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The question

Is it possible to be absolved from past thefts after repentance by seeking forgiveness from the rightful owners without informing them of the details of the theft, knowing that large sums of money cannot be returned and fearing exposure?

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Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 20261 min readAlso available in العربية
The answer

Whoever stole before puberty is not sinful, but he must return what he stole to its rightful owners, for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "The hand is responsible for what it took until it returns it." It can be delivered to them without informing them. As for what its value is unknown, the thief should strive until he is certain of clearing his conscience. If he despairs of reaching its owners, he should give it as charity on their behalf. He should pay what he can now and pay the rest when he is able.

Summary from Ftawy's records · added here

Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.

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Where this answer came from
Source platform
Ftawy
Original fatwa ID
105826
Added here
. This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
Text
Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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Read the full answer on Ftawy