Question:

Assalamu Alaikum Mufti Sahab, This question is we stayed in a hotel for some days. There they gave soap, shampoo, and towels for our use. But we took them home . Is this permissible or not?

Answer:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Generally hotels intend guests to use and keep consumable items such as soap bars and shampoo. However, items that are not consumable such as towels are not meant to be taken by guests, rather   they are meant to be used for the next guests.[1]

If this is the case, it was permissible for you to take home the soap bars and shampoo. However, it was impermissible to take the towels home.

Hence, make Tawbah to Allah Ta’ala for the mistake. Along with Tawbah, you must compensate in one of the following ways:

1. If the towels are still in your possession, then you must return the towels to the hotel.[2]

2. If the towels are no longer in your possession, then purchase the same type of towels and give the towels to the hotel.[3]

3. If you are unable to find the same type of towels in the stores, then you must estimate the price of the towels and give this amount to the hotel.[4]

4. If the hotel has shut down or has relocated and you are unable to return the towels or compensate the value, then you must give the same to the needy as charity.[5]

You may consider returning the towels (or monetary compensation) to the hotel by anonymously mailing to them in order to protect yourself from any sort of trouble and difficulty.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

(Mufti) Abdul Azeem bin Abdur Rahman

Checked and Approved by my Esteemed Teacher,

Mufti Husain Kadodia Damat Barakatuhum

Disclaimer:

The Shar’a ruling herein given is based specifically on the question posed and should be read in conjunction with the question.

Darul Iftaa Texas bears no responsibility to any party who may or may not act on this answer and is being hereby exempted from loss or damage howsoever caused.

This answer may not be used as evidence in any Court of Law without prior written consent of Darul Iftaa Texas.

[1] https://www.quora.com/Is-it-stealing-if-you-take-certain-items-in-your-already-paid-for-hotel-room-like-soap-shampoo-stationery-etc   Last accessed on 1-1-16

[2]  ( ويجب رد عين المغصوب ) ما لم يتغير تغيرا فاحشا  مجتبى (الدر المختار، ج 6، ص 182، سعيد)

[3]  ( أو ) يجب رد ( مثله إن هلك وهو مثلي (الدر المختار، ج 6، ص 183، سعيد)

[4]  وإن انقطع المثل ) بأن لا يوجد في السوق الذي يباع فيه وإن كان يوجد في البيوت

ابن كمال ( فقيمته يوم الخصومة ) أي وقت القضاء وعند أبي يوسف يوم الغصب وعند محمد يوم الانقطاع ورجحه قهستاني (الدر المختار، ج 6، ص 183، سعيد)

[5]  أَمَّا إذَا نَدِمَ الْغَاصِبُ عَلَى فِعْلِ الْغَصْبِ وَلَمْ يَظْفَرْ بِالْمَغْصُوبِ مِنْهُ لِيُعِيدَ الْمَغْصُوبَ إلَيْهِ فَلَهُ إمْسَاكُ الْمَالِ الْمَغْصُوبِ وَالْمُحَافَظَةُ عَلَيْهِ إلَى أَنْ يَنْقَطِعَ الْأَمَلُ فِي الظَّفَرِ بِهِ وَبَعْدَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ التَّصَدُّقُ بِهِ عَلَى فَقِيرٍ عَلَى أَنْ يَكُونَ ثَوَابُهُ لِلْمَغْصُوبِ مِنْهُ وَعَلَى شَرْطِ أَنْ يَكُونَ ضَامِنًا الْمَالَ الْمَغْصُوبَ لِلْمَغْصُوبِ مِنْهُ إذَا حَضَرَ وَلَمْ يُجِزْ الصَّدَقَةَ (رَدُّ الْمُحْتَارِ) . (درر الحكام شرح مجلة الأحكام، ج 2، ص 490، دار المتب العلمية)