Book Forty Two – The Book on Lost Things picked up by Someone (Luqatah)

Hadith Number 608.

Narrated by Ubai bin Ka'b (Radhi Allahu Anhu): I found a purse containing one hundred Diners. So I went to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) (and informed him about it), he said, "Make public announcement about it for one year" I did so, but nobody turned up to claim it, so I again went to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) who said, "Make public announcement for another year." I did, but none turned up to claim it. I went to him for the third time and he said, "Keep the container and the string which is used for its tying and count the money it contains and if its owner comes, give it to him; otherwise, utilize it."

The sub-narrator Salama said, "I met him (Suwaid, another sub-narrator) in Makkah and he said, 'I don't know whether Ubai made the announcement for three years or just one year.'"


Hadith Number 609.

Narrated by Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani (Radhi Allahu Anhu): A Bedouin went to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and asked him about picking up a lost thing. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Make public announcement about it for one year. Remember the description of its container and the string with which it is tied; and if somebody comes and claims it and describes it correctly, (give it to him); otherwise, utilize it." He said, "O Allah's Messenger! What about a lost sheep?" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "It is for you, for your brother (i.e. its owner), or for the wolf." He further asked, "What about a lost camel?" On that the face of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) became red (with anger) and said, "You have nothing to do with it, as it has its feet, its water reserve and can reach places of water and drink, and eat trees."


Hadith Number 610.

Narrated by Sulaiman bin Bilal from Yahya : Yazid Maula Al-Munba'ith heard Zaid bin Khalid al-Juham saying, "The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) was asked about Luqatah. He said, 'Remember the description of its container and the string it is tied with, and announce it publicly for one year.' " Yazid added, "If nobody claims then the person who has found it can spend it, and it is regarded as a trust entrusted to him." Yahya said, "I do not know whether the last sentences were said by the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) or by Yazid." Zaid further said, "The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) was asked, 'What about a lost sheep?' The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, 'Take it, for it is for you or for your brother (i.e. its owner) or for the wolf." Yazid added that it should also be announced publicly. The man then asked the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) about a lost camel. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Leave it, as it has its feet, water container (reservoir), and it will reach a place of water and eat trees till its owner finds it."


Hadith Number 611.

Narrated by Zaid bin Khalid (Radhi Allahu Anhu): A man came and asked Allah's Apostle about picking a lost thing. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Remember the description of its container and the string it is tied with, and make public announcement about it for one year. If the owner shows up, give it to him; otherwise, do whatever you like with it." He then asked, "What about a lost sheep?" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "It is for you, for your brother (i.e. its owner), or for the wolf." He further asked, "What about a lost camel?" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "It is none of your concern. It has its water-container (reservoir) and its feet, and it will reach water and drink it and eat the trees till its owner finds it."


Hadith Number 612.

Narrated by Anas (Radhi Allahu Anhu): The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) passed a date fallen on the way and said, "Were I not afraid that it may be from a Sadaqah (charitable gifts), I would have eaten it.

"Narrated Abu Hurairah (Radhi Allahu Anhu): The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Sometimes when I return home and find a date fallen on my bed, I pick it up in order to eat it, but I fear that it might be from a Sadaqah, so I throw it."


Hadith Number 613.

Narrated by Abu Hurairah (Radhi Allahu Anhu): When Allah gave victory to His Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) over the people of Makkah, Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) stood up among the people and after glorifying Allah, said, "Allah has prohibited fighting in Makkah and has given authority to His Messenger and the believers over it, so fighting was illegal for anyone before me, and was made legal for me for a part of a day, and it will not be legal for anyone after me. Its game should not be chased, its thorny bushes should not be uprooted, and picking up its fallen things is not allowed except for one who makes public announcement for it, and he whose relative is murdered has the option either to accept a compensation for it or to retaliate." Al-'Abbas said, "Except Al-Idhkhir, for we use it in our graves and houses." Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Except Al-Idhkhir." Abu Shah, a Yemenite, stood up and said, "O Allah's Messenger! Get it written for me." Allah's Apostle said, "Write it for Abu Shah." (The sub-narrator asked Al-Auza'i): What did he mean by saying, "Get it written, O Allah's Messenger?" He replied, "The speech which he had heard from Allah's Messenger."

Hadith Number 614.

Narrated by Ibn 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhu): Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "An animal should not be milked without the permission of its owner. Does any of you like that somebody comes to his store and breaks his container and takes away his food? The udders of the animals are the stores of their owners where their provision is kept, so nobody should milk the animals of somebody else, without the permission of its owner."


Hadith Number 615.

Narrated by Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani (Radhi Allahu Anhu): A man asked Allah's Apostle about the Luqatah. He said, "Make public announcement of it for one year, then remember the description of its container and the string it is tied with, utilize the money, and if its owner comes back after that, give it to him." The people asked, "O Allah's Messenger! What about a lost sheep?" Allah's Apostle said, "Take it, for it is for you, for your brother, or for the wolf." The man asked, "O Allah's Messenger! What about a lost camel?" Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) got angry and his cheeks or face became red, and said, "You have no concern with it as it has its feet, and its water-container, till its owner finds it."


Hadith Number 616.

Narrated by Suwaid bin Ghafala : While I as in the company of Salman bin Rabi'a 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 Ka'b about it. He said, "I found a bag containing a hundred Dinars in the lifetime of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and took it to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) who said to me, 'Make public announcement about it for one year.' So, I announced it for one year and went to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) 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 (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) 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.'"


Hadith Number 617.

Narrated by Salama: The above narration (Hadith 616) from Ubai bin Ka'b: adding, "I met the sub-narrator at Makkah later on, but he did not remember whether Ka'b had announced what he had found one year or three years."


Hadith Number 618.

Narrated by Zaid bin Khalid (Radhi Allahu Anhu): A Bedouin asked the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) about the Luqatah. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "Make public announcement about it for one year and if then somebody comes and describes the container of the Luqatah and the string it was tied with, (give it to him); otherwise, spend it." He then asked the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) about a lost camel. The face of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) become red and he said, "You have no concern with it as it has its water reservoir and feet and it will reach water and drink and eat trees. Leave it till its owner finds it." He then asked the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) about a lost sheep. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) said, "It is for you, for your brother, or for the wolf."


Hadith Number 619.

Narrated by Abu Bakr (Radhi Allahu Anhu): While I was on my way, all of a sudden I saw a shepherd driving his sheep, I asked him whose servant he was. He replied that he was the servant of a man from Quraish, and then he mentioned his name and I recognized him. I asked, "Do your sheep have some milk?" He replied in the affirmative. I said, "Are you going to milk for me?" He replied in the affirmative. I ordered him and he tied the legs of one of the sheep. Then I told him to clean the udder (teats) of dust and to remove dust off his hands. He removed the dust off his hands by clapping his hands. He then milked a little milk. I put the milk for Allah's Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) in a pot and closed its mouth with a piece of cloth and poured water over it till it became cold. I took it to the Prophet (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and said, "Drink, O Allah's Messenger!" He drank it till I was pleased.