Conditions for Restoring the Rights of People Upon Repentance from Theft, and the Ruling on Disposing of It Through Charity

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. This questioner from France says: It is well known that one of the conditions of repentance is to restore the rights of people. He says: Before I committed to the religion, I stole a large amount of money from various parties, some of which amounted to millions. He says: I do not have this money to return it, and I fear harm from imprisonment and the like. What is the religious obligation upon me after my repentance?

Answer:
The religious obligation upon you is to dispose of the rights you know. If you know their owners, return them to them, for you will not be free of liability except by doing so. If you do not know their owners, or if you know them but fear the penalties and harm, give this money in charity to the needy. This is not in the category of voluntary charity, but in the category of disposing of money, like lost property, which you place in public benefits. Yes.