Is it permissible to take public funds without the knowledge of those responsible for them?

Taking public funds is forbidden (haram), and its perpetrator deserves ta'zeer, which is a discretionary punishment not fixed by Sacred Law, left to the ruler's discretion. Taking public funds is not considered a theft that necessitates cutting off the hand, unless the state has allocated these funds to a specific group and others take them. In this case, it is considered a theft that necessitates cutting off the hand if the conditions are met. It is worth noting that taking public funds is more forbidden (haram) than taking private funds, because it is an aggression against the rights of the entire society.