Fatwaa ID: 1765

Question:
Asallam-Alaikum,

My question is in regards to Business items I purchased from a supplier on a loan. We had mutual agreement to pay back for the items at a later date. The supplier had provided me with his contact number to contact him and pay him back.

I have lost the number of the supplier and cannot locate where they are. It was a business expo which happens once every year for 15 days, and I have been going back there for past 4 years and cannot locate where the person is or his friends / family members.

Please advice what I can do as I cannot locate the person.

Answer:
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullaahi wa-barakaatuh.

We commend you for your honesty. May Allaah Ta’aala bless your business.

The amount you owe to the supplier is a loan on you. It must be paid to the supplier or his family in his absence. In the event that you are unable to find either and you have lost hope of finding them, then you should give the owed amount away in charity on behalf of the supplier. However, should you meet the supplier afterwards and he demands his funds, then you will have to reimburse him. We suggest you keep note of the owed amount for now. Continue searching for him at the business expos. Ask other businessmen about him. At the same time, keep a note of it in your will and/or inform your family. Once you have lost all hopes, then you may act as mentioned above.

And Allaah Ta’aala knows best.
Mufti Muajul I. Chowdhury
Darul Iftaa New York
https://askthemufti.us/

03/03/1445 AH – 09/19/2023 CE | 612

وصل اللهم وسلم وبارك على سيدنا محمد وعلى ءاله وصحبه أجمعين

__________________
Disclaimer

Darul Iftaa New York answers questions on issues pertaining to Shari’ah. These questions and answers are placed for public view on askthemufti.us for educational purposes. The rulings given here are based on the questions posed and should be read in conjunction with the questions. Many answers are unique to a particular scenario and cannot be taken as a basis to establish a ruling in another situation. 

Darul Iftaa New York bears no responsibility with regard to its answers being used out of their intended contexts, nor with regard to any loss or damage that may be caused by acting on its answers or not doing so.

References and links to other websites should not be taken as an endorsement of all contents of those websites. 

Answers may not be used as evidence in any court of law without prior written consent of Darul Iftaa New York.