Spent Stolen Money in Young Years: What Can I Do to Make it Right?

Answered by Ustadh Tabraze Azam

Question

When I was young,  I stole money to pay rent and other things.

Now I have repented. What should I do about all the money I have already spent to buy food and pay rent?  Should I estimate how much money I have used and give it to charity?

Answer

I pray that you are in the best of health and faith, insha’Allah.

Yes, you should calculate the entire sum of stolen wealth and then strive to get it back to the owner.

If this is difficult or not possible, you should give it away in charity on their behalf.

And sincerely ask Allah for forgiveness for your mistakes by performing the ablution well, then performing two cycles of the Prayer of Repentance (salat al-tawba).

See also:

• Reader on Stealth and Returning Stolen Items
• How Do I Repent From the Theft I Committed Many Years Ago When I Was a Teenager?

And Allah alone gives success.
Wassalam,
[Ustadh] Tabraze Azam
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Ustadh Tabraze Azam holds a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Leicester, where he also served as the President of the Islamic Society. He memorized the entire Qur’an in his hometown of Ipswich at the tender age of sixteen, and has since studied the Islamic Sciences in traditional settings in the UK, Jordan, and Turkey. He is currently pursuing advanced studies in Jordan, where he is presently based with his family.