If, however, they take property without killing anyone—as Bedouins often do—then, according to most scholars, including Abū Hanīfa, Ahmad and others, each offender’s right hand and left foot are to be amputated. This is the meaning of Allah Most High’s words:

“Or that their hands and feet be cut off on opposite sides.”

The hand with which he strikes and the foot on which he walks are amputated. The wounds are cauterized with boiling oil or the like to stop the bleeding, lest continued blood loss cause his death. Likewise, a thief’s amputated hand is cauterized with oil.

This punishment may be a stronger deterrent than execution. When Bedouins, lawless soldiers and others continually see someone among them whose hand and foot have been amputated, they are reminded of his crime and are deterred. An execution, by contrast, may be forgotten. Some proud individuals may prefer being killed to having their hand and foot amputated on opposite sides; thus, this punishment is more severe as an exemplary punishment for them and others like them.

If, however, they brandish weapons without killing anyone or taking any property, then sheathe them or flee and abandon armed aggression, they are to be banished. One view is that banishment means driving them from place to place, without allowing them to settle in any locality. Another is that it means imprisoning them. A third is that the ruler should adopt whichever measure he considers most beneficial, whether banishment, imprisonment or something similar.

The prescribed method of execution is to strike the neck with a sword or a similar implement, because this is the least painful manner of killing. Likewise, Allah has prescribed the killing of those humans and animals that may lawfully be killed