If a person takes a right from his brother without his knowledge and wants to return it to him but fears fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), what should he do?
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The questioner : This questioner is Sudanese and has used the initials A.A.M. for his name. He says, “O honorable Shaykh, if a person takes a right from his brother without his knowledge and wants to return it to him but fears fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), what should he do? May you be rewarded.”
The Shaykh : The questioner says, “If a person takes a right from his brother, and perhaps he means if he takes something from his brother, if he takes something from his brother and then Allah grants him repentance, then it is obligatory for him to return it to him by any means, and he should take the means that does not involve harm. For example, if he stole a hundred dirhams from him, for instance.”
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If he stole a hundred dirhams from him and then repented and wanted to return them to him, it is well known that if he were to say, “I stole these dirhams from you, and I have repented to Allah, and I am returning them to you,” that might lead to evil. Perhaps the one from whom it was stolen would say, “You stole more than that,” and there would be litigation and dispute. In that case, he can put them in an envelope and send them with a trustworthy friend, telling this friend, “Give this to so-and-so and tell him that this is from a person who took it from you previously, and Allah granted him repentance, and this is it.” And in that case, if the owner of the money says to him, “Tell me who this person is,” he is not obligated to tell him. He may resort to ta'wil (figurative interpretation) if he is forced to tell him, saying, “By Allah, I do not know him,” intending by his saying “By Allah, I do not know him” that he does not know him in a specific state other than the state he is currently in. By doing so, the responsibility of the one who took it is cleared, and this intermediary will receive much good and reward. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : The questioner says, “If a person takes a right from his brother, and perhaps he means if he takes something from his brother, if he takes something from his brother and then Allah grants him repentance, then it is obligatory for him to return it to him by any means, and he should take the means that does not involve harm. For example, if he stole a hundred dirhams from him, for instance.”
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : If he stole a hundred dirhams from him and then repented and wanted to return them to him, it is well known that if he were to say, “I stole these dirhams from you, and I have repented to Allah, and I am returning them to you,” that might lead to evil. Perhaps the one from whom it was stolen would say, “You stole more than that,” and there would be litigation and dispute. In that case, he can put them in an envelope and send them with a trustworthy friend, telling this friend, “Give this to so-and-so and tell him that this is from a person who took it from you previously, and Allah granted him repentance, and this is it.” And in that case, if the owner of the money says to him, “Tell me who this person is,” he is not obligated to tell him. He may resort to ta'wil (figurative interpretation) if he is forced to tell him, saying, “By Allah, I do not know him,” intending by his saying “By Allah, I do not know him” that he does not know him in a specific state other than the state he is currently in. By doing so, the responsibility of the one who took it is cleared, and this intermediary will receive much good and reward. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.