If the hand of a thief is cut off, is it permissible for him to retrieve it again?

The questioner : In a question related to the same issue, but which leads to another question, namely the analogy drawn from donating a hand or a leg. This is closer to medicine. Is it medically possible to utilize a hand or leg if it is cut off?

The Shaykh : This is a matter to be asked of doctors.

The questioner : In light of this, some magazines raised the issue: if the hand of a thief is cut off, is he allowed to take it to reattach it?

The Shaykh : He is not allowed to do so. Our answer is that the cutting off of the thief's hand, by the ruling of the wise Shari'ah, was not in vain, but for a profound wisdom. That is that this person, in any gathering he sits in, will be pointed at with the finger or the eye, saying, "This is a thief." So he feels blame in his heart, which deters him from proceeding to his deed again. If his cut hand is returned to him and he becomes as if he had not stolen, the objective of this legal execution or this legal hudud punishment is not achieved. Therefore, in truth, this logic comes from those disbelievers who have no hudud punishments. But since we have hudud punishments for a prescribed purpose, it is not befitting for us to compare Zayd to Bakr. And upon you be peace, the mercy of Allah, and His blessings.