What is the meaning of the hadith: “May Allah curse the thief who steals an egg and has his hand cut off”?

The questioner : In the hadith and so on, does this mean that he remains cursed even if he steals less than a quarter of a dinar?

The Shaykh : No, in my view the answer to the hadith is from two angles. One angle is mentioned in some books: the egg referred to here is not the chicken egg, because no matter what type it is or when it is stolen, its value does not reach a quarter of a dinar or more. It is not the chicken egg that is meant, nor does it come to mind that the goose egg is meant, which is slightly larger, because the same objection applies to it. Rather, the egg referred to is the helmet, which is a type of weapon that was known at that time and had a value and a cost. This is the first aspect, and it is what the jurists mentioned. The second aspect is a possibility: the egg meant might be the chicken egg itself, but this was before the new and final legislation . In this case, the lesser ruling is abrogated, and the hadith is understood on this basis.

The questioner : What is the egg...?

The Shaykh : The helmet.

The questioner : A military helmet for war.

The Shaykh : War...