The verses in the Qur'an about cutting hands [of thieves] and flogging [those who commit fornication] are intended to be deterrent; these are not punishments that are put into practice; the system of Islam will eliminate the basis of such crimes fundamentally 

Excerpt from Mr. Adnan Oktar's Live Interview on A9 TV dated September 7th, 2011 

ADNAN OKTAR: "How should we understand the verses in the Qur'an about cutting hands [of thieves] or flogging [those who commit fornication]?  Your loving student," says Murat Baris Coskun. "The verses in the Qur'an about cutting hands and flogging," these are deterrent verses. I mean at that time, at the time of our Prophet (saas), at the time of the Companions no one ever stole anything, no one at all. Whose hand has ever been cut? That might be very very rare, I mean one or two separate incidents, maximum three, insha'Allah.  Flogging has been applied very rarely as well. These are deterrent verses; I mean verses used to humiliate the offenders.  A believer, a Muslim would say so if he has any need and he gets what he wants anyway. For instance he says; "that is very nice," and let us assume that he said that for a pitcher or something, and he said "that is very beautiful" and the other Muslim would anyway say "May Allah be pleased with you, take it, it is yours, you are my brother," there is no such ambition in a Muslim, I mean where is the environment that he can steal? Our Prophet says at the time of Hazrat Mahd i(pbuh) the goods will be bountiful. Why should one engage in theft? If he has a problem with his mind, if he has cleptomania then that is a mental disease anyway, he would be treated as a patient and a patient would not be punished anyway. If he has a need, he gets it anyway; I mean what has a Muslim ever asked for and didn't get? If it is food he needs, he gets food, if it is clothes, he gets clothes. There is no such thing as wanting and not getting what is needed for a Muslim. When a Muslim asks for a property, he instantly gets it.  That is how it is in Islam. I mean if someone has a desire for something you simply say "take it, it is yours", that is how it is.  There would not be any such incidents anyway; no one is left hungry and out in the open, so why should there be any theft? That only has a deterrent clause, it is not a punishment applied in practice. That is the same with flogging as well, it is not applied in practice. How could it be, there needs to be four people catching them engaging in fornication, I mean how is this technically possible? The verse says; "Do not enter houses from their windows." You cannot sneak into a house, you have to ring the bell; when you ring the bell the man would in any case adjust his clothes and then come open the door saying; "what is wrong? Come along my friend." How could four people catch that person engaging in fornication and then flog that person? Those are threatening verses intended to humiliate and dissuade.  Show me people who have been subjected to this religious law, in the history; I mean it is very very rare, may be one in a million, it is very rare.  Consequently, the system of Islam eliminates these fundamentally anyway; such incidents do not happen, there is no such structure. For instance think about it; there is a child he desires a food, a toy; he would instantly take it, you would give it to him. How nice it is, you would instantly make him happy.  Or a young girl says "what a nice outfit this is," you would just say; "take it, it is yours," right? How nice.  "Let it be a present from me," you would say. That is it. That is how it is insha'Allah. What should one do with the possessions of this world? One cannot take them to the Hereafter, he cannot take it to the grave, right? Why should he not have those? In Islam there is a great wealth, a splendid wealth anyway. You do not give money to weapons; you do not give money to the tanks, cannon balls or warplanes; you only spend it on food and drinks and clothing. Then there will be bountiful of goods. Our Prophet (saas) says; "A man will come to Hazrat Mahdi (pbuh) and ask for goods even though he has."  I mean he wouldn't be able to believe his own eyes, there will be that much abundance. They would say; "What would you like? Go to the treasury and they'll give you as much as you like." The man goes and takes so much that he cannot carry, then he gets embarrassed and brings them all back thinking "Am I the greediest one among the ummah of Mohammad?" Treasury says; "We do not take back what we have given my friend. That is okay, these are yours, you can do whatever you like with them, distribute it if you like." Could there be theft in such a situation? Why should there be theft? But now the men are.. I mean you know the situation, let me not list them all one by one. Of course..