Fatwa #4609710 December 2022Morocco
Sins committed in the past
Question
when I was younger i used to do alot of donoub i was stealing and I don't know if I should give back to everybody what i stole some of them i dont even know them like a shop in my old village i don't know if it's the same person i was also taking bus without paying
I have also problems with salah i used to pray with impurity and without istinjaa now I have to pray and fast for 8 years because I thaught that if i repent ALLAH will forgive me but i heard i should pray all the 8 years
I changed but I still suffer from these dunub and they hold me back
can you advise me Imam
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
It is pleasing to note that you have changed and wish to compensate the people you have taken money from. This is your Allah consciousness and Tawfeeq from Allah Ta’ala.
Remember that Allah Ta’ala is Al- Ghafoor (the most forgiving) and Ar-Raheem (the most merciful). Allah Ta’ala says:
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ لَا تَقْنَطُوا مِن رَّحْمَةِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ - 39:53
Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
Stealing is from those sins which pertain to Huquq al-Ibad (rights of people).
Since these rights are connected with people, you will have to return the money which was stolen.
If you know who you stole money from, then you should return the money to them. It is not necessary to inform them that you are returning their stolen money. You may give them the stolen money as a gift.
However, if you stole money from people you are unable to locate, then that amount should be given away as charity to the poor and needy on behalf of the people you stole from.
In regards to the prayers and fasts that you have missed, it will be necessary to make up all the missed prayers and fasts from the time you had reached the age of puberty.
You should thereafter make sincere Tawbah (repentance) to Allah and make a firm intention to never steal or miss any prayers or fasts in the future.
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Mudassir
Student - Darul Iftaa
U.S.A
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
(2020-10-01)