Fatwa ID: 08588
Answered by: Maulana Sheik Abdel Ahaad Imrit
Question:
I need guidance and support in a very important matter.
The question is given below:
My father got married in 1989. At the time of his marriage, he was an orphan. My uncle (my father’s brother) now claims that he gave 36 (4 Tola) grams of gold to my father for a marriage. However, after 35 years (in 2025), he now demands the gold back.
My father passed away in 2023, and my mother passed away in 2024, leaving behind four children (two sons and two daughters). During their life, my uncle never asked nor claimed about it. I have also checked my father’s Nikah certificate, and there is no mention of this gold. Some people say that they saw my uncle giving gold, but there is no written proof, verbal proof, contract, or agreement stating that the gold was given as a loan or needed to be returned.
In the light of the Quran and Sunnah, I seek guidance on:
What is the Islamic ruling on this matter? Is my uncle entitled to take back the gold after 35 years?
Is verbal testimony without documentary proof sufficient in such financial claims?
How should I legally and Islamically handle this situation?
Looking forward to hearing from you
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
Wa ʿalaykumu s-salam waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,
The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us how to handle disputes by saying:
“Proof is upon the plaintiff, and the oath is upon the defendant.” [Tirmidhi, Vol. 3, p. 176, Hadith 1390, Darul Risalah]
If the plaintiff cannot present evidence, the defendant will be asked to take an oath at the plaintiff’s request.
Once the oath is taken, the dispute comes to an end and the quarrel between the two parties is considered settled.
After that, the plaintiff’s claim will not be heard again unless he brings clear and convincing evidence.
References:
«سنن الترمذي» (3/ 176):
«حَدَّثَنا عَليُّ بن حُجْرٍ، قال: أخبرنا عَليُّ بن مُسْهِرٍ وغيْرُهُ، عن محمد بن عُبَيْدِ الله، عن عَمْرِو بن شُعَيبٍ، عن أبيهِ
عن جَدَّهِ، أنَّ النَّبيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قال في خُطْبَتهِ: “البيَّنَةُ على المُدَّعِي، واليَمينُ على المدَّعَى عَليْهِ”.»
«الفتاوى العالمكيرية = الفتاوى الهندية» (4/ 4):
«وَفِي دَعْوَى الدَّيْنِ عَلَى الْمَيِّتِ إذَا ذَكَرَ أَنَّهُ مَاتَ قَبْلَ أَدَاءِ شَيْءٍ مِنْ هَذَا الدَّيْنِ وَخَلَّفَ مِنْ التَّرِكَةِ فِي يَدِ هَؤُلَاءِ الْوَرَثَةِ مَا يَفِي بِقَضَاءِ هَذَا الدَّيْنِ وَزِيَادَةٌ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ أَعْيَانَ الْوَرَثَةِ تُسْمَعُ فِيمَا عَلَيْهِ الْفَتْوَى لَكِنْ لَا يَحْكُمْ بِأَدَاءِ الدَّيْنِ عَلَى الْوَارِثِ مَا لَمْ تَصِلْ إلَيْهِ التَّرِكَةُ فَإِنْ أَنْكَرَ وُصُولَ التَّرِكَةِ إلَيْهِ وَأَرَادَ إثْبَاتَهُ لَا يَتَمَكَّنُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ إلَّا بِذِكْرِ أَعْيَانِ التَّرِكَةِ عَلَى وَجْهٍ يَحْصُلُ بِهِ الْإِعْلَامُ كَذَا فِي الْوَجِيزِ لِلْكَرْدَرِيِّ فِي نَوْعٍ مِنْ الْفَصْلِ الْخَامِسَ عَشَرَ مِنْ كِتَابِ الدَّعْوَى.»
«الفتاوى العالمكيرية = الفتاوى الهندية» (4/ 13):
«وَأَمَّا حُكْمُهَا) فَانْقِطَاعُ الْخُصُومَةِ وَانْفِصَالُ الْمُشَاجَرَةِ بَيْنَهُمَا حَتَّى لَا تُسْمَعَ دَعْوَى الْمُدَّعِي بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ إذَا لَمْ تَكُنْ لَهُ بَيِّنَةٌ قَالَ الْحَسَنُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَنِيفَةَ – رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى – إذَا شَكَّ لِرَجُلٍ فِيمَا يَدَّعِي عَلَيْهِ فَيَنْبَغِي لَهُ أَنْ يُرْضِيَ خَصْمَهُ وَلَا يُعَجِّلَ بِيُمْنِهِ وَيُصَالِحَهُ وَإِنْ كَانَ فِي شُبْهَةٍ يَنْظُرُ إنْ كَانَ أَكْبَرُ رَأْيِهِ أَنَّ دَعْوَاهُ حَقٌّ فَلَا يَسَعُهُ أَنْ يَحْلِفَ وَإِنْ كَانَ أَكْبَرُ رَأْيِهِ أَنَّ دَعْوَاهُ بَاطِلَةً يَسَعُهُ أَنْ يَحْلِفَ هَكَذَا فِي مُحِيطِ السَّرَخْسِيِّ الِاسْتِحْلَافُ يَجْرِي فِي الدَّعَاوَى الصَّحِيحَةِ دُونَ فَاسِدَتِهَا كَذَا فِي الْفُصُولِ الْعِمَادِيَّةِ فَإِنْ صَحَّتْ الدَّعْوَى سَأَلَ الْمُدَّعَى عَلَيْهِ عَنْهَا فَإِنْ أَقَرَّ أَوْ أَنْكَرَ فَبَرْهَنَ الْمُدَّعِي قُضِيَ عَلَيْهِ وَإِلَّا حَلَفَ بِطَلَبِهِ كَذَا فِي كَنْزِ الدَّقَائِقِ.»
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Mawlana Sheik Abdel Ahaad Imrit
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
