Question 2014) - What is the punishment of highway robbers?

A: Allaah has explained it thus, "Verily the punishment for those war against Allaah and His Rasul and strive to spread corruption is to be killed or crucified or to have the hands and feet cut from opposite sides or to be exiled from the land. That is a humiliation for them in the world. In the Aakhirat (Hereafter) is a great punishment. Except those who repent before you gain control over them. Then know that Allaah is Most Forgiving, Most merciful." [al-Maidah: 33-34]
Thus is a gang or an individual capable of obstructing goes out with the aim of highway robbery, and they are apprehended before having stolen anything or killed anyone, they ruler will detain them until they repent. If they had stolen wealth of a Muslim or Zimmi, to the extent that if divided amongst them it would be worth at least 10 Dirham per head, then the ruler will cut their hands and feet from opposite sides.
If they killed anyone without taking any wealth, they will be killed as per the Hadd. If the victim's family wish to pardon them, their pardon will not be considered. If they both killed and plundered, then the ruler may either kill them or crucify them.*

* Whether with cutting their hands and feet first, or just killing/crucifying them. [al-'Inayah]

~ al-Quduri ~