A question regarding the legality of taking clothes to cover unpaid wages.
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1 Answer
Peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings.
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Sistani (may God protect him):
If someone has possession of the property of a usurper, it is permissible for them to take it as compensation without needing the permission of the legal authority. This does not depend on the inability to obtain it through the legal authority or otherwise. There is no difference in the usurped property taken as compensation, whether it is of the same type as the usurped property or not, nor does it matter if it was a deposit or something else. If the usurped property is of greater value than what is owed, they may take an amount equal to what is owed and thus fulfill their right. They may sell all of it - even to themselves - and recover their right from the proceeds, although it is strongly recommended to have the permission of the legal authority for this, and the remaining proceeds should be returned to the usurper.
Source: Minhaj al-Salihin, Vol. 2, Usurpation, Articles 883 + 884 + 885
Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Khamenei (may God protect him):
There is no issue with the permissibility of compensation if one has a right against another - whether it be a tangible item, a debt, a benefit, or a right - and the other party is denying or delaying it. It appears that compensation does not depend on the permission of the legal authority; similarly, if it depends on selling or separating it, all of this is permissible without the authority's permission.
Source: Tahrir al-Wasilah, Judiciary, Conclusion, Compensation, Articles 1 + 18
May you be successful in all good.