What is the ruling on taking my friend’s belongings during the events in Kuwait to protect them from theft, given that he traveled to Egypt and did not return to his country, and then I traveled to my country?

The questioner : There is a second question, Shaykh.

The Shaykh: Go ahead.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. I was in Burda during the days of the Kuwait events. I had a friend who was traveling to Egypt. So, naturally, what happened happened. I went to his house on the basis of... because there was a lot of theft, so I went to his things to take them for him and hide them as a trust. I took some of the things from the house from his place. They are currently with me. I do not know his address in Egypt, nor do I know how to find him, even though I tried my best to ask for his address, but I did not find it. What should I do with some of the things that are with me?

The Shaykh : Did you take the things with his permission or without his permission?

The questioner : No, he was traveling. I took something...

The Shaykh : My brother, may Allah guide you, may Allah guide you, my brother. I am asking you, answer.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : I asked you, was he traveling or present?

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Why do you evade the answer?

The questioner: Go ahead.

The Shaykh : And you are asking so that you may learn.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : I am telling you, these things that you have, when you took them from the man’s house, did you take them with his permission or not?

The questioner : No, without his permission.

The Shaykh : Okay, how is it permissible for you to take them without his permission?

The questioner : Because he was traveling.

The Shaykh : Even if he was traveling.

The questioner : He.

The Shaykh : .

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : Do you not know this verse?

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. Look, the situation is this: he was living in a room in a courtyard, and with him were two Indians, meaning his neighbors in another room. So these people, they knocked on the door, and his neighbors who were living with him in the same courtyard opened the door for me.

The Shaykh : What is the difference between you and them?

The questioner : I entered. They were not living with him in the same house. So his room was locked when he traveled. I entered and found his room open.

The Shaykh : And where were you? Where were you living?

The questioner : I was in another area. So when I thought to go and protect his things, to hide them for him from theft, because there was theft, I entered the house. Naturally, I found his room open and some things had been stolen from it. I took some of the things, basically to keep them for him as a trust if I find him. But he did not return to Kuwait. Until I left four months ago, and currently I do not know his address so that I can send him these things and the trust.

The Shaykh : Keep them with you as a trust.

The questioner : Keep them.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : No matter how long the time takes.

The Shaykh : No matter how long the time takes, and do the possible causes to know his location.

The questioner : Okay, Shaykh, for example, God forbid, after a long life, may Allah will it, we will all die. What does that mean regarding these things?

The Shaykh : What do you want to do?

The questioner : No, I do not want to be held accountable for them.

The Shaykh : If you do not want to be held accountable, you should not have entered into the whole problem.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : But since you did it, then preserve the trust. Then, deliver the trusts to their owners when you recognize the man.

The questioner: Yes, may Allah reward you with good.

The Shaykh : And beware of that.