Assalamu’alaykum. I have questions regarding borrowing items. I found book that I am certain is not mine in my shelf at home. I thought I borrowed it from my middle high school. But when I tried to return it, one of the school guardian (he knows many things about the school) said it was not theirs (but I am not sure if he is telling the truth, he might’ve mistaken). It was elementary book (but I somehow think it was from my middle school) so another possibility, it was from my elementary school even though I cannot remember if it was from there. I don’t know many people there and too embarrassed to meet my old teacher just to return such a small and old book, and also uncertain if it’s theirs, but I cannot find any other possibility. Do I just put the book in the library secretly?My second case is, I borrowed a pen around a year ago, and I cannot remember who lent it to me because there were many people (but I know these people). I suspect it was my mentor who lent it to me. I could still meet her but I have lost the pen. If I return a pen to her, I am afraid it will embarrass me, since pen doesn’t seem to be something significant and people don’t usually search for it (for a long time) and ask the borrower to return the value if it got lost. If I return it, I am almost certain that she wouldn’t want it. I am sorry for long details but I would also like an explanation of what I should do. If I may, I want to ask a new fatwa because what I have come across in this website is not the same case as mine. JazakAllaah.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.
As for the book, it is sufficient for you to put it in the library of the school even secretly.
As for the pen, then you may ask its owner to forgive you or simply give her its value. You may also not do any of this if you had lost the pen without any negligence on your part.
You may be suffering from whispers, so we advise you to avoid them, repel them, not pay any attention to them, and not give in to them at all.
Allah knows best.