and the Helper called out, ‘Helpers, rally to me!’ The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘Do you invoke the rallying cries of pre-Islamic ignorance while I am among you?’” He became intensely angry at this.

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As for the thief, his right hand must be cut off, according to the Quran, the Sunnah, and scholarly consensus. Allah Most High says:

“As for male and female thieves, cut off their hands as punishment for what they have done—a deterrent from Allah. And Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.”

“But whoever repents after his wrongdoing and reforms, Allah will surely turn to him in forgiveness. Indeed, Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Once liability for the prescribed punishment has been established against him through evidence or confession, its execution may not be deferred—whether by imprisonment, a payment to ransom himself, or any other means. Rather, his hand is to be cut off during sacred times as well as at other times, for enforcing the prescribed punishment is an act of worship, like fighting in Allah’s cause.

It should be understood that enforcing the prescribed punishments is a mercy from Allah toward His servants. The ruler should therefore be firm in enforcing the punishment, not allowing pity to lead him to suspend what Allah’s religion requires. His aim should be mercy toward people by restraining them from wrongdoing, not to vent his anger or seek supremacy over them. He is like a father disciplining his child: if he refrained from disciplining him—as the mother urges out of tenderness and compassion—the child would become corrupt. He disciplines him only out of mercy and to reform him, although he would much prefer that the child never made discipline necessary. He is also like a physician who gives a patient bitter medicine, or like amputating a decaying limb, cupping, and cutting