How do I deal with my father who steals when I do not know the owners of the stolen items, and am I sinful if I do not return them, and how do I escape the scandal of him stealing shoes from the mosque?

Theft is a major sin, and Islam has prescribed a strict punishment for it: cutting off the hand.

The questioner should gently and kindly advise his thieving father, explain to him the prohibition of theft, and supplicate for him extensively.

The stolen goods must be returned to their owners. If their owners cannot be identified, the goods should be given as charity on their behalf. The owner of the right has the choice to either approve the charity or claim his right.

Sons bear no burden for their father's theft as long as they disapprove of it, based on the Almighty's saying: "And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another."

It is obligatory for children to honor their father, treat him with kindness, and obey him in everything that does not involve disobedience to Allah.