FatwaFederal TerritoriesTransactions & Finance
IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-522: BERTAUBAT DARIPADA MENCURI DENGAN CARA BERSEDEKAH KEPADA FAKIR MISKIN
Can stolen money be repaid by giving it as charity to the poor when the original owner cannot be identified?
Short answer
As a rule, stolen money must be returned to its owner, and the thief must inform the owner and show remorse, using an intermediary or online channels if too ashamed to meet in person.
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
- Irsyad al-Hukum (Umum)
- Topic
- Transactions & Finance
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
As a rule, stolen money must be returned to its owner, and the thief must inform the owner and show remorse, using an intermediary or online channels if too ashamed to meet in person. Giving the money directly to the poor without the owner's permission does not complete the repentance. If the owner cannot be identified or traced, the money may be given to the poor, though it is better to channel it to public needs of Muslims such as mosques, bridges and schools.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Walau bagaimanapun, sekiranya pemilik asal tidak dapat diketahui dan dikesan keberadaannya, maka boleh disalurkan duit tersebut kepada fakir miskin namun yang lebih utama adalah menyalurkan kepada perkara-perkara yang melibatkan keperluan umum umat Islam
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. “IRSYAD HUKUM SIRI KE-522: BERTAUBAT DARIPADA MENCURI DENGAN CARA BERSEDEKAH KEPADA FAKIR MISKIN”, 29 June 2020. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-hukum/umum/4547-irsyad-al-fatwa-siri-ke-522-bertaubat-daripada-mencuri-dengan-cara-bersedekah-kepada-fakir-miskin. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/repenting-theft-giving-charity-to-poor/