“Whoever finds lost property, let him ask one or two men of good character to witness it, then he should not alter it nor conceal it. If its owner comes along, then he has more right to it, otherwise it belongs to Allah (SWT), Who gives it to whomsoever He wills.”  

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَنْ وَجَدَ لُقَطَةً فَلْيُشْهِدْ ذَا عَدْلٍ أَوْ ذَوَىْ عَدْلٍ ثُمَّ لاَ يُغَيِّرْهُ وَلاَ يَكْتُمْ فَإِنْ جَاءَ رَبُّهَا فَهُوَ أَحَقُّ بِهَا وَإِلاَّ فَهُوَ مَالُ اللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَنْ يَشَاءُ  

“I went out with Zaid bin Suhan and Salman bin Rabi'ah, and when we were at ʿUdhaib, I found a whip. They said to me: 'Throw it away,' but I refused. When we came to Al-Madinah I went to Ubayy bin Ka'b and told him about that. He said: 'You did the right thing. I found one hundred dinar that had been lost at the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and I asked him about it. He said, “Announce it for a year.” So I Announced it, and I did not find anyone who recognized it. He said: “Remember the features of its bag and strap, and how many it contains, then announce it for a year. If someone comes who describes it with those features, (give it to him), otherwise it is like your own property.”  

أَصَبْتَ الْتَقَطْتُ مِائَةَ دِينَارٍ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ عَرِّفْهَا سَنَةً فَعَرَّفْتُهَا فَلَمْ أَجِدْ أَحَدًا يَعْرِفُهَا فَسَأَلْتُهُ فَقَالَ عَرِّفْهَا فَعَرَّفْتُهَا فَلَمْ أَجِدْ أَحَدًا يَعْرِفُهَا فَقَالَ اعْرِفْ وِعَاءَهَا وَوِكَاءَهَا وَعَدَدَهَا ثُمَّ عَرِّفْهَا سَنَةً فَإِنْ جَاءَ مَنْ يَعْرِفُهَا وَإِلاَّ فَهِيَ كَسَبِيلِ مَالِكَ  

He said: “Announce it for a year, then if someone describes it with its features, return it to him. If no one claims it, then remember the features of its leather bag and strap, and consume it (use it). Then if its owner comes along, give it to him.”  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ سُئِلَ عَنِ اللُّقَطَةِ فَقَالَ عَرِّفْهَا سَنَةً فَإِنِ اعْتُرِفَتْ فَأَدِّهَا فَإِنْ لَمْ تُعْرَفْ فَاعْرِفْ عِفَاصَهَا وَوِعَاءَهَا ثُمَّ كُلْهَا فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا فَأَدِّهَا إِلَيْهِ