Fatwa ID: 03649

Answered by: Maulana Muddasser Dhedhy

Question

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu
To whom it may concern,

After returning from Hajj at Manchester airport, we realised that our baggage had not arrived. We went to the information desk and after filling out a lost property form, we were assured that our luggage would be sent to our home. However, the zamzam water would have to be collected from the airport.

At this point, an employee handed us one bottle of zamzam and after his colleague objected, he assured us that his manager had instructed him to give them out. Hence, we took this bottle home but have not consumed it yet. This zamzam that was given to us had no box and was in a plastic sealed bag with no name or contact details. (Number 1)

One week after receiving the luggage, we were informed by friends and family that Manchester airport would not contact us to ask us to come and collect the zamzam, but we would have to go to Manchester airport. They asked us for our lost property reference number and quoted us the right amount of zamzam bottles which were due to us.

An employee came out with 4 boxes of zamzam and handed them over to us. After explaining to her that these were not ours because these had other names or nothing written on them, and ours were distinctive due to how we had wrote our full names and address on all four sides including our contact details, she claimed that there was no difference between the contents of these four boxes and the four boxes we were asking about, as they all contained zamzam water.

I didn't argue too much knowing she would not understand from which aspect I was coming from and therefore we brought these home.

One box had a first name and the name of their city written on it.

Another box had nothing written on it.

One had a full name and contact number.

One had a name only.

I am sure that Manchester airport are treating all lost zamzam water in this year’s hajj season in the same manner. I am convinced that our four bottles are in the hands of somebody else. (Number 2)

I feel as though this will carry on until hajj does not move out of the holiday season. I'm guessing a few more years from now.

We would highly appreciate if the god-fearing and knowledgeable muftiyaan e kiraam would let us know what we should do with the zamzam in (Number 1 and number 2). Just to note, my family who got into the UK before we ended up leaving one of their zamzam because they had waited two hours and it didn't arrive.

Note: I would be grateful if you could clarify the شرعي تكييف of the answer also.

Jazakumullah

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most-Merciful

Answer:

It is impermissible for one to take another’s belongings without their consent.^[1] You are only entitled to take the zamzam which you packed in Saudi Arabia and which had your name and other details on it, even though the contents of every zamzam bottle is the same.

The zamzam in Number 1 which does not have any contact details on it should be returned to the airport.

The zamzam in Number 2 may either be returned to the airport or you may seek out the owner if his/her details are provided.^[2]

Please inform the lost/found items’ department that you would like the zamzam bottles which have your details and your baggage claim numbers on them.

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Muddasser Dhedhy

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham