passes to the heirs, so he must hand it over to them. If he does not know who they are—being completely unaware of their identities or whereabouts—he should give the amount away in charity on their behalf; Allah knows them and will see that their right reaches them.

As for wrongs that touch a person’s honour, such as insulting him in a gathering or backbiting him, the offender must seek his pardon if the victim is aware that he was maligned. He should go to him and say, “I did such-and-such to you, and I have come to apologise.” If the victim forgives, that is a blessing from Allah for everyone involved, for Allah says, “Whoever pardons and reconciles—his reward rests with Allah; surely He does not love the wrongdoers” (al-Shurā 42:40). If he refuses to forgive, the offender should compensate him with money—enough to satisfy him—until he grants pardon. Should he still decline, then if Allah knows that the oppressor’s repentance is genuine, He will placate the wronged person for him on the Day of Resurrection.

Some scholars, when dealing with offences against honour, have said: if the wronged person never knew of the offence, there is no need to inform him. For example, someone may have reviled him in an assembly and then repented; in that case he need not tell him, but should instead seek forgiveness for him, pray for him, and speak well of him in the very gatherings where he had once spoken ill. In this way he frees himself from liability.

Indeed, the matter is grave: people’s rights must be restored to them—either in this world or in the Hereafter.