Mufti Online — Madrasah Ta'leemuddeen

Returning an item that does not belong to you

· 13 Rabiʻ II 1443 AH1 min readEnglish

Question

When I was a child I remember one of the neighbours close to us had a garden that from what I remember was quite messy like things were about and one thing there was a tricycle and it looked like the one I had when I was a child and to think at the time I thought someone must have dumped my tricycle there so I took it out.

However I cannot ascertain if it did belong to me and perhaps I took someone’s tricycle, maybe I thought the garden was messy so my tricycle was dumped there.

I believe the family have moved out now and there are new owners of the house. Would I have to approach the current owners to see if they are in contact with the old owners so I can ask the old owners for forgiveness and pay them if that is required of me.

Answer

If you are able to contact the old owners and return the tricycle to them (if it is still in your possession), then you should do so. If it is no longer in your possession, then you should pay them its value. If you are unable to contact them, then give the tricycle in charity to some poor person, or give its value to the poor if the tricycle is no longer in your possession.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

Answered by
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & approved by
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)
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Source: Mufti Online — Madrasah Ta'leemuddeen — https://muftionline.co.za/node/32811
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