Is it obligatory to return a deposited trust (Wadi'ah) when the owner demands it?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Deposits
Primary text
The return of a deposited trust to its owner upon demand, when performance is possible without undue hardship, is obligatory. This obligation is supported by the Divine command: {Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to their owners} (Quran 4:58). Furthermore, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, commanded, 'Render the trust to the one who entrusted it to you, and do not betray the one who betrayed you,' interpreted here as an obligation upon demand. A trust is the right of its owner to which no other right is attached, thus its return is necessary, analogous to wrongfully seized property (ghasb) or an immediate debt.