The Book of Lost and Found Items

I fought along with Zayd ibn Suhan and Sulayman ibn Rabi'ah. I found a whip. They said to me: Throw it away. I said: No; if I find its owner (I shall give it to him); if not, I shall use it. Then I performed hajj; and when I reached Medina, I asked Ubayy ibn Ka'b. He said: I found a purse which…

عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلاً ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلاً ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلاً ثُمَّ…

Narrated by ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b + 4 other versions

He said : Make it known for a year. He said this three times. He said: I do not know whether he said “for a year” or “for three years”.

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، بِمَعْنَاهُ قَالَ ‏"‏ عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ ثَلاَثَ مِرَارٍ قَالَ فَلاَ أَدْرِي قَالَ لَهُ ذَلِكَ فِي سَنَةٍ أَوْ فِي ثَلاَثِ سِنِينَ ‏.‏

Remember its number, its container and its string. The version adds : If its owner comes, and tells its number and its string, then give it to him. Abu Dawud said : None of the narrators said this word in this tradition except Hammad ; That is, “ If he tells its number.”

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا سَلَمَةُ بْنُ كُهَيْلٍ، بِإِسْنَادِهِ وَمَعْنَاهُ قَالَ فِي التَّعْرِيفِ قَالَ عَامَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلاَثَةً ‏.‏ وَقَالَ ‏"‏ اعْرِفْ عَدَدَهَا وَوِعَاءَهَا…

A man asked the Messenger of Allah (SWAS) about a find. He said: Make the matter known for a year, then note its string and its container and then use it for your purpose. Then if its owner comes, give it to him. He asked : Messenger of Allah, what about a stray sheep? He replied: Take it; that is…

عَرِّفْهَا سَنَةً ثُمَّ اعْرِفْ وِكَاءَهَا وَعِفَاصَهَا ثُمَّ اسْتَنْفِقْ بِهَا فَإِنْ جَاءَ رَبُّهَا فَأَدِّهَا إِلَيْهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَضَالَّةُ الْغَنَمِ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ خُذْهَا فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ لَكَ…

Narrated by Zayd ibn Khālid al-Juhani + 21 other versions

They have their stomachs: They can go down to water and eat trees. He did not say about the stray sheep: take it. About a find he said : Make it known for a year; if it’s owner comes, (give it to him), otherwise use it yourself. This version has not the word : “ spend it”. Abu Dawud said : This…

حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ السَّرْحِ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي مَالِكٌ، بِإِسْنَادِهِ وَمَعْنَاهُ زَادَ ‏"‏ سِقَاؤُهَا تَرِدُ الْمَاءَ وَتَأْكُلُ الشَّجَرَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ ‏"‏ خُذْهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فِي ضَالَّةِ…

+ 21 other versions

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about a find. He said: Make it known for a year. If its seeker comes, deliver it to him, otherwise note its container and its string. Then use it; if its seeker comes, deliver it to him.

عَرِّفْهَا سَنَةً فَإِنْ جَاءَ بَاغِيهَا فَأَدِّهَا إِلَيْهِ وَإِلاَّ فَاعْرِفْ عِفَاصَهَا وَوِكَاءَهَا ثُمَّ كُلْهَا فَإِنْ جَاءَ بَاغِيهَا فَأَدِّهَا إِلَيْهِ ‏"

Narrated by Zayd ibn Khālid al-Juhani + 5 other versions

The Messenger of Allah (SWAS) was asked about a find. He replied : Make the matter known for a year; if its owner comes, give it to him, otherwise note its string and its container and have it along with your property. If its owner comes, deliver it to him.

تُعَرِّفُهَا حَوْلاً فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا دَفَعْتَهَا إِلَيْهِ وَإِلاَّ عَرَفْتَ وِكَاءَهَا وَعِفَاصَهَا ثُمَّ أَفِضْهَا فِي مَالِكَ فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا فَادْفَعْهَا إِلَيْهِ ‏"

Narrated by Zayd ibn Khālid al-Juhani

This addition made by Hammad bin Salamah bin Kuhail, Yahya bin Sa’id, `Ubaid Allah bin `Umar and Rabi’ah; “if its owner comes and recognizes its container, and its string,” is not guarded. The version narrated by Uqbah bin Suwaid on the authority of his father from the Prophet (SWAS) has also the…

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، وَرَبِيعَةَ، بِإِسْنَادِ قُتَيْبَةَ وَمَعْنَاهُ وَزَادَ فِيهِ ‏"‏ فَإِنْ جَاءَ بَاغِيهَا فَعَرَفَ عِفَاصَهَا وَعَدَدَهَا…

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: He who finds something should call one or two trusty persons as witnesses and not conceal it or cover it up; then if he finds its owner he should return it to him, otherwise it is Allah's property which He gives to whom He will.

