What should a Muslim woman do with money she borrowed before her conversion to Islam, and which she is unable to repay to its owner after he went missing and there is no means of contacting him? And does the debt fall away from her in this case? And what if she needed the money for herself or wished to donate it as charity?

Whoever owes money to an absent person must strive to search for them in order to return the money. If they cannot find them and have exhausted all efforts, they must then give the money as charity on their behalf. If the person is in need, it is permissible for them to take from it what suffices their need and give the rest as charity. If the owner of the money or their heirs appear later, they are given the choice between approving the donation or being paid the money.