Ruling on one who finds money in his home and does not know its owner
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Question:
A message was received by the program signed by one of the female listeners. The sender, Umm al-Muhannad from Jeddah, says:
A young woman had money belonging to her brother’s wife, but she returned this money. After that, she doubted whether she had done so. Some time later, she found money in a place where some of her personal belongings were kept, so she did not know whether this money belonged to her mother, who always puts money in any place, or whether it belonged to her brother’s wife?
It is known that she asked her brother’s wife, who told her: “You returned it to me.” She also said: “And even if it is with you, there is no harm, for we are sisters.” It is known that she does not know the amount of the money that was entrusted to her by her brother’s wife.
My question: Does she give the money to her brother’s wife, or to her mother, or does she give it in charity? It is known that the mother said: “It is permissible that the money is mine?”
Please issue a ruling for us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
If her mother considers this money to be hers, she should give it to her mother. If she thinks it is her mother’s money, and that her mother may have placed some of her money in this place, from her salary or her earnings, then it is her mother’s money. The original presumption is that it is her mother’s money. If she has no money at all, and her brother’s wife informed her that her right has reached her, then it belongs to her mother, as long as her mother places some of her things with her, it belongs to her mother. However, if she herself places money for herself in this place, then it is her money. The original presumption is that it is her money. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
A message was received by the program signed by one of the female listeners. The sender, Umm al-Muhannad from Jeddah, says:
A young woman had money belonging to her brother’s wife, but she returned this money. After that, she doubted whether she had done so. Some time later, she found money in a place where some of her personal belongings were kept, so she did not know whether this money belonged to her mother, who always puts money in any place, or whether it belonged to her brother’s wife?
It is known that she asked her brother’s wife, who told her: “You returned it to me.” She also said: “And even if it is with you, there is no harm, for we are sisters.” It is known that she does not know the amount of the money that was entrusted to her by her brother’s wife.
My question: Does she give the money to her brother’s wife, or to her mother, or does she give it in charity? It is known that the mother said: “It is permissible that the money is mine?”
Please issue a ruling for us. May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
If her mother considers this money to be hers, she should give it to her mother. If she thinks it is her mother’s money, and that her mother may have placed some of her money in this place, from her salary or her earnings, then it is her mother’s money. The original presumption is that it is her mother’s money. If she has no money at all, and her brother’s wife informed her that her right has reached her, then it belongs to her mother, as long as her mother places some of her things with her, it belongs to her mother. However, if she herself places money for herself in this place, then it is her money. The original presumption is that it is her money. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.