What Destroyed the Nations Preceding You...

Narrated ‘Aisha (radiAllaahu ‘anha):

The people of Quraish worried about the lady from Bani Makhzum who had committed theft. They asked, “Who will intercede for her with Allaah’s Apostle (sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam)?” Some said, “No one dare to do so except Usamah bin Zaid (radiAllaahu 'anhu),the beloved one to Allaah’s Apostle.”

When Usamah spoke about that to Allaah’s Apostle (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), Allaah’s Apostle (sallAllaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said, (to him), “Do you try to intercede for somebody in a case connected with Allaah’s Prescribed Punishments?” Then he got up and delivered a sermon saying, “What destroyed the nations preceding you, was that if a noble amongst them stole, they would forgive him, and if a poor person amongst them stole, they would inflict Allah’s Legal punishment on him.

By Allah, if Fatima, the daughter of Muhammad stole, I would cut off her hand.”

[Bukhari Vol. 4 : No. 681]