What is the ruling on taking shopping carts belonging to commercial stores to distant or nearby residences and not returning them to the stores, such that residents use them to transport their belongings within their residential area?
These trolleys are owned by the stores, and it is not permissible to take or use them without the owner's permission, based on the Prophet's (PBUH) saying: "It is not lawful for a man to take his brother's stick without his consent," and due to the general sanctity of a Muslim's property. Indeed, even merely benefiting from them is not permissible except within the owner's explicitly stated or عرفًا (customary) conditions. If the use of these trolleys is specifically for carrying purchases from his store or within a certain area, then it is not permissible to violate his condition. Taking people's property unlawfully is forbidden by the Qur'an, the , and the consensus of the Ummah, as stated in Allah's (SWT) saying: "And do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors," and the Prophet's (PBUH) saying: "The property of a Muslim is not lawful except with his willing consent."
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 196009
- 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.
- Read the full ruling
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