Sincere repentance to Allah (Exalted be He

Q 2: What is the ruling on the following case? A person works in a grocery store in which four brothers and two sisters are partners. He used to (Part No. 15; Page No. 372) take money from the grocery store, and now he wants to perform Tawbah (repentance to Allah). What should he do?

A: He should return the money he took to the owners of the grocery store and ask them for forgiveness. His conscience cannot be clear in another way, because a person is not excused from fulfilling the rights of people unless they return them or the people forgive them. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.