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  

[Machine] Kaataba Muawiya ila Marwan: "If a man steals and his theft is found, he is entitled to it wherever it is found." Fa qataba ilayya bi dhalika Marwan wa ana 'ala al-yamamah. Fa katabtu ila Marwan anna Nabiyya Allah (sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam) qada 'itha kana 'inda al-rajul ghayr al-mutaham, fa in shaa'a sayyiduha akhadhaha bil-thaman wa in shaa'a ittaba'a saariqahu. Thumma qada bi dhalika ba'dahu Abu Bakrin wa 'Umaru wa 'Uthman. Qala fa kataba Marwanu ila Muawiyyah bi kitabihi. Fa kataba Muawiyyatu ila Marwana, innaka lasta anta wala usayidun taqdiyana 'alayya fi ma wullita wa lakinni aqdi 'alaykuma, fanfudh lima amartuka bihi. Wa ba'atha Marwanu bi kitabi Muawiyyata ilayhi fa qala wallahi la aqdi bihi abadan.  

قَالَ كَتَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى مَرْوَانَ إِذَا سَرَقَ الرَّجُلُ فَوَجَدَ سَرِقَتَهُ فَهُوَ أَحَقُّ بِهَا حَيْثُ وَجَدَهَا قَالَ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيَّ بِذَلِكَ مَرْوَانُ وَأَنَا عَلَى الْيَمَامَةَ فَكَتَبْتُ إِلَى مَرْوَانَ أَنَّ نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ ﷺ «قَضَى إِذَا كَانَ عِنْدَ الرَّجُلِ غَيْرِ الْمُتَّهَمِ فَإِنْ شَاءَ سَيِّدُهَا أَخَذَهَا بِالثَّمَنِ وَإِنْ شَاءَ اتَّبَعَ سَارِقَهُ» ثُمَّ قَضَى بِذَلِكَ بَعْدَهُ أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُمَرُ وَعُثْمَانُ قَالَ فَكَتَبَ مَرْوَانُ إِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ بِكِتَابِي فَكَتَبَ مُعَاوِيَةُ إِلَى مَرْوَانَ إِنَّكَ لَسْتَ أَنْتَ وَلَا أُسَيْدٌ تَقْضِيَانِ عَلَيَّ فِيمَا وُلِّيتَ وَلَكِنِّي أَقْضِي عَلَيْكُمَا فَانْفُذْ لِمَا أَمَرْتُكَ بِهِ وَبَعَثَ مَرْوَانُ بِكِتَابِ مُعَاوِيَةَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ لَا أَقْضِي بِهِ أَبَدًا