Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Habban that a slave stole a small palm from a man's garden and planted it in the garden of his master. The owner of the palm went out looking for the palm and found it. He asked for help against the slave from Marwan ibn al-Hakam. Marwan jailed the slave and wanted to cut off his hand. The master of the slave rushed off to Rafi ibn Khadij and asked him about it. Rafi informed him that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "The hand is not cut off for fruit or palm pith." The man said, "Marwan ibn al-Hakam has taken a slave of mine and wants to cut off his hand. I would like you to go with me to him so you can tell him what you heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." So, Rafi went with him to Marwan ibn al-Hakam. He said, "Did you arrest a slave for this?" He said, "Yes." He said, "What will you do with him?" He said, "I want to cut off his hand." Rafi said to him, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, 'The hand is not cut off for dates or palm pith.' Marwan therefore ordered the slave to be released."  

أَنَّ عَبْدًا سَرَقَ وَدِيًّا مِنْ حَائِطِ رَجُلٍ فَغَرَسَهُ فِي حَائِطِ سَيِّدِهِ فَخَرَجَ صَاحِبُ الْوَدِيِّ يَلْتَمِسُ وَدِيَّهُ فَوَجَدَهُ فَاسْتَعْدَى عَلَى الْعَبْدِ مَرْوَانَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ فَسَجَنَ مَرْوَانُ الْعَبْدَ وَأَرَادَ قَطْعَ يَدِهِ فَانْطَلَقَ سَيِّدُ الْعَبْدِ إِلَى رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لاَ قَطْعَ فِي ثَمَرٍ وَلاَ كَثَرٍ وَالْكَثَرُ الْجُمَّارُ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ فَإِنَّ مَرْوَانَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ أَخَذَ غُلاَمًا لِي وَهُوَ يُرِيدُ قَطْعَهُ وَأَنَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَمْشِيَ مَعِيَ إِلَيْهِ فَتُخْبِرَهُ بِالَّذِي سَمِعْتَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَمَشَى مَعَهُ رَافِعٌ إِلَى مَرْوَانَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ فَقَالَ أَخَذْتَ غُلاَمًا لِهَذَا فَقَالَ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ فَمَا أَنْتَ صَانِعٌ بِهِ قَالَ أَرَدْتُ قَطْعَ يَدِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَافِعٌ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لاَ قَطْعَ فِي ثَمَرٍ وَلاَ كَثَرٍ فَأَمَرَ مَرْوَانُ بِالْعَبْدِ فَأُرْسِلَ  

Muhammad ibn Yahya ibn Hibban said: A slave stole a plant of a palm-tree from the orchard of a man and planted it in the orchard of his master. The owner of the plant went out in search of the plant and he found it. He solicited help against the slave from Marwan ibn al-Hakam who was the Governor of Medina at that time. Marwan confined the slave and intended to cut off his hand. The slave's master went to Rafi' ibn Khadij and asked him about it. He told him that he had heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: The hand is not to be cut off for taking fruit or the pith of the palm-tree. The man then said: Marwan has seized my slave and wants to cut off his hand. I wish you to go with me to him and tell him that which you have heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. So Rafi' ibn Khadij went with him and came to Marwan ibn al-Hakam. Rafi' said to him: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say: The hand is not to be cut off for taking fruit or the pith of the palm-tree. So Marwan gave orders to release the slave and then he was released. Abu Dawud said: Kathar means pith of the palm-tree. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 4388)   

فَأَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لَا قَطْعَ فِي ثَمَرٍ وَلَا كَثَرٍ وَالْكَثَرُ الْجُمَّارُ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ فَإِنَّ مَرْوَانَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ أَخَذَ غُلَامًا لِي وَيُرِيدُ قَطْعَ يَدِهِ وَأَنَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَمْشِيَ مَعِي إِلَيْهِ فَتُخْبِرَهُ بِالَّذِي سَمِعْتَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَمَشَى مَعَهُ رَافِعُ بْنُ خَدِيجٍ حَتَّى أَتَى مَرْوَانَ فَقَالَ أَخَذْتَ غُلَامًا لِهَذَا؟ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ مَا أَنْتَ صَانِعٌ بِهِ؟ قَالَ أَرَدْتُ قَطْعَ يَدِهِ قَالَ لَهُ رَافِعُ بْنُ خَدِيجٍ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ لَا قَطْعَ فِي ثَمَرٍ وَلَا كَثَرٍ فَأَمَرَ مَرْوَانُ بِالْعَبْدِ فَأُرْسِلَ