Lost and Stolen items

Forgiving someone for stealing money

Q: I'm an 18 year old female and I used to buy lots of personal stuff, for example, an expensive keyboard and mouse, a pair of headphones etc. but I bought these items using the money I stole from my father's wallet without his knowledge and might have stolen some from my mother's purse too. I felt guilty about my deeds later on and I stopped stealing like that and I also told my dad that I stole his money to buy things for myself. He understood the topic and he said he forgave me.

Now first of all, are all the things that I bought using my dads stolen money haraam for me to touch or use ? Even after he forgave me? Do I stop using these stuff? Some of the stuff are actually important for me to use. Do I have to return these goods to my parents? I bought makeup using the stolen money. Do I have to return that to my dad or do I have to pay him the amount that I stole? I estimated it around 600 USD (I didnt steal it in a day of course. It came up to that number day by day). I dont even have a job that I can earn that money and pay him back.

Secondly, the items are (as far as I remember) - a keyboard, a mouse and mouse pad, headphones for gaming, TONS of makeup (like alot), some dresses and accessories, ingredients for making D-I-Y lip balms (like oils and beeswaxes etc.) and empty tin and plastic containers (a LOT of these containers). Do I throw all these items away? Even after I've asked for forgivenesss from my mum and dad?

Thirdly, I also bought some gifts and stationaries with the stolen money from my parents. and the people whom I gave the gifts to, does the items become haraam for them to use and are they unintentionally committing sin because of me? 

Returning stolen money

Q: When I was younger, I was involved in petty crime (theft). Now that I am older, I realise my wrongdoing, and want to know how can I repay this debt.

1. I often took money from my late-parents, without their knowledge. Now that they have passed away, how do I repay this debt?

2. I often took money from my late grandparents, without their knowledge. Now that they have passed away, how do I repay this debt?

3. I often took money from friends, without their knowledge. They are still alive, how do I repay this debt? Do I need to inform them of my transgression?

4. If I took R100, 20 years ago, what amount is due today? Is it the same amount or is there a calculation that I need to perform to allow for inflation?

Disposing of haraam money

Q: A person had some haraam money many years ago which he got from friends where they all use to work. They took the money from their work place and divided among themselves. Now that person saved the money and mixed it with his halaal money and bought something. The portion of halaal money was 90 percent and haraam money was 10 percent.

Later he sold the thing and realised his mistake and repented for his act and decided not to do this again. He then moved to some other country and performed Umrah from his halaal money. He repented again and got the feeling to get rid of that haraam portion of money.

He gave that money as charity and had put some in iftaar box in a masjid which he regrets. He should not have put that in the iftaar box. He is not sure if his intention was for sadaqa or charity. But he sincerely repented and never earned haram money again.

Now after so many years, he is not sure if he has disposed of all that money or not. Can he take some money out from his halaal money and give some charity to people who collect charity money and buy food for poor families just to be on the safe side that all that portion of haraam is dispossed off?

Compensating one's mother for losing her valuables

Q: When I was younger around 16 years old, I took a little gift box that I thought was empty from my fathers cupboard. When going to use it, I saw a few coloured stones that didn't look very valuble. They fell out and I didn't think that it was anything of value. I am not sure whether I put the stones back in some other box in the cupboard or whether they were misplaced.

Some years later my mother mentioned that she couldn't find some precious stones of hers. I later thought that perhaps these were the stones I found but out of fear and embarrassment I never mentioned it to my mother. I would like to know that although I didn't intentionally steal them, I just took the gift box without informing anyone as I thought it was empty, what can I do to atone for this mistake and wrong of mine? I am still afraid to speak to my mum but dont want to be sinning either. This happened about 17 years ago.

Compensating for cheating and stealing when one was young

Q:

1. While at university we used to play table soccer at the café that was on the campus. We cheated by not paying for this as we knew how to manipulate the game machine. I have now made towbah for this. Can I give an estimated amount of money to the current owners of the café as repayment? If yes, do I give it to one of the employees at the café? What do I say to them? I am also not sure if the café is still being owned by the same owners as this happened over 20 years ago. Also, I am not sure if the machines belonged to the café or to a third party. The café was not owned by the university but was run by an independent company.

2. As a child (naabaaligh) I stole sweets from my uncle’s shop and money from my brother’s cupboard. I am too shy to now approach them to tell them this. Is there any way I can pay back for this without them coming to know? Can I give it to them as a gift without telling them what it is for? Also does it have to be returned as money or can I give them a gift in kind (eg. fruit, books, etc) to the exact amount?

3. As a child (naabaaligh) I stole scissors and rulers from my school stockroom. Can I pay back to the government through an extra amount of tax?

4. When I was a child (naabaaligh), I used to steal money from a game in a café. I may perhaps be able to trace the owner of the café. But I do know that the games were owned by a third party whom I do not know. How do I pay back for this?

5. As a child, another child gave me toy cars that he had stolen from a shop. Do I need to pay back for this and how?