1073 – Abu Umayyah al-Makhzumi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
“A thief who had given a full confession was brought to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, yet no stolen property was found with him. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him, ‘I do not think you actually stole, did you?’ He replied, ‘Indeed I did.’ The Prophet repeated the question two—or three—times, then ordered that the penalty be carried out, and his hand was severed. When he was brought back, the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Seek Allah’s forgiveness and repent to Him.’ The man said, ‘I ask Allah’s forgiveness and I repent to Him.’ The Prophet then supplicated, ‘O Allah, accept his repentance,’ three times.”
Abu Dawud transmitted the report—with this wording—as did Ahmad and al-Nasa’i, and its narrators are trustworthy (1).

Al-Hakim also recorded it through the narration of Abu Hurayrah, conveying the same meaning, and in his version occurs: “Take him away, cut off his hand, and then cauterize the stump.” Al-Bazzar likewise reported it and said, “There is no problem with its chain of transmission.” (2)

Status of the ḥadith
The report of Abu Umayyah is ḥasan (fair). It was related by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, al-Nasa’i, Ibn Majah, al-Darimi, al-Tahawi, and al-Bayhaqi through the route of Abu al-Mundhir from Abu Umayyah al-Makhzumi. Ibn Hajar stated: “Its narrators are trustworthy.”
As for the narration of Abu Hurayrah, it was transmitted with a connected chain by al-Daraqutni, al-Hakim, and al-Bayhaqi; Ibn al-Qattan judged it ṣaḥīḥ (sound), whereas Ibn Khuzaymah, Ibn al-Madini, and several others preferred the view that it is mursal (missing the Companion link).