Chapter on Lost Property and Stray Animals

"None consume from lost property except those who are themselves lost."

"Beware of taking lost property, for it is the loss of a believer, and it is a flame from the flames of Hell."

Hadith.4049 - Ali ibn Ja'far asked his brother Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim (as) about a lost item found by a poor person, whether he is in the same position regarding it as a wealthy person. Imam (as) said: "Yes." Imam (as) further said: " Imam Ali ibn Al-Hussain (as) used to say, 'It belongs to its owner, do not touch it.'" He (Ali ibn Ja'far) said: I also asked Imam (as) about a man who finds a dirham, a piece of clothing, or a riding animal, what should he do? Imam (as) said: "He should announce it for one year. If its owner does not come forward, he should keep it as part of his property until its claimant appears, and then he must return it. If he dies, he should include it in his will, and he is responsible for it."

I asked Imam (as) about a man who found a dinar in his house. Imam (as) said: "Does anyone else enter his house?" I said: "Yes, many people enter." Imam (as) said: "Then it is considered lost property (luqata)." I asked: "What about a man who found a dinar in his locked box?" Imam (as) said: "Does anyone else put their hand into his box or place something in it?" I said: "No." Imam (as) said: "Then it belongs to him."

I wrote to al-Tayyib Imam Ali ibn Muhammad Al-Hadi (as): "I was in the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) and saw a dinar. I reached out to take it, and then I found another one. I searched the pebbles and found a third. I took them and announced them, but no one claimed them. What do you advise regarding this matter?" Imam (as) wrote in reply: "I have understood what you mentioned about the dinars. If you are in need, then give one-third of them in charity. But if you are wealthy, then give all of them in charity."

he heard Abu Abdullah (as) say: "Whoever finds lost property and does not announce it, then it is later found in his possession, it must be returned to its owner, and he must also pay an equivalent amount from his own wealth for having concealed it."

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a man who found some money, announced it for a year, and then used it to buy a servant. Later, the owner of the money came and found that the servant purchased with the money was actually his daughter. Imam (as) said: "He is only entitled to take the money and not the daughter. What he is entitled to is his principal amount, as the daughter was previously the property of others."

"What does a servant have to do with lost property? A servant does not own anything for himself, so he should not interfere with it. It is proper for a free person to announce it for one year in a public gathering. If its owner comes, he should return it to him. Otherwise, it becomes part of his property. If he dies, it becomes inheritance for his children and those who inherit from him. But if the owner comes after that, they must return it to him."

Hadith.4055 - Dawud ibn Abi Yazid asked him about finding a water container, a pair of sandals, or a whip on the road, whether a person may use them. Imam (as) said: "He should not touch them."

Hadith.4056 - Imam (as) said: "There is no harm in picking up lost items such as a staff, a strap, a peg, a rope, a hobble, and similar things."

Hadith.4057 - Imam (as) was asked about a lost sheep in the wilderness. Imam (as) said to the questioner: "It is either yours, your brother's, or the wolf's." Then Imam (as) said: "I do not like to touch it." And when asked about a lost camel, Imam (as) said: "What do you have to do with it? Its belly is its container, its hooves are its shoes, and its stomach is its water carrier. Leave it alone."

A man asked Abu Abdullah (as) about lost property while I was listening. Imam (as) said: "Announce it for one year. If you find its owner, return it to him; otherwise, you are more entitled to keep it."

Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) ruled regarding a man who abandoned his animal due to hardship. Imam (as) said: "If he left it in a place with grass, water, and safety, it remains his, and he may reclaim it wherever he finds it. But if he left it in a place with danger, without water or grass, then it belongs to whoever finds it."

I asked Imam (as) about the reward for returning a runaway slave or lost property. Imam (as) said: "There is no harm in it."

Commander of the Faithful (as) used to say regarding lost property found by someone who intends to take a reward for returning it, but it dies (or perishes): "He is liable for it. However, if he did not intend to take a reward and it dies (or perishes), then he is not liable for it."

I wrote to Imam (as) asking about a man who bought a camel, a cow, a sheep, or any other animal, whether for sacrifice or otherwise. After slaughtering it, he found a pouch inside it containing dirhams, dinars, jewels, or other valuable items. To whom does it belong, and what should he do with it? Imam (as) wrote in response: "Inform the seller about it. If he does not claim it, then it is yours, Allah (swt) has provided it for you."

A man said to Imam (as): "I have come across some wealth, and I fear for my safety because of it. If I were to find its owner, I would return it to him and be free from it." Imam (as) said to him, "By Allah (swt), if you were to find its owner, would you truly return it to him?" The man replied: "Yes, by Allah (swt)." Imam (as) then said: "By Allah (swt), it has no owner other than me." Imam (as) then made the man swear to distribute it as Imam (as) instructed. The man swore, and Imam (as) said: "Go and distribute it among your brothers, and you are safe from what you feared." So, the man divided it among his brothers.

Hadith.4064 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "The best approach for a person regarding lost property (luqata) when they find it is to leave it and not touch it. If people were to leave what they find, its owner would eventually come and take it."