but feared that they would take it without paying him what he was owed. Yet if he concealed it, he would remain burdened with the sin of neglecting it, and he feared being required to make restitution in something other than the merchandise?

He replied:

He should sell it and recover from the proceeds whatever the deceased owed him in wages and payment for goods, then deliver the remainder to those entitled to the deceased’s estate. If they require him to swear an oath, he may swear, “I hold nothing else belonging to him.” If he wishes, he may purchase merchandise like the original merchandise and swear that nothing else in his possession is due to the deceased, provided that the merchandise is equivalent to the original or better.

He was asked:

A man’s property was wrongfully seized, or repayment of a debt owed to him was unjustly delayed, and then he died. Will the right to claim redress in the Hereafter belong to him or to his heirs? Give us a ruling; may you be rewarded.

He replied:

If a person’s property was wrongfully seized, or payment owed to him was unjustly delayed, the right to claim redress in the Hereafter belongs to him.

As authentically reported, the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“Whoever has wronged his brother in a matter involving blood, property, or honour should seek his pardon before a day comes when there will be neither dinars nor dirhams. If he has good deeds, some of his good deeds will be taken from him; if he has no good deeds, some of the wronged person’s sins will be taken and placed upon him.”