Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (14/369)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

They are also most commonly found in remote, unfrequented desert areas.

His statement, “forcibly taking their property openly rather than by theft,” means that they seize property by force. A highway robber confronts a traveller and says, “Hand over the belongings you have,” compelling him to do so—even stripping him of his clothes. Such incidents have occurred. There is no doubt that this is spreading corruption in the land, because it prevents people from using the roads, which are meant to be safe for them; and because it involves harm, intimidation, and terror. It is therefore among the gravest forms of corruption.

His statement, “rather than by theft”: this is because theft is the covert taking of property.

The punishment of the highway robber is as follows: if he kills and takes property, he is killed and then crucified; if he kills but does not take property, he is killed but not crucified; if he takes property but does not kill, his right hand and left foot are cut off; and if he merely frightens people, without killing or taking property, he is banished from the land. The punishment, then, is of four types: execution and crucifixion; execution alone; amputation; and banishment. This punishment varies according to the crime.

The evidence for this is the saying of Allah, the Exalted:

“Indeed, the penalty for those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger and strive throughout the land spreading corruption is that they be killed”—this is one—“or crucified”—this is the second. However, some scholars—the position of the madhhab—maintain that one is not crucified without first being killed. On this view, the meaning is: they are killed and crucified, or they are killed without crucifixion. Thus, the verse indicates two forms of punishment: “or that their hands and feet be cut off on opposite sides, or that they be banished from the land.” [al-Ma'idah: 33]

The word “or” here, according to the view adopted by the author, denotes variation according to the type of offense, not discretionary choice. However, some scholars said:

وأكثر ما يكونون أيضاً في الصحراء غير المسلوكة. وقوله «فيغصبونهم المال مجاهرة لا سرقة» أي: أن أخذهم المال غصباً، فيعرض للمسافر، ويقول له: أَنْزِلِ المتاع الذي معك غصباً، حتى ينزعه ثيابه، وهذه وقعت، فهذا الأمر لا شك أنه فساد في الأرض؛ لأنه يمنع الناس من سلوك الطرقات التي هي محل أمنهم؛ ولأنه إيذاء وإخافة وترويع، فهو من أكبر الفساد. وقوله: «لا سرقة» لأن السرقة أخذ المال على سبيل الخفية. وعقوبة القاطع إن قتل وأخذ المال قُتل ثم صُلب، وإن قتل ولم يأخذ المال قتل ولم يُصلب، وإن أخذ المال ولم يقتل قطعت يده اليمنى ورجله اليسرى، وإن أخاف ولم يقتل ولم يأخذ مالاً نفي من الأرض، فالعقوبة إذاً أربعة أنواع: قتل وصلب، وقتل فقط، وقطع، ونفي، وهذه العقوبة تختلف بحسب الجريمة. ودليل ذلك قوله تعالى: ﴿إِنَّمَا جَزَاءُ الَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي الأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَنْ يُقَتَّلُوا﴾ هذه واحدة، ﴿أَوْ يُصَلَّبُوا﴾ هذه الثانية، لكن بعض أهل العلم ـ وهو المذهب ـ يقولون: إنه لا يصلب بدون قتل، وعلى هذا فيكون المعنى يقتلوا ويصلبوا، أو يقتلوا فقط بدون صلب، فتكون الآية دالة على نوعين من العقوبة ﴿أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُمْ مِنْ خِلَافٍ أَوْ يُنْفَوْا مِنَ الأَرْضِ﴾ [المائدة: ٣٣] و «أو» هنا على ما مشى عليه المؤلف للتنويع، وليست للتخيير، ولكن بعض أهل العلم قال: