How a thief discharges the rights of people after his repentance

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. May peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you, my father, Shaykh Abdul Aziz ibn Baz. I am sending you this message after Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, guided me. I am pained by what my hands have done before Allah guided me. Indeed, my hand reached out many times to things that did not belong to me, and they were, of course, forbidden for me. I have learned that the expiation for that is to give charity, and that the reward of the charity belongs to the owner of the right if I do not find him and give him what I took from him. The question is: How should the charity be paid? Is it to be given to one poor person, or is it permissible to give it to the Afghan mujahideen? And if I know the person from whom I stole and I want to return his right to him, is it valid for me to return it without him knowing that I am the one who stole from him, for example by sending it by mail? May Allah reward you with good. Please issue a ruling on my matter, for I am in severe torment of conscience. I ask Allah not to let our hearts deviate after He has guided us; He is the One capable of that and the One who has power over it. There is no power and no strength except with Allah.
Answer: Praise be to Allah who granted you the blessing of repentance and provided you with turning back to Him and fearing Him, Glorified and Exalted is He. This is among the blessings of Allah upon you. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, says: [Surat al-Nur: 31]. So repentance is success and happiness. You must deliver the money that came to you without right to its owners through reliable means that will reach them, even if they do not know that you are the sender, so that you are free from the responsibility. The important thing is that it reaches them, even if they do not know it is from you, but from another source, provided they know that it is theirs and that it is their right. You convey to them that it is theirs and that this is their money. If it reaches them as their money, you are free from the responsibility, even if they do not know that you are the sender.
As for if you are unable to do that or do not know them, then you spend it in the causes of righteousness by giving it to the poor and needy with the intention on their behalf, with the intention on behalf of their owners, or you pay it to the Afghan mujahideen, or in other causes of righteousness and good deeds with the intention on behalf of their owners. By this, your conscience is cleared, and the reward is obtained for their owners when there is no knowledge of them or ability to deliver it to them. However, with the ability to deliver it to them, it is obligatory to deliver it to them, and the conscience is not cleared except by that. May Allah make your matter easy.
The presenter: O Allah, amen. Does the Shaykh tell them, or is there no need?
The Shaykh: Do not tell them. No, there is no need to inform them. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you.