require the victim of the theft to demand the prescribed punishment. Some of them have, however, stipulated that he must claim his property, to rule out any semblance of entitlement on the thief’s part.

These punishments must be enforced against the high-born, the lowly, and the weak. It is unlawful to suspend them because of intercession, a gift, or anything else, and interceding to prevent their enforcement is unlawful. Whoever suspends them for such reasons, despite being able to enforce them, incurs the curse of Allah, the angels, and all mankind. Allah will accept neither sarf nor ‘adl from him, and he is among those who have traded Allah’s revelations for a paltry price.

Abū Dāwūd narrated in his Sunan that ‘Abd Allāh ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, said: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Whoever intercedes to prevent the enforcement of one of Allah’s prescribed punishments has opposed Allah in His command. Whoever knowingly argues in support of falsehood remains under Allah’s wrath until he desists. Whoever falsely attributes something to a devout Muslim will be confined in Radghat al-Khabāl until he clears himself of what he said.”

He was asked: “Messenger of Allah, what is Radghat al-Khabāl?”

He replied: “The discharge from the inhabitants of the Fire.”

Thus, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, mentioned adjudicators, witnesses, and litigants: these are the pillars of adjudication.

The two Sahīh collections relate from ‘Ā’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her:

“Quraysh were troubled by the case of the Makhzūmī woman who had stolen. They said, ‘Who will speak to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, on her behalf?’ They said, ‘Who would dare approach him except Usāmah ibn Zayd?’ He said, ‘Usāmah, do you intercede concerning one of Allah’s prescribed punishments? The Children of Israel were destroyed only because they