What is the ruling on lost property in the Makkah Haram?

The questioner : What is the ruling on lost property in the Haram?

The Shaykh : Lost property in the Haram, meaning the Haram of Makkah, is like any other lost property: it must be announced for a full year. If its owner comes, it is returned to him; otherwise, it belongs to the one who found it. This is the position of the majority of scholars, as far as we know. Some scholars have said: The lost property of Makkah does not become the property of the finder by picking it up, and it is obligatory for the one who picks it up to announce it for as long as he lives, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): This ruling is specific to Makkah. If it were the general ruling applicable in Makkah and elsewhere, there would be no benefit in specifying it for Makkah. Therefore, according to this opinion: if a person finds lost property in Makkah, he must either announce it continuously until its owner finds it, or hand it over to those responsible for lost items. If he hands it over to them, his conscience is cleared. People have been appointed to handle lost property around the Haram; they receive these lost items and are called, I think, the Committee for Preserving Lost Property, or a name similar to that.