Is it better to take up a lost item to identify it, or to leave it?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: Is it better, when one finds a lost item, to take it up to identify it, or to leave it so that I am free of responsibility for it?
The Shaykh:
If one knows from himself that he is trustworthy, honest, and will fulfill the obligation regarding a lost item, it is better for him to take it. If he does not know that of himself, he leaves it. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
The questioner:
And in his final question, he says: And if I take it and it is lost from my hand, am I liable to guarantee it?
The Shaykh:
If you were negligent, then you are liable. But if you were not negligent, then you owe nothing. Yes.
May Allah reward you, Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: Is it better, when one finds a lost item, to take it up to identify it, or to leave it so that I am free of responsibility for it?
The Shaykh:
If one knows from himself that he is trustworthy, honest, and will fulfill the obligation regarding a lost item, it is better for him to take it. If he does not know that of himself, he leaves it. Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you,
The questioner:
And in his final question, he says: And if I take it and it is lost from my hand, am I liable to guarantee it?
The Shaykh:
If you were negligent, then you are liable. But if you were not negligent, then you owe nothing. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [3436/3027] هل الأفضل أخذ اللقطة للتعريف أم تركها؟ - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.