twice and be beaten as a deterrent (1). Whatever is taken from the places where it has been laid out to dry entails amputation if the value of what is taken reaches that of a shield. If it does not reach the value of a shield (2), the offender must pay twice its value and receive deterrent lashes.” This was related by the compilers of the Sunan, though this is al-Nasāʾī’s wording (3).
Likewise (4), the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said, “No amputation is imposed upon a plunderer, a snatcher, or one who betrays a trust” (5).
A plunderer is one who seizes something while people are watching, whereas a snatcher is one who (6) pulls an item toward himself and is noticed before he has taken it away. As for the cutpurse—that is, the slitter who cuts open
(1) (ي) reads: “and a deterrent beating”; (ز، ظ، ب) read: “and a beating and a deterrent punishment.”
(2) “If it does not reach the value of a shield” is omitted from (ز).
(3) Recorded by Ahmad (6683), Abū Dāwūd (1710), al-Tirmidhī (1289) in abridged form, Ibn Mājah (2596), and al-Nasā’ī (4959), as well as in *al-Kubrā* (7405), through numerous chains from Amr ibn Shuayb. The wording quoted by the author most closely follows Ahmad’s version. Al-Tirmidhī said: “It is a sound hadith.” Some of its wording also appears in the two Sahih collections.
(4) (ف، ي، ظ) read: “Likewise.”
(5) Recorded by Ahmad (15112), Abū Dāwūd (4391), al-Tirmidhī (1448), al-Nasā’ī (4971), Ibn Mājah (2591), Ibn Hibbān in *al-Ihsān* (4456, 4457), and others, through Ibn Jurayj, from Abū al-Zubayr, from Jābir ibn Abd Allāh—may Allah be pleased with them both. Most hadith critics hold that Ibn Jurayj did not hear this hadith from Abū al-Zubayr and that an intermediary stood between them: Yāsīn al-Zayyāt, who is weak. His narration, however, has corroborating reports. Al-Tirmidhī said: “It is a sound and authentic hadith, and scholars have acted upon it.” Ibn Hibbān and Ibn al-Mulaqqin also graded it authentic. See *al-Badr al-Munīr* (8/660–664) and *Nasb al-Rāya* (3/364).
(6) (ي، ظ، ب) read: “like one who.”