The ruling on lost property that falls on the road from merchants' vehicles
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His Eminence the Shaykh: What falls from the vehicles of selling merchants and is found on the roads: if a person finds it, is it considered lost property for which he must announce it for a full year, or does he take it and benefit from it, or does he leave it?
This happens frequently; items fall from vehicles, such as cartons of utensils, cartons of fruit, or the like. If a person finds it, it is lost property because it is wealth lost from its owner, and this is what constitutes lost property. If he knows from himself that he is capable of announcing it, let him take it and announce it. If it is fruit that cannot remain for a year, he should sell it after identifying its characteristics and keep the price; if the owner comes, he gives it to him, otherwise it is his. If he does not trust himself and knows that he is unable to keep announcing it for a full year, let him leave it.
This happens frequently; items fall from vehicles, such as cartons of utensils, cartons of fruit, or the like. If a person finds it, it is lost property because it is wealth lost from its owner, and this is what constitutes lost property. If he knows from himself that he is capable of announcing it, let him take it and announce it. If it is fruit that cannot remain for a year, he should sell it after identifying its characteristics and keep the price; if the owner comes, he gives it to him, otherwise it is his. If he does not trust himself and knows that he is unable to keep announcing it for a full year, let him leave it.