What is the ruling on lost property found in our school? And do we give it in charity? Given that this lost property is in Jeddah?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : The last question on this list: Given our position in a Qur'an memorization school, there is lost property, meaning? Some of them pick it up every day and bring it to us; so what do we do with it? Do we take it? Do we inquire about it, or do we not accept it? And what do we do with what is currently with us; do we give it in charity or not?
The lost property here is in Jeddah, the school is in Jeddah?
All right; the answer: The lost property is either of value such that if it is announced and the costs of the announcement are paid, and the announcement continues for days, and then we wait a full year, and if its owner does not appear, it becomes permissible for the finder; but on the condition that he guarantees it in case its owner appears, even after a long time. If the owner appears and recognizes its characteristics, then it is permissible for the finder to deduct from the value of the lost property, which he will return to its owner, the cost of the announcement he spent on announcing the lost property. And we said this if the lost property is of value.
As for if the lost property has no significant value; meaning it is not worth the cost of announcing it; then the finder is at ease with two options: either he benefits from it if he is in need, or he gives it in charity to someone who is in need of it. This is the answer regarding lost property.
The questioner : ... .
Yes?
The questioner : ... .
The value is determined by asking the scholars. First, does every watch picked up have a uniform value, or do their values differ? There is no doubt that their values differ. So the watch is presented; for example, the watch might be gold; so it is presented to people of knowledge. If they appraise it, for example, at thousands of riyals, and they go to a newspaper and ask them to announce it, and they ask for one thousand riyals, for example; then this watch remains in the hand of the finder until a full lunar year passes. If its owner appears—as we said earlier—it is returned to him, and the cost of the announcement, which was estimated previously at one thousand riyals, is deducted from him. And if the answer of the experts is that this watch is not worth one hundred or two hundred riyals; then my last answer applies: if the finder is poor and in need of this watch, he may take it and benefit from it; otherwise, he gives it to someone who is in need of it. This is how the restriction works.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : If the lost property was picked up in the school, it is announced in the school. This imposes itself in reality.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Even if it has no value, as long as it was picked up in the school, it is announced: whoever lost something, let him come and describe the characteristics. If he presents the characteristics, it is presented to him; otherwise, it remains under the previous condition.
The lost property here is in Jeddah, the school is in Jeddah?
All right; the answer: The lost property is either of value such that if it is announced and the costs of the announcement are paid, and the announcement continues for days, and then we wait a full year, and if its owner does not appear, it becomes permissible for the finder; but on the condition that he guarantees it in case its owner appears, even after a long time. If the owner appears and recognizes its characteristics, then it is permissible for the finder to deduct from the value of the lost property, which he will return to its owner, the cost of the announcement he spent on announcing the lost property. And we said this if the lost property is of value.
As for if the lost property has no significant value; meaning it is not worth the cost of announcing it; then the finder is at ease with two options: either he benefits from it if he is in need, or he gives it in charity to someone who is in need of it. This is the answer regarding lost property.
The questioner : ... .
Yes?
The questioner : ... .
The value is determined by asking the scholars. First, does every watch picked up have a uniform value, or do their values differ? There is no doubt that their values differ. So the watch is presented; for example, the watch might be gold; so it is presented to people of knowledge. If they appraise it, for example, at thousands of riyals, and they go to a newspaper and ask them to announce it, and they ask for one thousand riyals, for example; then this watch remains in the hand of the finder until a full lunar year passes. If its owner appears—as we said earlier—it is returned to him, and the cost of the announcement, which was estimated previously at one thousand riyals, is deducted from him. And if the answer of the experts is that this watch is not worth one hundred or two hundred riyals; then my last answer applies: if the finder is poor and in need of this watch, he may take it and benefit from it; otherwise, he gives it to someone who is in need of it. This is how the restriction works.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : If the lost property was picked up in the school, it is announced in the school. This imposes itself in reality.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : Even if it has no value, as long as it was picked up in the school, it is announced: whoever lost something, let him come and describe the characteristics. If he presents the characteristics, it is presented to him; otherwise, it remains under the previous condition.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.