What is the wisdom behind the cutting-off threshold for theft being a quarter of a dinar, while the blood money for a hand is five hundred dinars?
Ibn al-Qayyim said that cutting off the hand for a quarter of a dinar, while making its blood money five hundred dinars, is one of the greatest benefits and wisdoms; to preserve wealth and limbs. Some jurists responded to those who found this strange by saying that when the hand was trustworthy, it was valuable, but when it betrayed, it became worthless. It is narrated that Al-Shafi'i replied that the hand was wronged; its value was high, and its value became low in another instance due to its wrongdoing.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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