Trading with Found Money

Question

A person found one thousand rupees on the road; at the time he refused to give them to the owner and started trading with this money, from which he made a great profit. Now he intends to return the owner’s money. Must he now return it together with the profit, or return only the thousand?

Answer

It was not permissible for him to do this; it is a breach of trust (khiyana). Whatever profit he has earned with this money he should give away as sadaqa to the poor, and return the original money to the owner; he should also ask the owner’s forgiveness for this mistake and breach of trust of his, and make repentance (tawba) and seek forgiveness (istighfar).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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