Prophet Jesus and the Thief
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ “ رَأَى عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ رَجُلاً يَسْرِقُ، فَقَالَ لَهُ أَسَرَقْتَ قَالَ كَلاَّ وَاللَّهِ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ. فَقَالَ عِيسَى آمَنْتُ بِاللَّهِ وَكَذَّبْتُ عَيْنِي ”.
Abu Huraira:The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Jesus, saw a man stealing, and then asked him, ‘Did you steal?, He said, ‘No, by Allah, Whom there is none who has the right to be worshipped but Him’ Jesus said, ‘I believe in Allah and suspect my eyes.”1
Lessons from this Hadith
- This shows the value the Prophets held in swearing and taking an oath. Jesus the Son of Mary rejected what his eyes saw and believed the man when he swore to God that he wasn’t stealing.
- Even though Jesus saw the man stealing, he still asked him, “Are you stealing?”. This is proof that the accused is asked if he’s committed a crime; although you might be certain he has.
- This hadith teaches us that we accept a person’s apology when he excuses himself. This is exemplary character that exhibits good behavior.
- We should accept the speech of a person who swears to Allah in a matter . Allah is in no need of anything and is Self-Sufficient.
- Jesus was very lenient with the believers. This is the way we should be with each other.
- This hadith proves that a person is innocent until proven guilty. For that reason, when the man denied stealing Jesus accepted it.
- A man’s speech is given precedence over his actions whenever they both contradict each other.
- This hadith is evidence for the principle of Fiqh, “The onus of proof is upon the claimant, and the taking of an oath is upon him who denies.”.
- Seeking clarity in matters is the methodology of the Prophets. Jesus asked the man if he was stealing.
- There are some people who hold in their hearts to be greater than anything. Among these people are Prophets. In this story we find that Jesus’s love for Allah was so great that he couldn’t dare think the man would swear by Allah, yet lie.
- This hadith teaches us to have good suspicion of our brethren in faith, even if the error is clear as the sun in sky. This is true brotherhood.
- A reflection from this story is that some people do bad things and get away with them in this life, yet they won’t escape Allah, even if they avoid the punishment in this life.
- Some people have no shame sinning in public and when confronted about it will swear the opposite.
- All of the Prophet’s Shariah protected the wealth of others. Based on that stealing is Haraam.2
Translated by Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Battle
Mecca, KSA, 1446,Jumada II, 12/31/24
Shaykh Tal’aat Zahran – May Allah preserve him – in his series on مواقف وعبر من تاريخ أمتنا about عيسى عليه السلام mentioned this narration and mentioned that “if you were to be in the same situation and you saw a thief stealing something in front of your eyes and he swore by Allah that he is not stealing, is it permissible for you to do as عيسى عليه السلام had done? The answer is no, because of naskh” (recollection from my memory, not vis-a-vis translation; he specifically said كان هذا في شرع عيسى عليه السلام ولكن في شرعنا هذا منسوخ، فلا تفعل).
Just thought I’d guide your attention to this mas’ala since it was not mentioned in the lessons you extracted, may Allah bless you ya Aba Aaliyah.