The "Severed Hand" controversy centers around several of Min's visions. For Elayne, she has seen: 1) A severed hand, not hers [TGH: 24, New Friends and Old Enemies, 305], 2) A red-hot iron and an axe [TGH: 43, A Plan, 511]. For Rand, we have: A bloody hand and a white hot iron [TEOTW: 15, Strangers and Friends, 181]
It seems most likely that these visions were fulfilled in Knife of Dreams, when Rand had his hand blasted off by Semirhage. [KOD 27: A Plain Wooden Box]
RJ said, at a signing, that he deliberately made Rand like Tew, the Norse god of strife, who lost a hand.