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20 / 04 / 2026
The Ruling on Forgiveness and Intercession in the Punishment of Hudud
A person committed adultery and theft, and the owner of the right refuses to forgive, citing the hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him): 'If Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would cut off her hand.' Some people interceded for him; is it permissible to forgive a punishment from the Hudud? And is intercession for someone who has committed these Hudud permissible?
Answer
I say, and with God's help: This hadith is about the enforcement of punishments, and we do not have the implementation of them, so there is no basis for using it as evidence. If it is possible to allow forgiveness and pardon when signs of repentance appear, that is preferable. And God knows best.
