FatwaFederal TerritoriesTransactions & Finance
AL-KAFI #667: HUTANG ORANG MATI YANG TIDAK DIKETAHUI WARISNYA
What is the ruling on repaying a debt when the lender has died and his heirs cannot be identified?
Short answer
A debt owed to a deceased lender must be returned to his heirs.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Transactions & Finance
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
A debt owed to a deceased lender must be returned to his heirs. If no heir can be found, the money or property is handed to the state baitulmal for the public good. The fatwa also mentions that it may be channelled to the interests of Muslims or given as charity to the poor, with the reward intended for the owner. If the heirs are found later, the property may be handed over to them.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Berdasarkan hujah-hujah di atas, kami berpandangan duit atau harta yang dihutangi tersebut perlulah diserahkan kepada baitulmal negeri masing-masing agar ianya dapat digunakan bagi maslahat umum.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “AL-KAFI #667: HUTANG ORANG MATI YANG TIDAK DIKETAHUI WARISNYA”, 10 January 2018. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/2189-al-kafi-667-hutang-orang-mati-yang-tidak-diketahui-warisnya. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/repaying-debt-deceased-lender-unknown-heirs/