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Fatwa CenterTook somebody's laptop illegally and wants to repent
Question
aas-salamu 'alaikum!
hi i think this is a right place to ask a question:
i am trying to enter into islam wholeheartedly, and i have almost done so.
i was too bad.
what i have done is very shameful for me.
can you give me a guidance to solve my following problem please?
i found a laptop somewhere. after getting that i destroyed all the documents were with the computer. so from that time i am using it. now i realize that what i have done is wrong and sinful. now i can't even give this computer back to the real owner because i lost his identity as i have destroyed that. in this point i am really sorry to ALLAH about what i did in past. the price of the computer is 275 GBP.
can you guide me in the way of ALLAH that what i should do please:
(i) should i use the computer as i have done my tawba about what i have done in past?
(ii) should i sell the computer and give the money for charity,
(iii) if so, do i have to give any additional money in charity(and how much is it)?
or is there any other ideas from you which will help me to recover my burden?
please help me to relies from the problem.
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
First of all, we praise Allaah who guided you to Islam and enabled you to repent before it is too late. You should know that there are some conditions that must be fulfilled so that your repentance could be accepted, like not committing the sin again, regretting having committed it, and being determined not to return to it again. If the sin is committed against a human being, then it is a condition to return the right to its owner; for more benefit, please refer to Fatwa 86527.
Therefore, you should endeavour to return this laptop to its owner or to his heirs if he died, and you have to return the amount of rent of an equivalent laptop throughout the time it had stayed with you. Then if you had made every effort to reach its owner and you were not able to, you should give it in charity along with what you are obliged to pay in return for its use on behalf of its owner, as clarified in Fatwa 89762.
Indeed, you may ask the experienced people in this matter to estimate the amount you have to pay in return for using it.
Finally, you should endeavour to perform good deeds, like giving charity, as this makes your repentance more likely to be accepted and rectifies your heart.
Allaah Knows best.
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