Answered by Shaykh Abu Usamah
Here is the scenario (it’s complex): pious faqir A owes some money to person B. Now pious faqir A has lost contact with person B and has no way of reaching him. However, pious faqir A knows a third person C who might be able to contact person B. Unfortunately third person C never responds to pious faqir A’s phone calls, pious faqir has left several messages and third person C just doesn’t want to know.
So now should pious faqir A just give the money to a charity instead, and if he does give it to a charity, does he still have to repay person B should he one day bump into him, or will he have discharged his debt?
Al-Salam alaykum
Pious faqir A still has to keep trying (within his capability) to find some way to get in touch with B.
If he gives the money in charity and then happens to bump into B he will have to pay him.
Abu Usamah