Stealing From One’s Mother
Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Question: I stole a pendant from my mother’s bag. When she asked me about it I felt terrible. I don’t want to be called a thief. Please guide me.
Answer: Assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.
I pray you are well.
Giving the value of the pendant to your mother, or placing it in her bag, will suffice as repayment if returning the actual pendant is no longer possible. (Maydani, al Lubab). You would also need to repent to Allah for this sin.
Honesty Leads to Righteousness
Sidq, the word for ‘truthfulness’ in Arabic, can also be understood to mean honesty in some contexts. Truthfulness is the quality of not lying in one’s speech. When it comes to physical acts, the word used is honesty.
The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, told us that “Indeed truthfulness leads to righteousness, and righteousness leads to the Garden. A person can keep speaking the truth right until he becomes, in the sight of Allah, as an utterly truthful person (siddiq).” (Bukhari) ‘Siddiq’ is the name of the rank the greatest of the awliya’ are granted.
The same would apply to honest dealings with people. If you stick to truthfulness and honesty they will be the cause of many good things happening to you in your life. Please reflect on this.
Imagine having to lie to your mother about this scenario? Imagine what she would think if she found out. Ask Allah for help, and make a resolve not to do such a thing again. May Allah facilitate it for you. Amin.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began his studies in Arabic Grammar and Morphology in 2005. After graduating with a degree in English and History he moved to Damascus in 2007 where, for 18 months, he studied with erudite scholars such as Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh Abdurrahman Arjan, Shaykh Hussain Darwish, and Shaykh Muhammad Darwish. In late 2008 he moved to Amman, Jordan, where he continued his studies for the next six years in Sacred Law (fiqh), legal theory (Usul al-fiqh), theology, hadith methodology, hadith commentary, and Logic with teachers such as Dr. Ashraf Muneeb, Dr. Salah Abu’l-Hajj, Dr. Hamza al-Bakri, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, Dr. Mansur Abu Zina, and others. He was also given licenses of mastery in the science of Qur’anic recital by Shakh Samir Jabir and Shaykh Yahya Qandil. With Shaykh Ali, he was able to study an extensive curriculum of Qur’anic sciences, tafsir, Arabic grammar, and Arabic eloquence.
