When we were young, we used to go out to the open land and steal goats and cows, slaughter them, and eat them. Now we have repented to Allah, so what should we do, knowing that if
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The questioner : When he was young, he used to go out with other young men to the open land and steal whatever goats or cows they found. They would slaughter what they stole and eat it. He says: Praise be to Allah, we have repented to Allah and He has guided us to the straight path. We know that the owners of these animals are still alive, and if we confess to them, unlimited problems may arise. Some of them may have died. What should we do, O honorable Shaykh? Please give us a ruling, and may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : It is obligatory for you, since you know who these cows and sheep belong to, to return the injustice to their owners. If you do not do so, they will take this injustice from your good deeds on the Day of Resurrection, and thus you will be bankrupt. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) once told his Companions: They said: Who is the one who has no dirham, I think, and no goods? He said: .
The problems that may occur if you confess to them that you stole and this is the value of the stolen property can be avoided by giving the value of the stolen property to someone you trust among the people to deliver it to them. If this person you trust is among their acquaintances, they will not suspect that he is the one who stole. In this case, I say that you should give them the value, because returning the value here may be a necessity. Otherwise, it is obligatory for one who destroys a person's animal to return to him the like of that animal, because an animal is one of the like-for-like items according to the stronger opinion among the scholars. If you do not find someone you trust among their acquaintances who will deliver their right to them, you can send it by check or by Sudanese pound via the post. If you fear that they will find out through your name on the check, it becomes necessary to send it by Sudanese pound.
As for the case where the owner of the cow or sheep is unknown to you, you should give charity with the value of that animal to clear yourselves of what is in your consciences, so that the reward belongs to the owner of the cow or sheep.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : It is obligatory for you, since you know who these cows and sheep belong to, to return the injustice to their owners. If you do not do so, they will take this injustice from your good deeds on the Day of Resurrection, and thus you will be bankrupt. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) once told his Companions:
Who do you consider to be the bankrupt among you?
من تعدون المفلس فيكم ؟The bankrupt is the one who comes on the Day of Resurrection with good deeds like mountains, having wronged this one, insulted that one, and taken the wealth of another. So this one takes from his good deeds, and that one takes from his good deeds, and this one takes from his good deeds. If nothing remains of his good deeds, they take from their sins and place them upon him, and then he is cast into the Fire.
إن المفلس من يأتي يوم القيامة بحسنات كالجبال ، فيأتي وقد ظلم هذا وشتم هذا وأخذ مال هذا ، فيأخذ هذا من حسناته وهذا من حسناته وهذا من حسناته ، فإن لم يبق من حسناته شيء أخذ من سيئاتهم وطرح عليه ثم طرح في النارThe problems that may occur if you confess to them that you stole and this is the value of the stolen property can be avoided by giving the value of the stolen property to someone you trust among the people to deliver it to them. If this person you trust is among their acquaintances, they will not suspect that he is the one who stole. In this case, I say that you should give them the value, because returning the value here may be a necessity. Otherwise, it is obligatory for one who destroys a person's animal to return to him the like of that animal, because an animal is one of the like-for-like items according to the stronger opinion among the scholars. If you do not find someone you trust among their acquaintances who will deliver their right to them, you can send it by check or by Sudanese pound via the post. If you fear that they will find out through your name on the check, it becomes necessary to send it by Sudanese pound.
As for the case where the owner of the cow or sheep is unknown to you, you should give charity with the value of that animal to clear yourselves of what is in your consciences, so that the reward belongs to the owner of the cow or sheep.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.