Fatwa #4698521 January 2024Canada
I only paid for one item and I feel guilty. What should I do?
Question
Assalam Alaykum
Someone asked the question:
Once I went to shopping and I bought snacks and 2 pants. While giving the bill the person at the counter by mistake did not count the money for one pant, that means I got one pant for free by mistake...I knew he didn't count and I remained silent ..this happened long back like more than one year ago but then now I feel guilty about that....what should I do ? Should I go back and give them the money ? They don't even know about this...I feel guilty about it and also regret it so much.... I am at my home town for now...when I go back to my college I will In Shaa Allah go and give them back the money because that store is near my college. Or should I do it immediately? Because I should go to city for this which will take 8 hours to get there. Or can I go next month when my college reopens in February?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
Your guilt for not paying for the pants is a sign of your Iman. You did wrong and feel guilty for the wrong. Make Istighfar for the wrong you did.
You may send the money for the pants to the store and state that the store did not charge for the pants. [1]
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Shakib Alam
Student - Darul Iftaa
Pennsylvania, USA
Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.
(2021-03-28)
[1] البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق (ج5 ص108)
وأما الغصب فلما بيناه أنه ملكه ولا خبث في ملك الحربي حتى يؤمر بالرد وقد قدمنا أن المسلم إذا دخل دراهم بأمان فأدانه حربي أو غصب منهم شيئا يفتي بالرد وإن لم يقض عليه.
رد المحتار علي الدر المختار (ج6 ص389) دار الفكر
(قوله وإلا لم يحل) قال في النهاية وأما إذا كان حراما جمع بباطل لم يحل أخذه لأن سبيل الحرام والغصب رده على أهله وليس ذلك بمال عامة المسلمين.
المبسوط للسرخسي (ج11 ص51) دار المعرفة
والواجب على الغاصب ضمان القيمة عند تعذر رد العين عندنا