Hadith 2437
Lost Things Picked up by Someone (Luqatah)
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سُوَيْدَ بْنَ غَفَلَةَ، قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ سَلْمَانَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ، وَزَيْدِ بْنِ صُوحَانَ فِي غَزَاةٍ، فَوَجَدْتُ سَوْطًا. فَقَالَ لِي أَلْقِهِ. قُلْتُ لاَ، وَلَكِنْ إِنْ وَجَدْتُ صَاحِبَهُ، وَإِلاَّ اسْتَمْتَعْتُ بِهِ. فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا حَجَجْنَا فَمَرَرْتُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، فَسَأَلْتُ أُبَىَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ فَقَالَ وَجَدْتُ صُرَّةً عَلَى عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِيهَا مِائَةُ دِينَارٍ، فَأَتَيْتُ بِهَا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً ". فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلاً ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ، فَقَالَ " عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً ". فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلاً ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ، فَقَالَ " عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً ". فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلاً ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ الرَّابِعَةَ فَقَالَ " اعْرِفْ عِدَّتَهَا وَوِكَاءَهَا وَوِعَاءَهَا، فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا وَإِلاَّ اسْتَمْتِعْ بِهَا ".
Translation
Narrated Suwaid bin Ghafala:While I was in the company of Salman bin Rabi`a and Suhan, in one of the holy battles, I found a whip. One of them told me to drop it but I refused to do so and said that I would give it to its owner if I found him, otherwise I would utilize it. On our return we performed Hajj and on passing by Medina, I asked Ubai bin Ka`b about it. He said, "I found a bag containing a hundred Dinars in the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ) and took it to the Prophet (ﷺ) who said to me, 'Make public announcement about it for one year.' So, I announced it for one year and went to the Prophet (ﷺ) who said, 'Announce it publicly for another year.' So, I announced it for another year. I went to him again and he said, "Announce for another year." So I announced for still another year. I went to the Prophet (ﷺ) for the fourth time, and he said, 'Remember the amount of money, the description of its container and the string it is tied with, and if the owner comes, give it to him; otherwise, utilize it
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 2437
More from Lost Things Picked up by Someone (Luqatah)
Narrated Ubai bin Ka`b:I found a purse containing one hundred Diners. So I went to the Prophet (and informed him about it), he said, "Make public announcement about it for one year" I did so, but nobody turned up to claim it, so I again went to the Prophet (ﷺ) who said, "Make public announcement for another year." I did, but none turned up to claim it. I went to him for the third time and he said, "Keep the container and the string which is used for its tying and count the money it contains and if its owner comes, give it to him; otherwise, utilize it." The sub-narrator Salama said, "I met him (Suwaid, another sub-narrator) in Mecca and he said, 'I don't know whether Ubai made the announcement for three years or just one year
Hadith 2427Narrated Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani:A bedouin went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and asked him about picking up a lost thing. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Make public announcement about it for one year. Remember the description of its container and the string with which it is tied; and if somebody comes and claims it and describes it correctly, (give it to him); otherwise, utilize it." He said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What about a lost sheep?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "It is for you, for your brother (i.e. its owner), or for the wolf." He further asked, "What about a lost camel?" On that the face of the Prophet (ﷺ) became red (with anger) and said, "You have nothing to do with it, as it has its feet, its water reserve and can reach places of water and drink, and eat trees
Hadith 2428Narrated Sulaiman bin Bilal from Yahya:Yazid Maula Al-Munba'ith heard Zaid bin Khalid al-Juhani saying, "The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked about Luqata. He said, 'Remember the description of its container and the string it is tied with, and announce it publicly for one year.' " Yazid added, "If nobody claims then the person who has found it can spend it, and it is regarded as a trust entrusted to him." Yahya said, "I do not know whether the last sentences were said by the Prophet (ﷺ) or by Yazid." Zaid further said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) was asked, 'What about a lost sheep?' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Take it, for it is for you or for your brother (i.e. its owner) or for the wolf." Yazid added that it should also be announced publicly. The man then asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about a lost camel. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Leave it, as it has its feet, water container (reservoir), and it will reach a place of water and eat trees till its owner finds it
Hadith 2429Narrated Zaid bin Khalid:A man came and asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about picking a lost thing. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Remember the description of its container and the string it is tied with, and make public announcement about it for one year. If the owner shows up, give it to him; otherwise, do whatever you like with it." He then asked, "What about a lost sheep?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "It is for you, for your brother (i.e. its owner), or for the wolf." He further asked, "What about a lost camel?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "It is none of your concern. It has its water-container (reservoir) and its feet, and it will reach water and drink it and eat the trees till its owner finds it