26. The Found
٢٦۔ كِتَابُ اللُّقَطَةِ
While I as in the company of Salman bin Rabiʿa 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 Kaʿb 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 an other 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.' " (Using translation from Bukhārī 2437)
أَحْسَنْتَ وَجَدْتُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ صُرَّةً فِيهَا مِائَةُ دِينَارٍ فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ بِهَا فَقَالَ «عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلًا» فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلًا ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ إِلَى الْحَوْلِ الثَّانِي فَقَالَ «عَرِّفْهَا» فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلًا ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ فَقَالَ «عَرِّفْهَا» فَعَرَّفْتُهَا ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ الثَّالِثَ فَقَالَ «اعْلَمْ عِدَّتَهَا وَوِعَاءَهَا وَوِكَاءَهَا فَإِنْ جَاءَ أَحَدٌ يُخْبِرُ بِعَدَدِهَا وَوِعَائِهَا وَوِكَائِهَا فَأَعْطِهَا إِيَّاهُ وَإِلَّا فَاسْتَنْفِعْ بِهَا»