The Ruling on Picking Up Lost Property in the Noble City of Makkah

The questioner : And I would like to ask you a question, O Shaykh. May Allah reward you with good. Yes. My honorable sir, a brother among the brothers found a sum of money in the Noble City of Makkah. Are you with me, my honorable sir?

The Shaykh : Yes, yes, I am not hearing you well, finish your sentence.

The questioner : My honorable sir, we have money in the Noble City of Makkah, a sum of approximately one thousand and five hundred riyals. He announced it for about three or four days and did not find its owner. In the end, he took it with him and went to Jordan.

The Shaykh : It is not permissible for him to take it.

The questioner : Okay, what is the ruling in this case?

The Shaykh : He must return it so that it is delivered to me.

The questioner : He went to the imam of the mosque, my honorable sir, and told him. The imam of the mosque said, "I do not doubt that my town is not known, so go look for the owner."

The Shaykh : Why did you not hear the answer just now? May Allah guide you?

The questioner : Before that.

The Shaykh : He must return the money to the authority entrusted there with the care of lost property, because it is not permissible to pick up lost property in Makkah. So, he has actually done what is not permissible religiously.

The questioner : Sometimes. He is in Jordan, so how should he do it?

The presenter : Other things have their own rulings. No, wait, Africa, this is... Allah...