Minor Liable For Damage

QUESTION:

A na-baaligh child used to pick off beads from clothing in a shop without the mother’s knowledge. It was recently learned that though there was no sin on the child, the damage should be recompensed.
a) How would the value be calculated today, as this happened many years ago?
b) To whom should it be paid, as it is not known which shop it was? She only remembers that it was a chain store.

ANSWER:

An immature child (na-baaligh) is not obligated in Shariah. If he performs acts of virtue, he will be rewarded. If he commits an act of sin, he will not be held responsible. However, Shariah has emphasized the sanctity of people’s wealth. The Fuqaha have ruled that if the action of a child has caused damage to someone’s property, the guardian of the child will be responsible on behalf of the child to compensate for the damage. In the queried scenario, if a person stole money during his childhood and it was not been compensated by his guardian, he should compensate for it after becoming an adult.
If one stole someone’s money and the owner cannot be located, he should give the money to his heirs. If the heirs cannot be located, then the money should be given in Sadaqah on behalf of the owner. (RE:Fatawaa Mahmoodiya Vol:26 Pg:46)

رد المحتار (25/ 143)
(وَإِنْ أَتْلَفُوا) أَيْ هَؤُلَاءِ الْمَحْجُورِينَ سَوَاءٌ عَقَلُوا أَوْ لَا دُرَرٌ ( شَيْئًا ) مُقَوَّمًا مِنْ مَالٍ أَوْ نَفْسٍ ( ضَمِنُوا ) إذْ لَا حَجْرَ فِي الْفِعْلِيِّ لَكِنَّ ضَمَانَ الْعَبْدِ بَعْدَ الْعِتْقِ عَلَى مَا مَرَّ .
وَفِي الْأَشْبَاهِ: الصَّبِيُّ الْمَحْجُورُ مُؤَاخَذٌ بِأَفْعَالِهِ فَيَضْمَنُ مَا أَتْلَفَهُ مِنْ الْمَالِ لِلْحَالِ
بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع (7/ 148)
أَمَّا الَّذِي يَرْجِعُ إلَى الْآخِرَةِ فَهُوَ الْإِثْمُ وَاسْتِحْقَاقُ الْمُؤَاخَذَةِ إذَا فَعَلَهُ عَنْ عِلْمٍ؛ لِأَنَّهُ مَعْصِيَةٌ، وَارْتِكَابُ الْمَعْصِيَةِ عَلَى سَبِيلِ التَّعَمُّدِ سَبَبٌ لِاسْتِحْقَاقِ الْمُؤَاخَذَةِ
(أَمَّا) الَّذِي يَرْجِعُ إلَى حَالِ قِيَامِهِ فَهُوَ وُجُوبُ رَدِّ الْمَغْصُوبِ عَلَى الْغَاصِبِ
البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (8/ 123)
وَصِفَتُهُ أَنَّهُ حَرَامٌ مُحَرَّمٌ عَلَى الْغَاصِبِ ذَلِكَ وَحُكْمُهُ وُجُوبُ رَدِّ الْمَغْصُوبِ إنْ كَانَ قَائِمًا وَمِثْلِهِ إنْ كَانَ هَالِكًا أَوْ قِيمَتِهِ
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 182)
(ويجب رد عين المغصوب) ما لم يتغير تغيرا فاحشا مجتبى (في مكان غصبه) لتفاوت القيم باختلاف الأماكن (ويبرأ بردها ولو بغير علم المالك) في البزازية غصب دراهم إنسان من كيسه ثم ردها فيه بلا علمه برئ وكذا لو سلمه إليه بجهة أخرى كهبة أو إيداع أو شراء وكذا لو أطعمه فأكله

ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Mufti Ahmed Saeed

Date: 08 Muharram 1448 / 24 June 2026

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb