KUALA TERENGGANU - Individuals who found and took the scattered money that fell off a car along Jalan Kota Bharu-Kuala Terengganu near Kampung Lak Lok in Jertih must return it to its original owner.
Terengganu mufti, Datuk Associate Professor Dr Mohamad Sabri Haron said taking the belongings of others is illegal and a grave sin in Islam.
"(If) we take what is not ours, we have to return it to the rightful owner. It is haram to take even a little or even a penny of any possession that is not ours.
"Once during a war, a Prophet's friend wanted to take shoelaces (or ghanimah, wealth taken by force from an enemy in times of war) that had not been distributed but the Prophet forbade it.
"The Prophet reminded us that taking something that is not halal is like taking from the hellfire. So taking something that is not ours is haram," he said on Wednesday after attending the Terengganu state-level Maal Hijrah celebration at Wisma Darul Iman.
Therefore, Sabri urged those who took the money to identify the rightful owner and return it promptly.
Last Sunday's the victim's family offered a consolation payment to anyone who would return the money.
Wan Mastura Wan Leh, the sister of Wan Ibrahim Wan Leh said her brother is suffering from depression after losing over RM60,000 that he had earned over four years as a barber in Jertih.
Wan Ibrahim's emotional state has led him to seclude himself in his room, as his hard-earned money was lost when it fell off the car and scattered on the road.