How Do I Redress Theft Committed When I Was Younger?

Question: How do I redress theft committed when I was younger?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate,

It is good to hear that you have taken the initiative to make up for your past mistakes.

If you are able to, you must return the value of what you stole to the person or organization from whom you stole. It is not necessary that they know that you are returning the money. [Haskafi, al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Bab al-Ghasb]

 

Advice

Reflect on the times that you have committed theft, discern the monetary value of the item and the place/person from whom it was taken, thereafter return the item or the equivalent monetary value to said place. You can do this in the form of charity and are not obliged to inform them of the reason.

I hope this helps,

Allah knows best.

[Shaykh] Yusuf Weltch

Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Shaykh Yusuf Weltch is a graduate from Tarim; a student of Habib Umar and other luminaries; and authorized teachers of the Qur’an and the Islamic sciences