Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, I have a question regarding purchasing repossessed and seized cars from online auctions. There are a number of websites on the internet which have auctions to sell cars and vehicles. These cars and vehicles are made available through seizures made by financial institutions and government agencies and are forfeitures for non-payment or illegal activities. These online auctions carry advertisements such as the following: “Every month, 1000s of cars become government & bank property through various seizure/surplus laws. Because of the constant influx of vehicles and the enormous expense to store them, the cars must be sold fast and cheap!” Is it permissible to purchase repossessed and seized cars from these auctions? Please let me know. Jazzakum Allahu khayran.

All praise be to Allah, and may his peace and blessings be on the last and best prophet and messenger, Muhammad.

There is no harm in purchasing such cars, as long as the contract between you and the current possessor of the car is lawful.
The unlawful items are of two types:
1- Unlawful because of their genuine impermissibility, such as pork.
2- Unlawful because of their wrongful acquisition, such as money obtained through usury.
The first type is unlawful to all people, whereas the second is unlawful only to the person who acquired it wrongfully, not others who may acquire it from him lawfully.

Allah knows best.