How to Deal with Money Whose Owner Is Unknown
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
From the brothers: (A. A. K.) and (F. A. S.) sent a letter containing some questions. One of them was: “One day I bought from a grocer. I gave him fifty riyals, and he gave me four hundred and fifty riyals. I was aware of the mistake, and I regretted it at the time. Now I want to return to him what he is owed, but I do not know where he is. How do you advise me to proceed? May Allah reward you with good.”
Answer:
If you do not know his location or address, give it in charity on his behalf. Give it to some of the poor with the intention that it is for him, and Allah will benefit him through it. If he comes along later and you recognize him, give him the choice. If he wishes, he accepts the charity and it becomes his. If he wishes, you give him his money, and the charity and its reward remain for you. Praise be to Allah. Yes.
The presenter: Praise be to Allah, may Allah reward you with good.
From the brothers: (A. A. K.) and (F. A. S.) sent a letter containing some questions. One of them was: “One day I bought from a grocer. I gave him fifty riyals, and he gave me four hundred and fifty riyals. I was aware of the mistake, and I regretted it at the time. Now I want to return to him what he is owed, but I do not know where he is. How do you advise me to proceed? May Allah reward you with good.”
Answer:
If you do not know his location or address, give it in charity on his behalf. Give it to some of the poor with the intention that it is for him, and Allah will benefit him through it. If he comes along later and you recognize him, give him the choice. If he wishes, he accepts the charity and it becomes his. If he wishes, you give him his money, and the charity and its reward remain for you. Praise be to Allah. Yes.
The presenter: Praise be to Allah, may Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.