Al-Ma'idah 38: In return for what they have done, as an example for others from Allah, if a man or woman commits theft, cut their hand. Allah is Azeez (Exalted) and Hakeem (Ultimately-Wise).

Yes, we have come to Surah Al-Ma'idah, verse 38. The man and the woman who steal — as a recompense for what they have done, as a punishment and an exemplary lesson from Allah, cut off their hands. Allah is Mighty and Wise. Whoever commits theft. Whether man or woman. Is it not a human being? It is. People do not have the authority to harm one another. So that people on earth may live in a festive spirit, to spread the truth, to carry one another, to look after one another, Allah Almighty sent people the religion of Islam. Within this religion He said: in Islam all are brothers. So brother to brother, human to human — the authority to harm, no one has any right to it.

So a person, in his own life, through many hardships, at the place where he has worked, has saved a few pennies for a rainy day in the future, or, to reach some places he dreams of and longs for, has saved some money somewhere, or the livelihood of his wife and children — if that thief comes and takes it away and leaves them bare and exposed in the open, is this acceptable to Allah?

And Allah Almighty never forgives violations of people's rights. He Himself forgives. He forgives what is owed to Him. People's rights are never forgiven. Do you know what he will do in the hereafter? If I could not get my right from you in this world, there I will take the good deeds you have done. If you have no good deeds, you will carry my sins. Yes. But in what is between us and our Lord, the sins I committed against Him, our Lord can forgive. He does forgive. Out of His mercy He Himself grants pardon. But when it comes to people's rights, never.

Either you will take my good deeds, if I committed theft, or, if I have no good deeds, I will take your sins. Yes. That is how Allah Almighty protects such people. If only they had used their reason. He protects such people. Because all created people are Allah's servants. Allah does not torment His servants. He does not torment by having the hand cut off. What does He say? Cut off his hand. Cut it off. It comes out that he is a thief. Beware of this man, He says. By stopping him from theft, by stopping him from taking people's rights upon himself, He protects that person. But where is the mind that will understand and grasp this?

Yet those people call these desert law. Yes.

So those who call it desert law, (?) Allah's verses, putting forward their own reason — what their reason puts forward, their selfish feelings, they see as above Allah's verse. Pitiful people. Pitiful.

Yes. People who steal, whether woman or man, according to Islamic sharia have their hands cut off at the wrist. Since Allah created people incomplete and fallible, these people, for their selfish acts, for the crime of theft they commit, are forgiven twice. Twice. The first time you commit theft, you are forgiven. Because man is fallible. If you steal a second time, you are forgiven, but it is put on your record. And if you steal a third time, well, you are not going to mend your ways. Then He says: that is enough for you. At once it is cut off at the wrist. If you steal again and are caught, crosswise your foot is cut off. If your right wrist has been cut, they cut off your left foot at the ankle.

If they still do not mend their ways and go on stealing, this time the right hand is cut off at the wrist. If he still goes on stealing, the left foot is cut off crosswise at the ankle.

For him to be sentenced to this punishment, Islamic laws have shar'i rulings. One: he must be of sound mind and mature, that is, of age. You cannot cut off the hand of a child who is not of age. He is a child. He must (?) and be of sound mind. He must also be of sound mind. He must not be out of his senses, that is, not insane. Two: between relatives and between husband and wife, and also partnership-like situations must be present, he says. Must be present.

The stolen goods must not be alcoholic drinks like wine, or grapes and dates that (?) quickly, or goods like these. Yes, this too is required.

The stolen goods must be proven with witnesses. When these conditions come together, his hand is cut off. When he does it the third time. The goods being in houses and safes, in sacks or in tents — when, as a result of (?) being hidden in such places, it is established, the laws that are Allah Almighty's 'sharih' ruling are applied. Let us correct this.

The laws that are a shar'i ruling are applied. Also, the stolen goods must not have been in the open country, by roadsides, in gatherings — that is required. If in a gathering, in the open country, by a roadside, this (?) steals it, he is not guilty. Because this was put in a visible place. Yes, something like this may come to mind. One puts goods from an unknown place in a visible place, so people come here — on behalf of people, we find something on the roads and hang it up there, don't we? Like that. Anyway, a man who steals does not bring the goods to the open country, the roadside, a gathering and leave them there.

Yes.

These are places open to the public, so no particular person can be charged as caught in the act. People's pockets also fall into this category, he says. People's pockets too. For this reason pickpockets are also exempt from the crime of theft. (?) Pickpockets, those who steal from pockets, are exempt from the crime of theft.