How are rights restored after repentance?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Honorable Shaykh, I am a man who took things from people unjustly years ago, and praise be to Allah, I have repented to Allah for that. So what is required of me now? Know that I remember some of these things, but I do not remember others, nor do I remember their owners. So what is required of me regarding the things I do not remember? And may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The rights of people must be fulfilled unless they forgive them. So you must fulfill the rights to their owners if you know them, delivering them to them by any method or means, and your conscience is not cleared except by that, or by their forgiving you. And if you do not know them and it is difficult for you to know them, then give them in charity, intending the reward for them, and get rid of them. And if you do not know the amount, estimate it, strive to estimate it, be cautious, and give it in charity, or give it to them if you know them. This matter is necessary. Yes.
Honorable Shaykh, I am a man who took things from people unjustly years ago, and praise be to Allah, I have repented to Allah for that. So what is required of me now? Know that I remember some of these things, but I do not remember others, nor do I remember their owners. So what is required of me regarding the things I do not remember? And may Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
The rights of people must be fulfilled unless they forgive them. So you must fulfill the rights to their owners if you know them, delivering them to them by any method or means, and your conscience is not cleared except by that, or by their forgiving you. And if you do not know them and it is difficult for you to know them, then give them in charity, intending the reward for them, and get rid of them. And if you do not know the amount, estimate it, strive to estimate it, be cautious, and give it in charity, or give it to them if you know them. This matter is necessary. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، كيف ترد الحقوق بعد التوبة؟ للشيخ الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.
