The Ruling on Lost Camels and Sheep
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
The listener (A. M. M.) from Riyadh says: I previously took a sheep with its lamb; this was near the city, by me and some colleagues; and that was ten years ago. What is obligatory for us to do now?
May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
If you did not announce it for a full year in the gathering places of people, where the owner of the sheep and its lamb would be known, twice or three times a month, or more, and if you did not do this, then you must give in charity its value, and the value of its lamb, intending it on behalf of its owner, along with repentance to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). You must give out its value at that time, the time of eating it and slaughtering it, and give it in charity to the poor and the needy, intending it for its owner, and the owner of its lamb, along with repentance to Allah, regret, and the resolve not to return to such a thing; because it is obligatory for one who finds a lost item to announce it, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1725 So a lost item is what is among animals like sheep. If a person picks it up, he announces it for a full year. If it is not claimed, it is his. But if it is claimed after that, he hands it over to its owner, or its value. As for camels, they are not picked up, but are left alone, because they are Sahih al-Bukhari 2372 and so are cows; because they likewise defend themselves from the wolf, and the like.
As for the animal that does not defend itself, like horses, donkeys, and mules, these are picked up like the sheep. If found lost, one announces who the donkey belongs to, who the mule belongs to, who the horse belongs to, who the sheep belongs to, for a full year. If it is not claimed, it becomes his property. But if its owner is known after that, even after the year, he returns it to him. Yes.
The presenter: May Allah reward you with good.
The listener (A. M. M.) from Riyadh says: I previously took a sheep with its lamb; this was near the city, by me and some colleagues; and that was ten years ago. What is obligatory for us to do now?
May Allah reward you with good.
Answer:
If you did not announce it for a full year in the gathering places of people, where the owner of the sheep and its lamb would be known, twice or three times a month, or more, and if you did not do this, then you must give in charity its value, and the value of its lamb, intending it on behalf of its owner, along with repentance to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). You must give out its value at that time, the time of eating it and slaughtering it, and give it in charity to the poor and the needy, intending it for its owner, and the owner of its lamb, along with repentance to Allah, regret, and the resolve not to return to such a thing; because it is obligatory for one who finds a lost item to announce it, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
He who found a stray article is himself led astray if he does not advertise it.
من آوى ضالة فهو ضال ما لم يعرفهاit has got its water-container (its stomach) and its hooves and it can reach the places of water and can eat the trees till its owner finds it
معها سقاؤها وحذاؤها، ترد الماء، وتأكل الشجر، حتى يلقاها ربهاAs for the animal that does not defend itself, like horses, donkeys, and mules, these are picked up like the sheep. If found lost, one announces who the donkey belongs to, who the mule belongs to, who the horse belongs to, who the sheep belongs to, for a full year. If it is not claimed, it becomes his property. But if its owner is known after that, even after the year, he returns it to him. 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.