What is obligatory upon one who finds money in a place that is almost empty?
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Question:
The listener, Abd al-Rahim Hamad from Sudan, sent a message saying: A person who is away from his country found money on a road that is almost empty, meaning: a desert. He took it, and he does not like what is forbidden, but at the same time he is in need. Is this money lawful or forbidden? And what must he do regarding it?
Answer:
He must announce it for a full year if it has value. He must announce it for a full year in the gatherings of people, at the doors of the congregations at the time of the Friday prayer, in the markets where people gather. Whoever finds the lost item names it. If it is gold or silver, he says: gold and silver ornaments. If it is an expensive shirt or something similar, he describes it so that if the one who knows its description comes, he hands it to him. But he does not describe the characteristics. He says: Who has such-and-such an item? Who has such-and-such a thing? He memorizes its hidden characteristics, keeps them, and conceals them. If the one who knows it comes, he hands it to him. If the year is completed and no one comes, it is his. Its path is the path of his own wealth. And if it is recognized after that, he hands it to its owner, even if it is after years. But after the year, it becomes his property, and he disposes of it like the rest of his wealth. And if it is difficult for him to keep it, he sells it and keeps its price. If keeping it is difficult for him, he sells it in a market where there is competition and keeps its price until it is recognized. If it is recognized, he hands over the price to him.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. A market where there is competition is like a bazaar...
The Shaykh: I mean, what is a bazaar?
The presenter: A bazaar?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
The listener, Abd al-Rahim Hamad from Sudan, sent a message saying: A person who is away from his country found money on a road that is almost empty, meaning: a desert. He took it, and he does not like what is forbidden, but at the same time he is in need. Is this money lawful or forbidden? And what must he do regarding it?
Answer:
He must announce it for a full year if it has value. He must announce it for a full year in the gatherings of people, at the doors of the congregations at the time of the Friday prayer, in the markets where people gather. Whoever finds the lost item names it. If it is gold or silver, he says: gold and silver ornaments. If it is an expensive shirt or something similar, he describes it so that if the one who knows its description comes, he hands it to him. But he does not describe the characteristics. He says: Who has such-and-such an item? Who has such-and-such a thing? He memorizes its hidden characteristics, keeps them, and conceals them. If the one who knows it comes, he hands it to him. If the year is completed and no one comes, it is his. Its path is the path of his own wealth. And if it is recognized after that, he hands it to its owner, even if it is after years. But after the year, it becomes his property, and he disposes of it like the rest of his wealth. And if it is difficult for him to keep it, he sells it and keeps its price. If keeping it is difficult for him, he sells it in a market where there is competition and keeps its price until it is recognized. If it is recognized, he hands over the price to him.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good. A market where there is competition is like a bazaar...
The Shaykh: I mean, what is a bazaar?
The presenter: A bazaar?
The Shaykh: Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.