I was given some money as fees to pass on to the fees collector of a madrassah. The people had entrusted me with it. Whilst it was with me, i was at a shop once and realised at the till that i had left my money at home and only had this fees. With the niyyat to put it back later i opened the envelope and used some money. At the time i thought it was okay But later when i thought about it, it didnt feel right. I feel bad about this and i feel like i did khiyaanat. Am i sinful and is my shopping haraam- i have replaced the money. I know I will never do this again Inshaa-Allah and i have done tawbah. Do i have to tell the madrassah about this incident or the person? Either way i feel like i will be disclosing a fault of mine and bringing shame upon myself. I am really embarrassed by what i have done and have done tawbah and will do more too inshaa-Allah. Please tell me if my shopping is haraam and whether i have to inform them? And if this is really khayaanat because i did intend to replace it?
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
The money given to you was a trust.[1] By opening the envelope and using it elsewhere, you did not honor the trust and indeed committed an act of khiyānah.[2] In such situations, it is necessary for one to compensate the owner of the money[3] and make abundant tawbah for committing such a deed. Since you replaced the money, it will not be necessary to inform the madarsah and your shopping will be halāl.[4]
In the future, you should make sure to fear Allāh Ta`ālā, honor such trusts, and exercise precaution in such matters.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Bilal Mohammad
Student Darul Iftaa
New Jersey, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
[1] Fatāwā Mahmūdiyyah, v. 16 p. 455, Dārul Iftā’ Jāmi`ah Fārūqiyyah
[2](وَإِنْ أَنْفَقَ) الْمُودَعُ (بَعْضَهَا) أَيْ الْوَدِيعَةِ (فَهَلَكَ الْبَاقِي ضَمِنَ مَا أَنْفَقَ فَقَطْ) وَلَا يَضْمَنُ كُلَّهَا؛ لِأَنَّ الضَّمَانَ يَجِبُ بِقَدْرِ الْخِيَانَةِ، وَقَدْ خَانَ فِي الْبَعْضِ دُونَ الْبَعْضِ وَيُعْمَلُ بِقَوْلِهِ فِي الْإِنْفَاقِ بِيَمِينِهِ.
(مجمع الأنهر ومعه الدر المنتقي، ج ٣، ص ٤٧٢، دار الكتب العلمية)
[3]Fatāwā Mahmūdiyyah, v. 16 p. 455, Dārul Iftā’ Jāmi`ah Fārūqiyyah
(الْمَادَّةُ ٧٨٧) إذَا هَلَكَتْ الْوَدِيعَةُ أَوْ طَرَأَ نُقْصَانٌ عَلَى قِيمَتِهَا فِي حَالٍ تَعَدِّي الْمُسْتَوْدَعِ أَوْ تَقْصِيرِهِ يَلْزَمُ الضَّمَانُ .
مَثَلًا إذَا صَرَفَ الْمُسْتَوْدَعُ النُّقُودَ الْمُودَعَةَ عِنْدَهُ فِي أُمُورِ نَفْسِهِ وَاسْتَهْلَكَهَا أَوْ دَفَعَهَا لِغَيْرِهِ وَجَعَلَهُ يَسْتَهْلِكُهَا يَضْمَنُ .
وَفِي هَذِهِ الصُّورَةِ إذَا صَرَفَ النُّقُودَ الَّتِي هِيَ أَمَانَةٌ عِنْدَهُ عَلَى ذَلِكَ الْوَجْهِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ مَحِلَّهَا مِنْ مَالِ نَفْسِهِ وَضَاعَتْ بِدُونِ تَعَدِّيهِ وَتَقْصِيرِهِ لَا يَخْلُصُ مِنْ الضَّمَانِ
(درر الحكام شرح مجلة الأحكام، ج ٢ ص ٢٦٦، دار الكتب العلمية)
مَثَلًا إذَا اسْتَهْلَكَ الْمُسْتَوْدَعُ النُّقُودَ الْمُودَعَةَ عِنْدَهُ بِصَرْفِهِ إيَّاهَا فِي أُمُورِ ذَاتِهِ أَوْ فِي أُمُورِ الْمُودَعِ بِلَا أَمْرِ الْمُودِعِ أَوْ أَعْطَاهَا رَجُلًا آخَرَ فَاسْتَهْلَكَهَا هَذَا يَضْمَنُ ؛ لِأَنَّ فِعْلَهُ ذَلِكَ تَعَدٍّ .
(درر الحكام شرح مجلة الأحكام، ج ٢ ص ٢٧٠، دار الكتب العلمية)
[4] الْوَكِيلُ بِشِرَاءِ عَبْدٍ حَبَشِيٍّ إذَا أَنْفَقَ الدَّرَاهِمَ على نَفْسِهِ وَاشْتَرَى بِمَا أُمِرَ بِهِ من عِنْدِهِ يَكُونُ الْمُشْتَرَى لِلْوَكِيلِ دُونَ الْآمِرِ هو الْمُخْتَارُ وَلَوْ اشْتَرَى ما أُمِرَ بِهِ ثُمَّ أَنْفَقَ الدَّرَاهِمَ بَعْدَمَا سَلَّمَ ما اشْتَرَى إلَى الْآمِرِ ثُمَّ نَقَدَ الْبَائِعَ غَيْرَهَا جَازَ كَذَا في الْخُلَاصَةِ في فَصْلِ التَّوَكُّلِ بِالْبَيْعِ في بَعْضِ النُّسَخِ