What should a person do who stole money from his family in his childhood and has repented, but now possesses very little, and is he obliged to return the money despite not knowing the exact amount, and what is the way for him to attain Allah's forgiveness?
Theft is one of the grave sins, and sincere repentance for it expiates what came before it. A prerequisite for repentance, if the sin involves the rights of people, is to return their rights or seek their forgiveness. Therefore, the thief must return the money he stole from his parents and siblings, or they must forgive him for it. Direct restitution is not a condition; rather, it can be delivered through indirect means to avoid exposure. If the amount of stolen money is unknown, he must strive to estimate it and return what he believes he took, while taking precautions to clear his conscience.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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