A man who works in a company and was entrusted with paying the workers' salaries used to take some money from each worker on the pretext that there was no cash available, and he has repented to Allah and learned
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The questioner : This listener, who resides in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, sent this question. He says: "I used to work as an employee in one of the companies, and I was sometimes entrusted with the task of paying the workers their salaries. However, I did not perform this task perfectly, because I used to take a small portion of each one of their salaries on the pretext that I did not have cash on hand. I continued this way for one year. I left that job four years ago, and I deeply regret what I did, especially when I learned that the rights of people are not satisfied by repentance alone, but it is necessary to return them to their owners. It is difficult for me to know who they are now, especially since a long time has passed since I knew them. It is also difficult for me to know exactly what each one of their shares was. What should I do? Please advise me, may Allah reward you."
The Shaykh : What the questioner said, that repentance is not complete regarding the rights of people unless the right is paid to them or they are asked for forgiveness, is correct. The way to get rid of the rights of those whom you wronged is to return to the records from the time you were working there. If you return to them, you will know the employees to whom you paid. Then you contact them and ask for their forgiveness for what you did. If they forgive you, that is fine. If they do not forgive you, you agree with them on a settlement. Any settlement you agree upon is permissible. If this matter becomes difficult for you and becomes impossible, then you give in charity what you believe, based on your strong suspicion, that you took from them. You intend by this to get rid of the debt, not to draw near to Allah, because drawing near to Allah the Exalted and Majestic with what is not lawful does not become a means of drawing near for the doer, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Sahih Muslim 1015.
The questioner : May Allah reward you. This listener did not mention his name; he is a Sudanese resident in the Kingdom, in the al-Bahah region.
The Shaykh : What the questioner said, that repentance is not complete regarding the rights of people unless the right is paid to them or they are asked for forgiveness, is correct. The way to get rid of the rights of those whom you wronged is to return to the records from the time you were working there. If you return to them, you will know the employees to whom you paid. Then you contact them and ask for their forgiveness for what you did. If they forgive you, that is fine. If they do not forgive you, you agree with them on a settlement. Any settlement you agree upon is permissible. If this matter becomes difficult for you and becomes impossible, then you give in charity what you believe, based on your strong suspicion, that you took from them. You intend by this to get rid of the debt, not to draw near to Allah, because drawing near to Allah the Exalted and Majestic with what is not lawful does not become a means of drawing near for the doer, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
Allah is Good and He therefore, accepts only that which is good
إن الله طيب لا يقبل إلا طيباًThe questioner : May Allah reward you. This listener did not mention his name; he is a Sudanese resident in the Kingdom, in the al-Bahah region.