What is the ruling on one who finds a lost camel, takes it, and sells it?
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Question:
A message was received for the program from the listener Nuri Ahmad Muhammad. The brother Nuri says: I was residing in the desert to graze sheep, and I found a camel with one of my colleagues in the profession. I left this camel with my colleague, and he was the one who took care of it. After that, we sold it for three hundred pounds. I took one hundred, and the rest went to my colleague. What is the ruling on what we did?
May Allah reward you with good, knowing that we knew the country of that camel, but we did not know its owner exactly.
Answer:
In any case, you both erred in taking the camel. It is obligatory to leave the camel and not take it; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when asked about a lost camel, said to the questioner:Sahih Muslim 1722e And he became angry—(peace and blessings be upon him)—so that indicates that a lost camel is not permissible to take, but rather it is left; because it is a strong beast that repels small predators from it, and it lives on grazing and drinking from the waters it finds in the wilderness. It has patience for thirst and strength for walking, so it is not permissible to take it, but rather it is obligatory to leave it.
Except if it is in a dangerous place infested with lions, tigers, and the like that would prey on it, or in lands where the people eat lost animals. In that case, if one of the righteous finds it, he takes it and delivers it to the one in authority, the authority of the Muslims, so that he may preserve it for its owner among the subjects of the Muslims, or he sells it and preserves its characteristics until its owner finds it, and he inquires about it in its likely places, or he places it with someone who will care for it according to what he sees as beneficial in that.
As for the finder, he has no right to keep it with his camels, he has no right to sell it, and he has no right to eat its price. Rather, he must deliver it to the one in authority so that the one in authority preserves it with the subjects of the Muslims, with the camels of the Muslims, or with a specific shepherd, or he sells it according to what he sees as better for the owner of the she-camel, while preserving its characteristics, its mark, and its age until its owner knows it.
As for you two, you must inquire about the owner of the lost item in the place you know. If he is known, deliver the money to him, along with repentance to Allah and regret for what you did. If he is not known, you must give charity with the price to the poor and the needy, with the intention on behalf of the owner of the camel. You must give charity with the money, and it is not permissible for you to remain silent or to eat the money. Rather, it is obligatory to give charity with it, with the intention on behalf of the owner of the camel, on behalf of its owner. And Allah will reward him for it, and the charity will reach him whether he is alive or dead. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
A message was received for the program from the listener Nuri Ahmad Muhammad. The brother Nuri says: I was residing in the desert to graze sheep, and I found a camel with one of my colleagues in the profession. I left this camel with my colleague, and he was the one who took care of it. After that, we sold it for three hundred pounds. I took one hundred, and the rest went to my colleague. What is the ruling on what we did?
May Allah reward you with good, knowing that we knew the country of that camel, but we did not know its owner exactly.
Answer:
In any case, you both erred in taking the camel. It is obligatory to leave the camel and not take it; because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when asked about a lost camel, said to the questioner:
Leave that alone, for it has feet and also a leather bag, it drinks water, and eats (the leaves) of the trees
دعها، فإن معها حذائها وسقائها، ترد الماء، وتأكل الشجر، حتى يجدها ربهاExcept if it is in a dangerous place infested with lions, tigers, and the like that would prey on it, or in lands where the people eat lost animals. In that case, if one of the righteous finds it, he takes it and delivers it to the one in authority, the authority of the Muslims, so that he may preserve it for its owner among the subjects of the Muslims, or he sells it and preserves its characteristics until its owner finds it, and he inquires about it in its likely places, or he places it with someone who will care for it according to what he sees as beneficial in that.
As for the finder, he has no right to keep it with his camels, he has no right to sell it, and he has no right to eat its price. Rather, he must deliver it to the one in authority so that the one in authority preserves it with the subjects of the Muslims, with the camels of the Muslims, or with a specific shepherd, or he sells it according to what he sees as better for the owner of the she-camel, while preserving its characteristics, its mark, and its age until its owner knows it.
As for you two, you must inquire about the owner of the lost item in the place you know. If he is known, deliver the money to him, along with repentance to Allah and regret for what you did. If he is not known, you must give charity with the price to the poor and the needy, with the intention on behalf of the owner of the camel. You must give charity with the money, and it is not permissible for you to remain silent or to eat the money. Rather, it is obligatory to give charity with it, with the intention on behalf of the owner of the camel, on behalf of its owner. And Allah will reward him for it, and the charity will reach him whether he is alive or dead. 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.