and Abū Hanīfah and Ahmad ibn Hanbal, among others, maintain that he should give it in charity. This is what is reported from the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, concerning such cases. If he does not know the respective amounts of lawful and unlawful wealth, he divides the wealth into two halves, keeping one half for himself and returning the other half to its owners if he knows them; otherwise, he gives it in charity.

Whatever he gives in charity is to be spent for the benefit of the Muslims: it may be given to those eligible for zakah, used to entertain guests and assist pilgrims, or spent on jihad and other good works that Allah and His Messenger love, just as with all other property whose owners are unknown. The same applies to someone who repents of acquiring unlawful wealth while still holding such wealth without knowing its owner.

He—may Allah have mercy on him—was asked:

A governor seized twenty thousand dirhams belonging to someone, and his liability was established before a judge. They know that all his assets are unlawful, having been plundered from other people. May they take some of this wealth as compensation for what he took from them, given that they know all his wealth is unlawful?

He replied:

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. If everything in his possession was taken from