In islam , is you steal money or anything, you first have to return it, then your tauba is accepted.
what about if someone stealed money when he was at the age of 9? meaining he was not mature, after 20 years he remembers that he stole money from someone at the age of nine, in this case does he still needs to return that money first before making repentance? he was not mature (BAALIGH) then
Also i would like to know if you steal money from someone and then you want to return that money but you can’t find the person, what can you do in this case?
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
(1) An immature child (nabaaligh) is not obligated in Shariah.
If he performs acts of virtue, he will be rewarded. If he commits an act of sin, he will not be held responsible.
However, Shariah has emphasized on the sanctity of people’s wealth.
Accordingly, this serves as an overarching principle over the child not being obliged in Shariah.
The Fuqaha have ruled that if the action of a child has caused damage to someone’s property, the guardian of the child will be responsible on behalf of the child to compensate for the damage.
In the enquired situation if one stole money during his childhood and that has not been compensated by his guardian, he should compensate for it after being an adult. [1]
(2) If one stole someone’s money and the owner cannot be located, he should give the money to his heirs.
If the heirs cannot be located, then the money should be given in sadaqah on behalf of the owner.
The person should also make sincere tawbah and istighfaar for his wrong doings.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Muhammad IV Patel
Student Darul Iftaa
Lusaka, Zambia
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
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[1] رد المحتار (25/ 143)
(وَإِنْ أَتْلَفُوا) أَيْ هَؤُلَاءِ الْمَحْجُورِينَ سَوَاءٌ عَقَلُوا أَوْ لَا دُرَرٌ ( شَيْئًا ) مُقَوَّمًا مِنْ مَالٍ أَوْ نَفْسٍ ( ضَمِنُوا ) إذْ لَا حَجْرَ فِي الْفِعْلِيِّ لَكِنَّ ضَمَانَ الْعَبْدِ بَعْدَ الْعِتْقِ عَلَى مَا مَرَّ .
وَفِي الْأَشْبَاهِ: الصَّبِيُّ الْمَحْجُورُ مُؤَاخَذٌ بِأَفْعَالِهِ فَيَضْمَنُ مَا أَتْلَفَهُ مِنْ الْمَالِ لِلْحَالِ
بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع (7/ 148)
أَمَّا الَّذِي يَرْجِعُ إلَى الْآخِرَةِ فَهُوَ الْإِثْمُ وَاسْتِحْقَاقُ الْمُؤَاخَذَةِ إذَا فَعَلَهُ عَنْ عِلْمٍ؛ لِأَنَّهُ مَعْصِيَةٌ، وَارْتِكَابُ الْمَعْصِيَةِ عَلَى سَبِيلِ التَّعَمُّدِ سَبَبٌ لِاسْتِحْقَاقِ الْمُؤَاخَذَةِ
(أَمَّا) الَّذِي يَرْجِعُ إلَى حَالِ قِيَامِهِ فَهُوَ وُجُوبُ رَدِّ الْمَغْصُوبِ عَلَى الْغَاصِبِ
البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (8/ 123)
وَصِفَتُهُ أَنَّهُ حَرَامٌ مُحَرَّمٌ عَلَى الْغَاصِبِ ذَلِكَ وَحُكْمُهُ وُجُوبُ رَدِّ الْمَغْصُوبِ إنْ كَانَ قَائِمًا وَمِثْلِهِ إنْ كَانَ هَالِكًا أَوْ قِيمَتِهِ
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 182)
(ويجب رد عين المغصوب) ما لم يتغير تغيرا فاحشا مجتبى (في مكان غصبه) لتفاوت القيم باختلاف الأماكن (ويبرأ بردها ولو بغير علم المالك) في البزازية غصب دراهم إنسان من كيسه ثم ردها فيه بلا علمه برئ وكذا لو سلمه إليه بجهة أخرى كهبة أو إيداع أو شراء وكذا لو أطعمه فأكله
فتاؤي محمؤديه جلد26 ص46