Fatwa ID: 07925

 

 

 

Answered by Maulana Muhammad Altaf Hossen SK.CA

 

 

 

Question:

Many years ago a person gave us some jewellery to sell for him on consignment. However, contact has been lost and the whereabouts of the person are unknown. What do we do with the jewellery? Can we give it away? If we sell it, what do we do with the money?

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

 

Answer:

Try to return the true owner. Allah said:

 

٥٨  إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُمْ بِهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا

 

Allah instructs you to give back things entrusted to you to their owners. And when you judge between people, judge with justice. Allah’s instructions to you are excellent. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. (Surah An-Nisa, 4:58)   (1)

 

2nd  part you can not give the jewellery away. The prophet (S.A.W.) said:

 

The aforesaid tradition has also been transmitted by Zaid bin Khalid al-Juhani through a different chain of narrators. 

 

This version has:

The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) was asked about a find. He replied: Make the matter known for a year; if its owner comes, give it to him, otherwise note its string and its container and have it along with your property. If its owner comes, deliver it to him.  Sunan Abu Daud -1707   (2)

3rd  part;  if we sell it If holding the jewellery indefinitely is not found, Islamic jurists allow it to be given away as sadaqah (charity) on behalf of the owner. This approach ensures that the benefit of the property is not wasted.

 

Narrated Yusuf ibn ‏Malik al-Makki:

I used to write (the account of) the expenditure incurred on orphans who were under the guardianship of so-and-so. They cheated him by one thousand dirhams and he paid these (this amount) to them. I then got double the property which they deserved. I said (to the man: Take one thousand (dirhams) which they have taken from you (by cheating). He said: No, my father has told me that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Pay the deposit to him who deposited it with you, and do not betray him who betrays you.

Sunan Abi Dawud 3534   (3) 

 

 

 

Only Allah knows best

Written by  Maulana Muhammad Altaf Hossen     SK.CA

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

 

 

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ يَزِيدَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، يَزِيدَ مَوْلَى الْمُنْبَعِثِ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ رَبِيعَةَ ‏.‏ قَالَ وَسُئِلَ عَنِ اللُّقَطَةِ فَقَالَ ‏ “‏ تُعَرِّفُهَا حَوْلاً فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا دَفَعْتَهَا إِلَيْهِ وَإِلاَّ عَرَفْتَ وِكَاءَهَا وَعِفَاصَهَا ثُمَّ أَفِضْهَا فِي مَالِكَ فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا فَادْفَعْهَا إِلَيْهِ ‏”‏ ‏.‏

 

 

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كَامِلٍ، أَنَّ يَزِيدَ بْنَ زُرَيْعٍ، حَدَّثَهُمْ حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ، – يَعْنِي الطَّوِيلَ – عَنْ يُوسُفَ بْنِ مَاهَكَ الْمَكِّيِّ، قَالَ كُنْتُ أَكْتُبُ لِفُلاَنٍ نَفَقَةَ أَيْتَامٍ كَانَ وَلِيَّهُمْ فَغَالَطُوهُ بِأَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ فَأَدَّاهَا إِلَيْهِمْ فَأَدْرَكْتُ لَهُمْ مِنْ مَالِهِمْ مِثْلَيْهَا ‏.‏ قَالَ قُلْتُ أَقْبِضُ الأَلْفَ الَّذِي ذَهَبُوا بِهِ مِنْكَ قَالَ لاَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ “‏ أَدِّ الأَمَانَةَ إِلَى مَنِ ائْتَمَنَكَ وَلاَ تَخُنْ مَنْ خَانَكَ ‏“‏ 

 

(1)(Surah An-Nisa, 4:58)   

 

(2)Sunan Abu Daud -1707   (2

 

(3)Sunan Abi Dawud 3534   (3)