What is the ruling when one who confessed ownership of an object later brings the object and claims it is a different item than the one confessed to?

General Chapter

Al-Mughni

Book of Acknowledgment of Rights

Book 20 · Issue 1 · Bab 1

Open in Qurani

Primary text

If a person acknowledges ownership of an item to another, and then presents that item claiming it is the specific item confessed to, but the claimant maintains it is another item, the confessor is not obligated to hand it over to the claimant. The claimant must then swear that there is no other identical item in the confessor's possession. If the claimant then retracts their claim and asserts ownership over the presented item, the confessor must deliver it, as there is no opposing claim to it.

Supporting text

If the claimant accepts the item presented, stating, 'You spoke the truth, this is the one I was owed from your previous admission,' the confessor is obligated to hand over this specific item and must swear to deny the existence of any other item owed.