What is the ruling on money found by a person working in the house of a deceased woman?

The questioner : Our teacher, a man, some time ago, about five years ago, wait, by Allah, Abu 'Abdullah, give me a moment, may Allah reward you with good, two minutes. He works in tin, in the tin trade, and works as a laborer for a contractor. This contractor sent him to a workshop in Amman, the capital of the Kingdom. He entered the house and started working on it, repairing it. While repairing the house, he moved some trash, and a pouch came out, and there was something in it that was shining.

Another questioner : To clarify the story, this house belonged to an old woman who was chosen, and this woman had no... She was living, so to speak, as a poor person. After she passed away, people came and approximately looted the house, to the point that the things that remained appeared to be worthless. So when he came and started repairing the house, commissioned by the contractor, in one of the torn pillows, he hit the pillow, or by whatever means, he discovered that there were gold bracelets in it.
The student: Peace be upon you.

The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

The questioner : So he took these bracelets and sold them, and he was fair with the price. He is now, praise be to Allah, has repented and feels that this money might be forbidden. So he collected the price of these bracelets and put it in the Islamic bank, on the basis that the bank...

The Shaykh : ...is Islamic.

The questioner : Yes, he believes it is Islamic and put it in the Islamic bank, and he says that he wants to return this money to the heirs of this woman. Of course, he tried to ask one of the sheikhs in the mosque, so he started saying to him, "Where do you live?" meaning he suspected him of something bad or evil, so he refused. Until he came to the clinic as a patient and told me the story. I sought the help of the brother Abu Talal and the brother Tawfiq, meaning in trying to reach the heirs of the woman, on the basis that we thought it was best that he pay this money to her heirs... So now it has become clear that she has a brother, that this brother lives in Sham in Damascus, and that what he does there is Tawfiq, her brother.

Another questioner : A poor porter.

The questioner : So what is the ruling on the money that is with him now, and what should he do?

Another questioner : I want to say something, teacher, that now there is a possibility, even if weak, that the money does not belong to the woman who died, because for about four months people were entering and exiting, and then this man came and found this gold.

The questioner : And the pillow might not have been hers at all, and she might have bought it, or there is a possibility.

Another questioner : Several possibilities.

The questioner : But the most likely, the most likely thing is that it is hers.

Another questioner : Because of this, since there is a likely and an unlikely, I want the ruling of the religion on this money.

The questioner : Does he take the money and spend it in the path of Allah, for example? We told him, if he does not find an heir, spend it for the face of Allah the Exalted, or in a project, meaning there is good that you will receive its reward, and the woman will also receive its reward, if Allah wills. This is the ruling we told him, or is it obligatory, or is it better that he find an heir and give it to the heir?

Another questioner : ...it is still under investigation.

The Shaykh : How does he know that there might be, for example, a third or fourth sister, and so on?

The questioner : First, the brother is dead.

The Shaykh : Ah, the important thing is, in my opinion, he or anyone else will not be able to determine the inheritance.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : He will not be able to do this. One thing, another thing, if he could, he would fall into a problem, as... when they askedThe Shaykh : Where do you live? He is not living there, they will get involved with him and say, "You must have..." Therefore, this hypothesis, in my opinion and ijtihad, must never be opened up, meaning he should not ask about the heirs, he should not open up the matter, because first, he will not be able to reach or know the heirs, and second, if he could, it will bring him a problem, may Allah protect him. Therefore,

The questioner : ...but excuse me, to solve the first problem... at the same time, he cannot determine the heirs, as we said, that he sends to each one his share...

The Shaykh : ... Yes.

The questioner : The other solution.

The Shaykh : The other solution is to see if her brother is poor or rich?

The questioner : His situation is good.

The Shaykh : No, I am not saying his situation is good. The important thing is, he knows best. If he is poor, then... do not open up the matter, do not... anything among people, it is a provision that Allah sent to him. And if he is rich, then let him give charity from it to the poor and the needy.

The questioner : Hurrying ... .

The Shaykh : ...permissible...

The questioner : The time we mentioned now, he will be asked, and the money might not belong to this woman, what is the ruling?

The Shaykh: The same speech.

The questioner: The same speech.
The student : They are not known.

The questioner : ...she will take her reward, she too, if Allah wills... seven hundred dinars.
The student : ... .