مَنْ وَجَدَ لُقَطَةً فَلْيُشْهِدْ ذَا عَدْلٍ - أَوْ ذَوَىْ عَدْلٍ - وَلاَ يَكْتُمْ وَلاَ يُغَيِّبْ فَإِنْ وَجَدَ صَاحِبَهَا فَلْيَرُدَّهَا عَلَيْهِ وَإِلاَّ فَهُوَ مَالُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ ‏"

Narrated by Iyād ibn Himār + 5 other versions

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about the hanging fruit. He replied: If a needy person takes some and does not take a supply away in his garment, he is not to be blamed, but he who carries any of it away is to be find twice the value and punished, and he who steals any of it after it has been…

أَصَابَ بِفِيهِ مِنْ ذِي حَاجَةٍ غَيْرَ مُتَّخِذٍ خُبْنَةً فَلاَ شَىْءَ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ خَرَجَ بِشَىْءٍ مِنْهُ فَعَلَيْهِ غَرَامَةُ مِثْلَيْهِ وَالْعُقُوبَةُ وَمَنْ سَرَقَ مِنْهُ شَيْئًا بَعْدَ أَنْ يُئْوِيَهُ…

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr + 6 other versions

regarding the stray sheep he said : “Take it”.

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ كَثِيرٍ - حَدَّثَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ شُعَيْبٍ، بِإِسْنَادِهِ بِهَذَا قَالَ فِي ضَالَّةِ الشَّاءِ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَاجْمَعْهَا ‏"‏…

He said about the stray sheep: You, your brother or the wolf may have them. Do take it. A similar version has been transmitted by Ayyub and Ya’qub bin `Ata from `Amr bin Shu’aid from the Propher (SWAS). He said : then take it.

حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الأَخْنَسِ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، بِهَذَا بِإِسْنَادِهِ قَالَ فِي ضَالَّةِ الْغَنَمِ ‏"‏ لَكَ أَوْ لأَخِيكَ أَوْ لِلذِّئْبِ خُذْهَا…

regarding the stray sheep he said: Take it (and keep it with you) till its seeker comes to it.

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ إِدْرِيسَ، عَنِ ابْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى…

Narrated by Abdullah ibn Amr

Ali ibn AbuTalib found a dinar and he took it to Fatimah. She asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about it. He said: This is Allah's provision. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ate out of the food (bought with it), and Ali and Fatimah also ate out of that food. But afterwards a woman came crying out…

رِزْقُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَأَكَلَ مِنْهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَكَلَ عَلِيٌّ وَفَاطِمَةُ فَلَمَّا كَانَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ أَتَتْهُ امْرَأَةٌ تَنْشُدُ الدِّينَارَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله…

Narrated by Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri + 1 other version

Bilal ibn Yahya al-Absi said: Ali found a dinar and purchased some flour with it. The seller of the flour recognised him and returned the dinar to him. Ali took it, deducted two qirat (carat) from it, and purchased meat with it.

الْتَقَطَ دِينَارًا فَاشْتَرَى بِهِ دَقِيقًا فَعَرَفَهُ صَاحِبُ الدَّقِيقِ فَرَدَّ عَلَيْهِ الدِّينَارَ فَأَخَذَهُ عَلِيٌّ وَقَطَعَ مِنْهُ قِيرَاطَيْنِ فَاشْتَرَى بِهِ لَحْمًا ‏.‏

Narrated by Ali

`Ali bin Abi Talib entered upon Fatimah while Hasan and Husain were crying. He asked: Why are they crying? She replied: Due to hunger. ‘Ali went out and found a dinar in the market. He then came to Fatima and told her about it. She said: Go to such and such a Jew and get some flour for us. He came…

كُلُوا بِاسْمِ اللَّهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ فَأَكَلُوا فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ مَكَانَهُمْ إِذَا غُلاَمٌ يَنْشُدُ اللَّهَ وَالإِسْلاَمَ الدِّينَارَ فَأَمَرَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَدُعِيَ لَهُ فَسَأَلَهُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ سَقَطَ…

Narrated by Sahl ibn Sa‘d

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave us licence to use (for our purpose) a stick, a rope, a whip and things of that type which a man picked up; he may benefit from them.

الْعَصَا وَالسَّوْطِ وَالْحَبْلِ وَأَشْبَاهِهِ يَلْتَقِطُهُ الرَّجُلُ يَنْتَفِعُ بِهِ ‏

Narrated by Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh + 1 other version

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: He who hides a stray camel shall pay a fine, and a like compensation with it.

ضَالَّةُ الإِبِلِ الْمَكْتُومَةِ غَرَامَتُهَا وَمِثْلُهَا مَعَهَا ‏"

Narrated by Abu Hurayrah

The Messenger of Allah (SWAS) prohibited taking the find of pilgrims. Ibn Wahb said : One should leave the find of a pilgrim till its owner finds it.

لُقَطَةِ الْحَاجِّ ‏

Narrated by Abd ar-Rahman ibn Uthmān at-Taymī

I accompanied Jarir at Bawazij. The shepherd brought the cows. Among them there was a cow that was not one of them. Jarir asked him: What is this? He replied: This was mixed with the cows and we do not know to whom it belongs. Jarir said: Take it out. I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: No one…

لاَ يَأْوِي الضَّالَّةَ إِلاَّ ضَالٌّ ‏"

Narrated by Jarīr ibn ‘Abdullah