Fatwa No : 89301
How Should Money Received in a Bank Account Be Returned?

How Should Money Received in a Bank Account Be Returned?

Respected and Honorable Muftis, Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh, I was in congregation when, on 26th June 2025, a considerable sum was suddenly deposited into my bank account. Initially, I assumed that perhaps a friend had returned a loan, but upon asking, I found out that he had not sent this amount. Then I expected a reward from my company, but it seems it was delayed and has not yet been credited. The transaction notification shows a different bank and the last few digits of an account, but not the full account number. I inquired at my bank branch and, through verification, also with the other bank, but no information could be obtained from them either. Until now, neither the sender has contacted me nor has the bank provided any claim or guidance.
Questions for guidance:
a. If this amount has come into my account by someone’s mistake, what is my Shariah responsibility regarding returning it to the rightful owner?
b. If the original owner is unknown and cannot be found even after reasonable effort, is it permissible to use this money, or is it obligatory/preferable to give it in charity on the owner’s behalf?
c. If the original owner is later found after I have given it in charity, what should I do?
d. And is it permissible to relate this incident to the story of the Companions who received gold coins brought by a mouse during a need?

الجوابُ حامِدا ًو مُصلیِّا ً

In the given scenario, the sum that appeared in the questioner’s account is considered Mal al-Luqtah (lost or unclaimed property), and the following rulings apply: Firstly, the questioner is required to make a reasonable effort, according to customary methods, to return the amount to its original owner—for example, by contacting the relevant banks or institutions. As the questioner states that he has already done this, his Shariah responsibility up to this point is considered fulfilled.
Therefore, if despite reasonable efforts the original owner cannot be identified, and there seems to be no possibility of locating them in the future, and if the questioner possesses Nisab (the minimum wealth subject to zakah), it is not permissible to use this money for personal purposes. Rather, it must be given as charity (Sadaqah) on behalf of the original owner. If the original owner later appears, since the Sadaqah was given on their behalf, if they are willing to leave the Sadaqah as it was, Allah will, Insha’Allah, grant the reward of that charity to the rightful owner. Otherwise, the questioner is obligated to return the original amount, and the Sadaqah will then be counted as given from the questioner’s own wealth.
As for relating this incident to the story of the Companion (RA) who miraculously received gold coins brought by a mouse, this is not applicable, because although that was a special miracle for that Companion, the scholars of Fiqh treat such cases as Mal al-Luqtah and apply the general Shariah rulings for lost property.

مأخَذُ الفَتوی

کما فی سنن ابن ماجہ: بَابُ الْتِقَاطِ مَا أَخْرَجَ الْجُرَدُ: عن المقداد بن عمرو ، انه خرج ذات يوم إلى البقيع وهو: المقبرة لحاجته، وكان الناس لا يذهب احدهم في حاجته إلا في اليومين والثلاثة، فإنما يبعر كما تبعر الإبل، ثم دخل خربة، فبينما هو جالس لحاجته، إذ راى جرذا اخرج من جحر دينارا، ثم دخل فاخرج آخر حتى اخرج سبعة عشر دينارا، ثم اخرج طرف خرقة حمراء. قال المقداد: فسللت الخرقة، فوجدت فيها دينارا، فتمت ثمانية عشر دينارا، فخرجت بها حتى اتيت بها رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، فاخبرته خبرها، فقلت: خذ صدقتها يا رسول الله، قال:" ارجع بها، لا صدقة فيها بارك الله لك فيها"، ثم قال:" لعلك اتبعت يدك في الحجر" قلت: لا والذي اكرمك بالحق. قال: فلم يفن آخرها حتى مات(رقم الحدیث:2508،ص: 510،ط:بشری)
وفی حاشیۃ فخر الاحسان تحت ھذا الحدیث: وفائدۃ الترجمۃ ان ما اخذت الطیور او حشرات الارض من مال فحکمہ حکم اللقطۃ(رقم الحدیث:2508،ص: 510،ط:بشری)۔
کمافی تبیین الحقائق:(ثم تصدق) أي تصدق باللقطة إذا لم يجئ صاحبها بعد التعريف لأن الواجب عليه حفظها وأداؤها إلى أهلها قال الله تعالى {إن الله يأمركم أن تؤدوا الأمانات إلى أهلها} [النساء: 58] وذلك بالتسليم إليه عند القدرة وبالتصدق عنه عند عدمها إذ إيصال بدلها وهو الثواب كإيصال عينها وإن شاء أمسكها رجاء الظفر بصاحبها الخ(کتاب اللقطۃ،ج:3،ص:304،ط:الکبری الامیریۃ)۔
وفی الشامیۃ:قولہ( فينتفع الرافع ) أي من رفعها من الأرض أي التقطها وأتى بالفاء فدل على أنه إنما ينتفع بها بعد الإشهاد والتعريف إلى أن غلب على ظنه أن صاحبها لا يطلبها والمراد جواز الانتفاع بها والتصدق وله إمساكها لصاحبها الخ(کتاب اللقطۃ،ج:4،ص:279،ط:سعید)۔