What is required of one who wants to return rights but does not know where their owners are?
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Question:
He says: I used to take things from some shop owners without their knowledge. Now that I have repented, how do I return them to them? And what if some of them have left these shops and I do not know where they are? Should I give them in charity? Or what? And what if I had borrowed some money from some of them? Please guide me in this matter. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: You return them. May Allah help you.
The presenter: I used to take things from some shop owners without their knowledge. Now that I have repented to Allah , how do I return them to them? And what if some of them have left these shops and I do not know where they are? Should I give it in charity? Or what? And what if I had borrowed some money from some of them?
Answer:
It is obligatory for you to seek them out and inquire about them, perhaps you will know them. If you know them, return their money to them along with repentance to Allah , by the means that reach them, even if they do not know it is from you. You convey it to them as being from a person who sees it as the right of another, that it is a right upon you, so you pay it to them. If you are unable to do so and do not know their shops, give it in charity on their behalf with the intention, giving it in charity for the poor, or in charitable projects, or in jihad in Afghanistan, and your conscience is cleared with repentance, and you intend it for them, and the reward is for them, because you were unable to deliver it to them. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
He says: I used to take things from some shop owners without their knowledge. Now that I have repented, how do I return them to them? And what if some of them have left these shops and I do not know where they are? Should I give them in charity? Or what? And what if I had borrowed some money from some of them? Please guide me in this matter. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh: You return them. May Allah help you.
The presenter: I used to take things from some shop owners without their knowledge. Now that I have repented to Allah , how do I return them to them? And what if some of them have left these shops and I do not know where they are? Should I give it in charity? Or what? And what if I had borrowed some money from some of them?
Answer:
It is obligatory for you to seek them out and inquire about them, perhaps you will know them. If you know them, return their money to them along with repentance to Allah , by the means that reach them, even if they do not know it is from you. You convey it to them as being from a person who sees it as the right of another, that it is a right upon you, so you pay it to them. If you are unable to do so and do not know their shops, give it in charity on their behalf with the intention, giving it in charity for the poor, or in charitable projects, or in jihad in Afghanistan, and your conscience is cleared with repentance, and you intend it for them, and the reward is for them, because you were unable to deliver it to them. 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.