Let's see how honest you are

[Blackpool]

Answer truthfully.

You find an envelope with the name and address of the owner in the middle of the street. It contains £20,000 in cash inside. Would you return it to it's owner and do what is right religiously and in honesty or would you pocket it? Can greed overcome your religious beliefs?

[Zafran]

salaam

I will give it back to the owner

peace

[catalzzy]

:s:

I would definitely give it back to the owner.

Stealing is considered as shame and sinful.

:)

:w:

[The Ruler]

Answer truthfully.

You find an envelope with the name and address of the owner in the middle of the street. It contains £20,000 in cash inside. Would you return it to it's owner and do what is right religiously and in honesty or would you pocket it? Can greed overcome your religious beliefs?

Give it back to him/her. But I wouldn't mind a reward in return.

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[Güven]

I will return it to the owner PERSONALLY.

I won't give it to the Police though because you may never know what they would do with it.

[Zafran]

why did you find some Blackpool?

[crayon]

I would actually be more tempted to keep it if it were something less, like $5, or $10, especially if I didn't know whose it was, I'd be too lazy to find the owner. But to keep $20,000? No way on earth would I even consider it. Especially since I know who it belongs to.

And it's not just religious obligation that has me saying that, it's also moral responsibility. Do unto others as you as you would have others do unto you.

Oh, and in response to "Can greed overcome your religious beliefs?", I'd say it depends on how strong your religious beliefs are.

[Nσσя'υℓ Jαииαн]

You want my honest and legit answer?

Well...

I wouldn't keep it even if it's one dollar. What isn't mine....isn't mine, plain and simple. I dont even spend my Eid money on myself nor expect money from my parents for anything, so there's no way am i going to keep money that belongs to someone else.

Actually if it has the persons name and address, I'd be happy coz then I could return it.
Imagine they put the envelope there on purpose just to see what people do...with no actual cash inside lol.

Can greed overcome your religious beliefs?

yes it could....depending on your level of morality and religious conviction..

[ragdollcat1982]

Give it back to the owner since I clearly know who and where to take it.

[Blackpool]

I am not religious but I'm very God conscious. I would choose to return it personally to the owner and not hand it to the police station. I'd love to be handed £20,000 but if I found it, to me it would only be temporary satisfaction. Once it's spent I would feel alot of guilt. Shame of myself and guilty to those that owned what I spent. I believe we are being watched at all times.

I have done good deeds in my life that have made me proud of my actions. These deeds would have pocketed me cash but I've chosed to turn away from greed. As I said, I believe we're being watched.

[Macchiato]

Can greed overcome your religious beliefs?

absolutely not, even if you need it

I would try to return it inshaAllah

[Hayaa]

Stealing is one of the four things that the Prophet :arabic5: strictly forbade his ummah from doing, so nope I wouldn't keep it. :)

[BlissfullyJaded]

I would return it.

I think what might be more of a moral dilemma is if you were suffering some really tough times and found the money. At that point the temptation to just take it is greater. InshaAllah we would do what is right despite personal problems..

[Beardo]

I would agree with one of the above, I'd be more tempted to keep it if it were a smaller bill such as a 5 or a 10. Though, someone asked me the other day... what do you do if you find a small amount of money, like a $5 or a $10 on the ground? You can't find the owner. =/

[nocturne]

Yeah, even going beyond religious belief,it is basic human morality.

I would firstly think how lovely it would be for someone to return it, had i been the one who lost the 20k cash. If you put yourself in others' shoes, it is easier to make the decision.

But if i find small amounts. I would put it into the charity box when i go to the mosque.

[MSN]

I'll give it back.No doubt.

[Muhaba]

I would return it, definately.

if i find smaller amounts, i wouldn't even pick it up. let the true owner come & get it; he/she may be looking for it. If someone other than the true owner takes it, the sin would be theirs, but at least i wouldn't have a problem trying to find out what to do with it.

[glo]

I would hand it in to the police, and let them deal with returning it to the owner.
(They may also wish to check why anybody would carry such huge amounts of cash in a plain envelope ...)

