What should one do if he finds money and it is most likely to him that it was stolen, but he does not know its owner?
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The questioner : What is the ruling for one who finds lost property and it is most likely to him that it was stolen, but he does not know its owner so that he can return it to him?
The Shaykh : Yes, by what means is it most likely to him that it was stolen?
The questioner : By circumstances that indicate to him that this money was stolen.
The Shaykh : Is it not possible that its owner sold it? Because it may be among the circumstances that he knows this money belongs to so-and-so, so it is possible that he sold it.
In any case, we answer this: If a person finds lost property and it is most likely to him that it was stolen, we say: Search for its owner, search for its owner, and do not let your suspicion prevail that it was stolen. Let your suspicion prevail that it was lost from its owner. Yes, if you see it in the hand of a person and it is most likely to you that it was stolen, that is another matter. But why do you assume that lost property was stolen? Assume that it was lost from its owner and search for its owner. And on this occasion, we found a watch on the wheel of this speaker, which belongs to the recorder. So whoever it belongs to, let him inform us and take it... Do you know something, Musa? Why do you seem to have pointed high?
The questioner : O Shaykh, let us open...
The Shaykh : Fine, there is no objection.
The important thing is, may Allah bless you, if you find lost property, you must search for it for a full year, a full year. If its owner comes, otherwise it is yours. Yes.
The questioner : If he is certain that it was stolen.
The Shaykh : How is he certain that it was stolen? He found it on the ground, and how did it come to be that it was stolen?
The questioner : Its owner is a thief.
And how do we know that he is a thief? It is lost, not in anyone's hand... If it is in a person's hand, it may be most likely that it was stolen.
The Shaykh : Yes, by what means is it most likely to him that it was stolen?
The questioner : By circumstances that indicate to him that this money was stolen.
The Shaykh : Is it not possible that its owner sold it? Because it may be among the circumstances that he knows this money belongs to so-and-so, so it is possible that he sold it.
In any case, we answer this: If a person finds lost property and it is most likely to him that it was stolen, we say: Search for its owner, search for its owner, and do not let your suspicion prevail that it was stolen. Let your suspicion prevail that it was lost from its owner. Yes, if you see it in the hand of a person and it is most likely to you that it was stolen, that is another matter. But why do you assume that lost property was stolen? Assume that it was lost from its owner and search for its owner. And on this occasion, we found a watch on the wheel of this speaker, which belongs to the recorder. So whoever it belongs to, let him inform us and take it... Do you know something, Musa? Why do you seem to have pointed high?
The questioner : O Shaykh, let us open...
The Shaykh : Fine, there is no objection.
The important thing is, may Allah bless you, if you find lost property, you must search for it for a full year, a full year. If its owner comes, otherwise it is yours. Yes.
The questioner : If he is certain that it was stolen.
The Shaykh : How is he certain that it was stolen? He found it on the ground, and how did it come to be that it was stolen?
The questioner : Its owner is a thief.
And how do we know that he is a thief? It is lost, not in anyone's hand... If it is in a person's hand, it may be most likely that it was stolen.