Muwatta
Malik

موطأ مالك

36

Judgements

كتاب الأقضية

 

Chapter 38: The Judgement on Lost Property

Muwatta Malik 1543

Malik related to me from Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman from Yazid, the mawla of al-Munbaith that Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani said, "A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked him about finds. He said, 'Memorize the characteristics of the object found, then publicise it for a year. If the owner comes, give it to him. If not, then it is your business.' He said, 'What about lost sheep, Messenger of Allah?' He said, 'They are yours, your brother's or the wolf's.' He said, 'And the lost camel?' He said, 'It's none of your concern. It has its water and its feet. It will reach water and eat trees until its owner finds it.' "
حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ، مَوْلَى الْمُنْبَعِثِ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ اللُّقَطَةِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ اعْرِفْ عِفَاصَهَا وَوِكَاءَهَا ثُمَّ عَرِّفْهَا سَنَةً فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا وَإِلاَّ فَشَأْنَكَ بِهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَضَالَّةُ الْغَنَمِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ هِيَ لَكَ أَوْ لأَخِيكَ أَوْ لِلذِّئْبِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَضَالَّةُ الإِبِلِ قَالَ ‏"‏ مَا لَكَ وَلَهَا مَعَهَا سِقَاؤُهَا وَحِذَاؤُهَا تَرِدُ الْمَاءَ وَتَأْكُلُ الشَّجَرَ حَتَّى يَلْقَاهَا رَبُّهَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