Chapter on Lost Property and Stray Animals

"None consume from lost property except those who are themselves lost."

"Beware of taking lost property, for it is the loss of a believer, and it is a flame from the flames of Hell."

Hadith.4049 - Ali ibn Ja'far asked his brother Imam Musa ibn Jafar Al-Kadhim (as) about a lost item found by a poor person, whether he is in the same position regarding it as a wealthy person. Imam (as) said: "Yes." Imam…

I asked Imam (as) about a man who found a dinar in his house. Imam (as) said: "Does anyone else enter his house?" I said: "Yes, many people enter." Imam (as) said: "Then it is considered lost property (luqata)." I asked:…

I wrote to al-Tayyib Imam Ali ibn Muhammad Al-Hadi (as): "I was in the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) and saw a dinar. I reached out to take it, and then I found another one. I searched the pebbles and found a third. I…

he heard Abu Abdullah (as) say: "Whoever finds lost property and does not announce it, then it is later found in his possession, it must be returned to its owner, and he must also pay an equivalent amount from his own…

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a man who found some money, announced it for a year, and then used it to buy a servant. Later, the owner of the money came and found that the servant purchased with the money was actually…

"What does a servant have to do with lost property? A servant does not own anything for himself, so he should not interfere with it. It is proper for a free person to announce it for one year in a public gathering. If…

Hadith.4055 - Dawud ibn Abi Yazid asked him about finding a water container, a pair of sandals, or a whip on the road, whether a person may use them. Imam (as) said: "He should not touch them."

Hadith.4056 - Imam (as) said: "There is no harm in picking up lost items such as a staff, a strap, a peg, a rope, a hobble, and similar things."

Hadith.4057 - Imam (as) was asked about a lost sheep in the wilderness. Imam (as) said to the questioner: "It is either yours, your brother's, or the wolf's." Then Imam (as) said: "I do not like to touch it." And when…

A man asked Abu Abdullah (as) about lost property while I was listening. Imam (as) said: "Announce it for one year. If you find its owner, return it to him; otherwise, you are more entitled to keep it."

Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) ruled regarding a man who abandoned his animal due to hardship. Imam (as) said: "If he left it in a place with grass, water, and safety, it remains his, and he may reclaim it wherever he finds…

I asked Imam (as) about the reward for returning a runaway slave or lost property. Imam (as) said: "There is no harm in it."

Commander of the Faithful (as) used to say regarding lost property found by someone who intends to take a reward for returning it, but it dies (or perishes): "He is liable for it. However, if he did not intend to take a…

I wrote to Imam (as) asking about a man who bought a camel, a cow, a sheep, or any other animal, whether for sacrifice or otherwise. After slaughtering it, he found a pouch inside it containing dirhams, dinars, jewels,…

A man said to Imam (as): "I have come across some wealth, and I fear for my safety because of it. If I were to find its owner, I would return it to him and be free from it." Imam (as) said to him, "By Allah (swt), if you…

Hadith.4064 - Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) said: "The best approach for a person regarding lost property (luqata) when they find it is to leave it and not touch it. If people were to leave what they find, its…