An Inquiry into the New Instances of Ḥirz (the secured place) and Proving Ḥadd for Electronic Theft from the Viewpoint of Jurisprudence and Law

One of the conditions required to prove the ḥadd (religiously prescribed punishment) of amputation for the theft that causes ḥadd is the violation of ḥirz (the secured place). Most jurists define ḥirz as a closed or locked place so others are not allowed to enter without permission. Examining jurisprudential views shows that there is no consensus on the element of “place”, and the emphasis is put on convention to recognize the true sense of ḥirz; in other words, ḥirz happens when a thing is safeguarded against theft. Considering the increasing electronic activities and that the concept of property has gone beyond external objects, it is necessary nowadays to work on the new instances of ḥirz. The items like bank accounts, credit cards, electronic smart cards, online passwords, E-Signature Token, emails, personal information, usernames, personal applications, and digital version of essays are considered as new examples of ḥirz. Exploring early jurists’ views and their criteria for defining ḥirz, the paper insists that electronic theft constitutes the violation of ḥirz because data and digital information has financial value, so the criminal would receive ḥadd for theft if other requirements are fulfilled.