Is it permissible to act in a way that obliges the maid who stole two gold rings of a certain weight to purchase two rings of the same stolen weight as a replacement (at purchasing price + workmanship), while the homeowner bears the cost of any weight exceeding that, knowing that the cost of workmanship and sales tax will make what the maid pays more than what she received from selling the stolen gold?
Whoever takes something unjustly must return it to its owner, for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The hand is responsible for what it has taken until it returns it." If the stolen item is damaged, the thief must guarantee its value on the day of the theft. The maid must pay the value of the two rings on the day of the theft in the currency of the country where the theft occurred. If resolving this issue involves coercing the maid, it is not permissible. However, reconciliation is permissible as long as it does not lead to something forbidden. Among what is not permissible in reconciliation is to make it deferred, because that leads to selling debt for debt.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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