Narrated Rafi' ibn Khadij:

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.

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ يَحْيَى بْنِ حَبَّانَ، أَنَّ عَبْدًا، سَرَقَ وَدِيًّا مِنْ حَائِطِ رَجُلٍ فَغَرَسَهُ فِي حَائِطِ سَيِّدِهِ فَخَرَجَ صَاحِبُ الْوَدِيِّ يَلْتَمِسُ وَدِيَّهُ فَوَجَدَهُ فَاسْتَعْدَى عَلَى الْعَبْدِ مَرْوَانَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ وَهُوَ أَمِيرُ الْمَدِينَةِ يَوْمَئِذٍ 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 " . فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ إِنَّ مَرْوَانَ أَخَذَ غُلاَمِي وَهُوَ يُرِيدُ قَطْعَ يَدِهِ وَأَنَا أُحِبُّ أَنْ تَمْشِيَ مَعِي إِلَيْهِ فَتُخْبِرَهُ بِالَّذِي سَمِعْتَ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَمَشَى مَعَهُ رَافِعُ بْنُ خَدِيجٍ حَتَّى أَتَى مَرْوَانَ بْنَ الْحَكَمِ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَافِعٌ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَقُولُ " لاَ قَطْعَ فِي ثَمَرٍ وَلاَ كَثَرٍ " . فَأَمَرَ مَرْوَانُ بِالْعَبْدِ فَأُرْسِلَ . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ الْكَثَرُ الْجُمَّارُ .