He also said ﷺ, with regard to the man who wished to pardon a thief, “Why did you not do so before you brought him to me?”

Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH) stated: “It is unlawful to suspend the ḥadd—whether by means of intercession, a gift, or anything else. No intercession in this matter is permissible, and whoever suspends it while able to carry it out brings upon himself Allah’s curse.”

He further said: “It is impermissible to take money from a thief, an adulterer, a drinker, a highway robber, or the like in order to nullify the ḥadd—whether the money is destined for the public treasury or for anyone else. Any sum taken to cancel a ḥadd is illicit and filthy. Should the ruler do this, he combines two grave evils: nullifying the ḥadd and consuming unlawful wealth—thereby abandoning a duty and committing a prohibition. The scholars unanimously agree that money taken from an adulterer, thief, drinker, brigand, and the like to avert the ḥadd is illicit filth. This practice is one of the most widespread causes of corruption in the affairs of the Muslims; it strips the ruler of honor, diminishes his standing, and unravels his authority…” End of Ibn Taymiyyah’s words.