Islamic Perspective on Presidential Pardons

عَنَ عَائِشَةَ رضي الله عنها أَنَّ قُرَيْشًا أَهَمَّهُمْ شَأْنُ الْمَرْأَةِ الْمَخْزُومِيَّةِ الَّتِي سَرَقَتْ فَقَالُوا مَنْ يُكَلِّمُ فِيهَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالُوا وَمَنْ يَجْتَرِئُ عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ أُسَامَةُ حِبُّ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ‏.‏ فَكَلَّمَهُ أُسَامَةُ.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ ‏((أَتَشْفَعُ فِي حَدٍّ مِنْ حُدُودِ اللهِ)).‏ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَاخْتَطَبَ فَقَالَ ‏((أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّمَا أَهْلَكَ الَّذِينَ قَبْلَكُمْ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الشَّرِيفُ تَرَكُوهُ وَإِذَا سَرَقَ فِيهِمُ الضَّعِيفُ أَقَامُوا عَلَيْهِ الْحَدَّ وَايْمُ اللهِ لَوْ أَنَّ فَاطِمَةَ بِنْتَ مُحَمَّدٍ سَرَقَتْ لَقَطَعْتُ يَدَهَا)). 'A'isha reported that the Quraish had been anxious about the Makhzumi woman who had committed theft, and said: Who will speak to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about her? They said: Who dare it, but Usama, the loved one of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? So Usama spoke to him. Thereupon Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Do you intercede regarding one of the punishments prescribed by Allah? He then stood up and addressed (people) saying: O people, those who have gone before you were destroyed, because if any one of high rank committed theft amongst them, they spared him; and it anyone of low rank committed theft, they inflicted the prescribed punishment upon him. By Allah, if Fatima, daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would have her hand cut off. [Agreed upon]