[Trumble]

I would hand it in to the police, and let them deal with returning it to the owner.
(They may also wish to check why anybody would carry such huge amounts of cash in a plain envelope ...)

Good point. Such an amount is likely to be 'dodgy' in some way. You might just be 'returning' it to the person that stole it.

[ahmed_indian]

inshallah i'll give it to the owner.

if i'll keep it, i'll fear continuously that Allah can punish me anytime for this stealing.

and maybe this money was very important for that person. if he curses the person who stole, it will be very bad for him.

but may Allah save me from this. this could be very tempting especially if u have very little money.

[glo]

Good point. Such an amount is likely to be 'dodgy' in some way. You might just be 'returning' it to the person that stole it.

I was thinking the same.

Such amounts of money could easily be connected with illegal activity.
I wouldn't want to return the money to a drug dealer, pimp or money launderer ... quite aside from the physical risk I might be putting myself in.

[liya]

insha allah i will return it cuz the prophet said stealing anything would be like the burning of hellfire till u give it back ...nd im not gonna risk it !!

[- IqRa -]

To be completely honest, I don't have any "love" for money. I would return it InshaAllah.

[afzalaung]

I believe the answer to expect in a forum like this is quite obvious.

However, i believe we can have a more colourful variant of replies if the envelope of money were to contain NO DETAILS of the owner.

just wondering..there's a 20% zakah on such acquisition of wealth, rite?

[Bub]

I would return it to owner, Allah test us... hope Owner wouldnt move out =]

[Tony]

Give it to him and ask for donation for islamic releif. 5 yrs ago i would have kept it

[Blackpool]

I would hand it in to the police, and let them deal with returning it to the owner.
(They may also wish to check why anybody would carry such huge amounts of cash in a plain envelope ...)

This thing happened not so long ago. Some guy found a thousand quid and took it to the police station. The cops said that if it wasn't claimed within a certain time then he could keep it. When the time passed he was told that because it was involved in some crime the government gets to keep it. Not a single thanks or appreciationwas given to the guy. Not even a little reward.

I wouldn't hand it to the police, the money would end up going to the government.

[GuestFellow]

I will be honest. I would probably keep it...though I do remember I found a very expensive mobile at school. I wanted to keep it but I returned it because I felt guilty later on in Maths class. I gave it to the school reception and they traced the mobile back to the owner.

To simply put it I don't know what I would do. I know what the right thing to do, though I am not sure what actions I would take if I was put into that position.

Though I think I would probably keep it...the biggest problem is I'm greedy and I always think about myself at times.

[Najm]

AsSalamOAlaikum WaRehmatuAllah WaBarkatuhu

SubhaanAllah!!! I would give the money back without a doubt if the owner was found or spend it after a year of announcement if the owner wasn't found.....

Narrated Zaid bin Khalid:
A man came and asked Allah's Apostle about picking a lost thing. The Prophet said, "Remember the description of its container and the string it is tied with, and make public announcement about it for one year. If the owner shows up, give it to him; otherwise, do whatever you like with it." He then asked, "What about a lost sheep?" The Prophet said, "It is for you, for your brother (i.e. its owner), or for the wolf." He further asked, "What about a lost camel?" The Prophet said, "It is none of your concern. It has its water-container (reservoir) and its feet, and it will reach water and drink it and eat the trees till its owner finds it."
Sahih Muslim, Volume 3, Book 42, Number 611

Even if i was struggling financially i would have not kept it straightway it may be Sadaqa because....

Narrated Anas:
The Prophet passed a date fallen on the way and said, "Were I not afraid that it may be from a Sadaqa (charitable gifts), I would have eaten it."
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, "Sometimes when I return home and find a date fallen on my bed, I pick it up in order to eat it, but I fear that it might be from a Sadaqa, so I throw it."
Sahih Muslim, Volume 3, Book 42, Number 612

Finally just taking it without doing anything is stealing even if its an egg or rope .......

Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet said, "Allah curses a man who steals an egg and gets his hand cut off, or steals a rope and gets his hands cut off." Al-A'mash said, "People used to interpret the Baida as an iron helmet, and they used to think that the rope may cost a few dirhams."
Sahih Bukhari, Volume 8, Book 81, Number 774

Allahu Alim

FiAmaaniAllah

[S_87]

if i were to keep it i wouldnt be able to spend it because of the guilt. I would like to think that if it were mine someone else would be honest enough to return so i wouldnt think for one second to keep it for myself.

[HopeFul]

think the amount of moeny you mentioned even if it was someone irreligious they would give it up, because they know this amount would be tried to found out. Let's see if you would do the same if you found a named envelope with just 200 quid inside :p

[glo]

This thing happened not so long ago. Some guy found a thousand quid and took it to the police station. The cops said that if it wasn't claimed within a certain time then he could keep it. When the time passed he was told that because it was involved in some crime the government gets to keep it. Not a single thanks or appreciation was given to the guy. Not even a little reward.

That's a shame. A little thank you would have been nice.

Still, it was the right thing to do ... so I hope the guy would do the same thing again, if ever he was faced with a similar situation.

Question is, do we do the 'right thing' because we want a reward (be that a thank you, a financial reward or a reward in the afterlife), or simply because we know that it is right and good?

[ardianto]

IF I find 20,000 pound or even IF I find 10 million pound in cash, I would give that money back to the owner. Because that is IF. :D

But this is not IF. This is a true story from my country.

Three salesmen were back from Tangerang city to their origin city. They brought their company's money, but they didn't realized when that money fell form their car. The company didn't believed their reason. Those salesmen were not only fired but arrested by police.

Two days later in Tangerang, a motorbike rider found that money. Because he didn't knew who's the money owner, he gave that money to a first policeman that he found. Not in Police station but on the street. This policeman try to find that money owner, and he found it.

Finally, that money back to the company, and those salesmen got their freedom again.



There are two honest men in this true story. First, a motorbike rider. Second, a policeman.
So, do you still thinking all policemen are bad ?.

[Muezzin]

Answer truthfully.

You find an envelope with the name and address of the owner in the middle of the street. It contains £20,000 in cash inside. Would you return it to it's owner and do what is right religiously and in honesty or would you pocket it? Can greed overcome your religious beliefs?

Take it to the owner of course, seeing as it has their name and address on it.

Assuming the envelope is sealed, I wouldn't open it to discover the money inside. I'd just give it to the owner. If it was open, and I saw the money, it would look suspicious as heck, but I'd still give it to the person specified. None of my business.

Oh, all right, bad joke, I'd give it to the police.

I've been in this kind of situation before, when the person who used a cash machine in a shopping centre before me forgot to take their money. The guy just disappeared into the crowd. Finding some security guards to put it into lost and found took ages.

I hope they actually did put it into lost and found rather than pocketing it. As the latter option would make them gits and make me a naive idiot.

[ragdollcat1982]

I would hand it in to the police, and let them deal with returning it to the owner.
(They may also wish to check why anybody would carry such huge amounts of cash in a plain envelope ...)

I would turn it in to the police than after 30 days if it wasnt claimed I would donate it to charity.

[Ansariyah]

No ones going to find that much money, so no need to 'iff' bout it.

I once did find a loaded wallet, i ended up chasing the guy who dropped it, gave it to him, ran back to my bus. Allah blesses us so much wen we help others, in return he helps us wen we need it.

[Muhaba]

I was thinking the same.

Such amounts of money could easily be connected with illegal activity.
I wouldn't want to return the money to a drug dealer, pimp or money launderer ... quite aside from the physical risk I might be putting myself in.

well i don't think that a person would write their name on the envelope if he/she is a criminal. so the name on the envelope would most likely be the actual owner (or someone who found the money) but not a theif or drugdealer.

[Azy]

Keep it; who really owns anything in this life.

[AntiKarateKid]

First thing to pop into my head would be...

"Who the hell drops British pounds in AMERICA!??" And I'd look around for some snooty looking guy with a monocle and cane. ( ignorant stereotypes are fun!)

