Selling what one does not own, then repenting, and being unable to find the buyers
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The first question of Fatwa No. ( 3020 )
Q1: When I took possession of the land and sold it, I believed that the land was not owned by anyone, whether by the municipality or otherwise. Some of the people who bought from me are impossible to find, because I do not know their names or their locations.
A1: I previously issued Fatwa No. 2885 on 12/3/1400 AH, stating that your sale of the land you asked about is not permissible and is invalid; because you did not own it, you were not authorized to sell it, and no one with the authority to dispose of it ratified your sale contract after you sold it. You must return the price you received to the person you sold it to, whether it was small or large. If you are unable to find out who bought it from you, then give it in charity to the poor, and spend it on charitable projects, such as building or repairing mosques, with the intention of doing so on behalf of its owner;
and by that, your obligation is discharged, if Allah wills.
Q1: When I took possession of the land and sold it, I believed that the land was not owned by anyone, whether by the municipality or otherwise. Some of the people who bought from me are impossible to find, because I do not know their names or their locations.
A1: I previously issued Fatwa No. 2885 on 12/3/1400 AH, stating that your sale of the land you asked about is not permissible and is invalid; because you did not own it, you were not authorized to sell it, and no one with the authority to dispose of it ratified your sale contract after you sold it. You must return the price you received to the person you sold it to, whether it was small or large. If you are unable to find out who bought it from you, then give it in charity to the poor, and spend it on charitable projects, such as building or repairing mosques, with the intention of doing so on behalf of its owner;
and by that, your obligation is discharged, if Allah wills.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.