What is the ruling on stealing a handkerchief to which a gold coin is tied, if the thief was aware of the coin?
Chapter on Amputation in Theft
Al-Mughni
Book of Ḥudūd (Prescribed Penalties)
Primary text
If the thief was aware that a gold coin was tied to the handkerchief, the hand must be cut off. The theft of the gold coin, which constitutes the *nisab*, was intended.
Supporting text
If the thief was unaware of the attached coin, there is no cutting, as this is analogous to something accidentally attached to his clothing, meaning he did not intend to steal it to trigger the *hadd* penalty. Al-Shafi'i states that the hand is cut because a *nisab* was stolen, similar to stealing something whose value one does not know to be *nisab*, but here the object was known, unlike the coin which was neither intended nor sought for taking.