Sunan Abi Dawud
The Book of Lost and Found Items — Hadith #1705
Traditional grade: Sahih How we grade
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ السَّرْحِ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي مَالِكٌ، بِإِسْنَادِهِ وَمَعْنَاهُ زَادَ " سِقَاؤُهَا تَرِدُ الْمَاءَ وَتَأْكُلُ الشَّجَرَ " . وَلَمْ يَقُلْ " خُذْهَا " . فِي ضَالَّةِ الشَّاءِ وَقَالَ فِي اللُّقَطَةِ " عَرِّفْهَا سَنَةً فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا وَإِلاَّ فَشَأْنَكَ بِهَا " . وَلَمْ يَذْكُرِ " اسْتَنْفِقْ " . قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ رَوَاهُ الثَّوْرِيُّ وَسُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ بِلاَلٍ وَحَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ مِثْلَهُ لَمْ يَقُولُوا " خُذْهَا " .
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 tradition has been narrated by al-Thawri, Sulaiman bin Bilal, and Hammad bin Salamah on the authority of Rabi ‘ ah in a similar manner. They did not mention the word “take it”.
Hadith Grading
Each grade below reflects one scholar's assessment of the chain of transmission. The grade describes the chain, not the Prophet's words. How we grade
Traditional grade: Sahih