A man who sees stolen money in the dens of a gang and knows its owner: what is his obligation?
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The questioner : Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy.
The Shaykh : And upon you peace and the mercy of Allah
The questioner : If you permit it, may Allah reward you with good. Three questions, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh : No, we do not permit anything but one question.
The questioner : We are doing a drawing, meaning each of your brothers in Jeddah, and we are traveling today, and if Allah wills, I think the answer to it is...
The Shaykh : No, no, absolutely not. One question, and the rest you will find me, if Allah wills, in prayer.
The questioner : There is a gang, I mean, their situation has become severe and dangerous, and they steal from people.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : And there are no security forces in that town, and one of the people knows their den and knows their hiding place. So is it permissible for this man who knows their den, who has brave people with him, to take these moneys secretly from them, secretly, and identify them or identify their owners and deliver them to their owners?
Does this taking of theirs count as theft as well?
The Shaykh : Yes. If a man sees stolen money and he knows its owner, it is obligatory for him to rescue it from the thief. It is obligatory, it is obligatory for him, as an obligation, to rescue it from the thief. So if these people go to the dens of these thieves and take the people's money to return it to the people, they are doing a great good and they have a great reward. So let them do that as much as they are able.
The Shaykh : And upon you peace and the mercy of Allah
The questioner : If you permit it, may Allah reward you with good. Three questions, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh : No, we do not permit anything but one question.
The questioner : We are doing a drawing, meaning each of your brothers in Jeddah, and we are traveling today, and if Allah wills, I think the answer to it is...
The Shaykh : No, no, absolutely not. One question, and the rest you will find me, if Allah wills, in prayer.
The questioner : There is a gang, I mean, their situation has become severe and dangerous, and they steal from people.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : And there are no security forces in that town, and one of the people knows their den and knows their hiding place. So is it permissible for this man who knows their den, who has brave people with him, to take these moneys secretly from them, secretly, and identify them or identify their owners and deliver them to their owners?
Does this taking of theirs count as theft as well?
The Shaykh : Yes. If a man sees stolen money and he knows its owner, it is obligatory for him to rescue it from the thief. It is obligatory, it is obligatory for him, as an obligation, to rescue it from the thief. So if these people go to the dens of these thieves and take the people's money to return it to the people, they are doing a great good and they have a great reward. So let them do that as much as they are able.