I pray to Allah to let me into Jannah Firdaws and this would be a step in the right direction if I did the right thing. I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror if I took it. Do you know how hard it is to put in your contacts without looking at yourself in the mirror?:rollseyes

[Tony]

First thing to pop into my head would be...

"Who the hell drops British pounds in AMERICA!??" And I'd look around for some snooty looking guy with a monocle and cane. ( ignorant stereotypes are fun!)

I pray to Allah to let me into Jannah Firdaws and this would be a step in the right direction if I did the right thing. I wouldn't be able to look at myself in the mirror if I took it. Do you know how hard it is to put in your contacts without looking at yourself in the mirror?:rollseyes

What you think Chris Eubanks may have dropped it then ?

[Muezzin]

Keep it; who really owns anything in this life.

What a fine, self-justifying thief you'll make.

[Addie]

Yeah Id give it back too.

Even if the envelope had no name and address on it Id hand it in to the police station.

[Muhaba]

Keep it; who really owns anything in this life.

Could it be because you don't think God is watching you?

[saabuldin]

I would give it back.

If you think about it this way then you will surely want to give it back.

Imagine buying so many things with that money. Every thing you buy is Haram for you. So you would have so many Haram things wouldnt you. When i think of it this way then it really helps in not stealing.

[Banu_Hashim]

Give it back to the owner as soon as possible.

The money belongs to them. What right do I have to be even touching it? It's just as bad as breaking into a bank vault and stealing money from there. Such money would be so haram for me, I don't even want to think about it.

It's morally and religiously wrong to take the money.

[Azy]

What a fine, self-justifying thief you'll make.

I don't have to justify anything to anyone. This is a forum so I thought I should make my reply more than 2 words, since folk may be curious.

Could it be because you don't think God is watching you?

I couldn't care less if God is watching or not.

[Muezzin]

I don't have to justify anything to anyone.

Only to yourself. Which it appears you did by using words to the effect of 'who owns anything in this world'?

This is a forum so I thought I should make my reply more than 2 words, since folk may be curious.

Okay, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

The tone of my post ended up being a lot more accusing than light-hearted in the first place.

[Azy]

Only to yourself. Which it appears you did by using words to the effect of 'who owns anything in this world'?

I suppose it's a tricky one in that at some point I have justified my lack of need for justification. It's all just word play in my head but I think rationalisation is probably a better term, despite the fact that I know there is no rational reason for me to choose one action over another as ultimately I have no purpose or goal.

Okay, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt.

Thank you sire.

Edit: As an aside, I wonder if any people lied about how honest they are :) I suppose we'll never know.

[Hejazy .]

In fact I will give it back to the owner ... cuz it is not aulic

Nice question .. what about you Blackpool ??

[Blackpool]

In fact I will give it back to the owner ... cuz it is not aulic

Nice question .. what about you Blackpool ??

Post number 10:

I am not religious but I'm very God conscious. I would choose to return it personally to the owner and not hand it to the police station. I'd love to be handed £20,000 but if I found it, to me it would only be temporary satisfaction. Once it's spent I would feel alot of guilt. Shame of myself and guilty to those that owned what I spent. I believe we are being watched at all times.

I have done good deeds in my life that have made me proud of my actions. These deeds would have pocketed me cash but I've chosen to turn away from greed. As I said, I believe we're being watched.

I would be pretty peeved off if it wasn't appreciated.

[Duhaa786M]

Maybe............. eh yes sadly give it back

[Raaina]

I'd return it.

Not even because of a religous thing, but because it's the right thing to do anyway :)

[glo]

I'd return it.

Not even because of a religous thing, but because it's the right thing to do anyway :)

Well said.

Where do you think your awareness of what's right and wrong stems from?

[Raaina]

Good question, :)

Probably my parent's but also, if I lost something like that, i'd hope someone would return it to me to, so I usually base my actions on that as well :)

[_PakistaN_]

I would first take it home and think before what to do with it. My conclusion would be to return it.