there was the governor of Al-Yamamah, and Marwan wrote to him saying that Mu'awiyah had written to him, saying that any man who had something stolen from him had more right to it wherever he found it. Then Marwan wrote saying that to me (Usaid). I wrote to Marwan saying that the Prophet had ruled that if the one who bought it from the one who stole it is ot guilty of anything (and did not realize that it was stolen goods), then the owner has the choice: If he wishes, he may buy it from the one who bought it from the thief, or if he wishes he may go after the thief. Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthman also passed judgment along these lines. Marwan sent my letter to Mu'awiyah, and Mu'awiyah wrote to Marwan (saying): 'Neither you nor Usaid are in a position to tell me what to do, rather I am the one who tells you what to do because I am superior in rank to you, so do what I tell you.' Marwan sent the letter of Mu'awiyah to me, and I said: I will not judge according to Mu'awiyah's opinion as long as I am the governor."'  

أَنَّ أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ سُرِقَ مِنْهُ سَرِقَةٌ فَهُوَ أَحَقُّ بِهَا حَيْثُ وَجَدَهَا ثُمَّ كَتَبَ بِذَلِكَ مَرْوَانُ إِلَىَّ فَكَتَبْتُ إِلَى مَرْوَانَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَضَى بِأَنَّهُ إِذَا كَانَ الَّذِي ابْتَاعَهَا مِنَ الَّذِي سَرَقَهَا غَيْرُ مُتَّهَمٍ يُخَيَّرُ سَيِّدُهَا فَإِنْ شَاءَ أَخَذَ الَّذِي سُرِقَ مِنْهُ بِثَمَنِهَا وَإِنْ شَاءَ اتَّبَعَ سَارِقَهُ ثُمَّ قَضَى بِذَلِكَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَعُثْمَانُ فَبَعَثَ مَرْوَانُ بِكِتَابِي إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ وَكَتَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى مَرْوَانَ إِنَّكَ لَسْتَ أَنْتَ وَلاَ أُسَيْدٌ تَقْضِيَانِ عَلَىَّ وَلَكِنِّي أَقْضِي فِيمَا وُلِّيتُ عَلَيْكُمَا فَأَنْفِذْ لِمَا أَمَرْتُكَ بِهِ فَبَعَثَ مَرْوَانُ بِكِتَابِ مُعَاوِيَةَ فَقُلْتُ لاَ أَقْضِي بِهِ مَا وُلِّيتُ بِمَا قَالَ مُعَاوِيَةُ