Zaid bin Khalid al-Juhani · The Book of Lost Property

A man came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and asked him about picking up of stray articles. He said: Recognise (well) its bag and the strap (by which it is tied) then make announcement of that for a year. If its owner comes (within this time return that to him), otherwise it is yours. He (again) said: (What about) the lost goat? Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said: It is yours or for your brother, or for the wolf. He said:…

Make announcement about it for a year, and recognise well the strap and the bag (containing that) ; then spend that; and if its owner comes, make him the payment of that. He (the inquirer) said: Messenger of Allah, what about the lost goat? he said: Take it, for that is yours or for your brother, or for the wolf. He (again) said: (What about) the lost camel? The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was enraged until his cheeks became red…

His face became red, his forehead too, and he felt annoyed; and made an addition after the words: He should make announcement of that for a year, and if its owner does not turn up, then it is a trust with you.

Recognise well the strap and the bag (containing) that and then make an announcement regarding that for one year, but if none recognises it, then spend that and it would be a trust with you; and if someone comes one day to make demand of that, then pay that to him. He (the inquirer) asked about the lost camel, whereupon he said: You have nothing to do with that. Leave that alone, for it has feet and also a leather…

A person asked Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) about a lost camel; Rabi'a made this addition: He (the Holy Prophet) was so much annoyed that his cheeks became red." The rest of the hadith is the same. He (the narrator) made this addition:" If its (that of the article) owner comes and he recognises the bag (which contained it) and its number, and the strap. then give that to them, but if not, then it is for you."

Make announcement of that for one year, but if it is not recognised (by the owner), then recognise its big and strap, then eat it; and if its owner comes, then give that to him. This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Al-Dahhak b. Uthman with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of words.

He who found a stray article is himself led astray if he does not advertise it.