and pulled until the joint becomes distinct, because the joint’s parts overlap one another. Thus, the hand must be separated from the forearm before it is cut at the joint; otherwise, if it were cut in this manner, its parts would overlap.

His statement, “and the wound is cauterized”: linguistically, cauterization means cutting off. What is meant here is stopping the blood—that is, cutting off its flow—by heating oil, fat, or something similar until it boils, and then immersing the hand in it while it is boiling. When it is immersed in the boiling substance, the openings of the blood vessels are sealed. Cauterizing it is obligatory because, if it were left untreated, the blood would continue to flow and he would die. The prescribed punishment is not intended to kill or destroy him; rather, it is intended to discipline him.

The wisdom in cutting off the hand rather than any other limb is that, since the hand is generally the instrument by which things are taken, the cutting is confined to it. For this reason, the right hand, rather than the left, is specified, because it is generally the hand with which things are taken—even if it were assumed that he were left-handed and used only his left hand.

Some heretics have objected to the Sacred Law, saying: “How can the right hand be cut off for a quarter of a dinar, while, if an offender cuts it off, its blood-money is five hundred dinars?”

A hand whose compensation is five hundred gold dinars—
How is it cut off for a quarter of a dinar?
A contradiction for which we can only remain silent;
And we seek refuge with our Master from the Fire.