How can a repentant young man who stole money from someone return it and seek forgiveness? What is the ruling of Islamic law regarding the state's right to imprison him? Is it permissible for him to return to his country through illegal means? Should he disclose his past to the man who proposes to his sister? Is his repentance sufficient for the forgiveness of his sin?

Theft is a crime forbidden by Islamic law. Islam has emphasized its punishment with the cutting off of the hand to preserve wealth and dignity, as Allah the Almighty says: "And the male [if he] steals, and the female [if she] steals, then cut off their hands as a recompense for what they earned [and] as a deterrent [punishment] from Allah. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise."

The thief must repent to Allah and return the stolen money to its owner by any possible means, even if it requires deception to deliver it without exposure. If the owner's whereabouts are unknown, inquiry must be made to return it.

The Egyptian court's ruling of imprisonment contradicts Allah Almighty's حكم (ruling), which is cutting off the hand. Imprisonment is permissible as a discretionary punishment (ta'zeer) only if it accompanies the ruling of cutting off the hand. A ruling in absentia is not valid.

You are not required to surrender yourself to the court if you have repented and returned the rights. There is no harm in entering your country by infiltration. As for changing your name, it is not permissible if it involves lying, except out of necessity. It is permissible if it is a plausible name.

It is not permissible to confess to the righteous man what happened. Rather, the prescribed action is to conceal oneself, based on the Prophet's (peace be upon him) saying: "Whoever is afflicted with any of these abominations, let him conceal himself with the concealment of Allah, Most Glorified and Exalted."