They found a sheep whose owner had previously come to them asking about it
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Fatwa number ( 14781 )
Q: My mother told me that thirty years ago, my family lived in the desert and were Bedouin nomads. One time, they stopped at a water source in the desert, and a woman came to them asking about a sheep that had gone missing from her flock, along with its small lamb. This was at the beginning of the day. About five hours after the old woman left our home, this sheep and its lamb came to us. We went out to look for the woman but could not find her, and we did not know this woman’s name or where she lived. We were not settled in that place, and after a day and a half, we left for another location. Please note that we did not have any sheep with us, only camels, which led my father, may Allah have mercy on him, to take it to the market, where it was sold—out of fear that
wolves would eat it, and because of the hardship of keeping it—for 3 French francs, which was equivalent at the time to 12 Arab riyals. I hope, O honorable Shaykh, that I will receive your quick response in this matter so that I can make expiation for my father, or do whatever can be done. We are awaiting your quick response. May Allah guide you to what He loves and is pleased with.
A: If the matter is as you described, then you should give in charity the amount for which your father sold the sheep and its small lamb, with the intention that it be on behalf of its owner. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: My mother told me that thirty years ago, my family lived in the desert and were Bedouin nomads. One time, they stopped at a water source in the desert, and a woman came to them asking about a sheep that had gone missing from her flock, along with its small lamb. This was at the beginning of the day. About five hours after the old woman left our home, this sheep and its lamb came to us. We went out to look for the woman but could not find her, and we did not know this woman’s name or where she lived. We were not settled in that place, and after a day and a half, we left for another location. Please note that we did not have any sheep with us, only camels, which led my father, may Allah have mercy on him, to take it to the market, where it was sold—out of fear that
wolves would eat it, and because of the hardship of keeping it—for 3 French francs, which was equivalent at the time to 12 Arab riyals. I hope, O honorable Shaykh, that I will receive your quick response in this matter so that I can make expiation for my father, or do whatever can be done. We are awaiting your quick response. May Allah guide you to what He loves and is pleased with.
A: If the matter is as you described, then you should give in charity the amount for which your father sold the sheep and its small lamb, with the intention that it be on behalf of its owner. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.