Ruling on some person found an amount of money that is inconsiderable in the eyes of common people
Question:
If someone finds a small amount of money, not gold or silver, should they wait for one year and search for its owner or spend it because it is little?
Answer:
If the money found is of a considerable amount in the eyes of common people, it is obligatory on the one who finds it to announce its distinctive features in public places for one year. The person who found it should choose a suitable time for announcing it two or three times per month. If a year elapses and nobody comes to take the money, it is permissible for the finder to take it, unless it was picked up from Al-Haram-ul-Makki (all areas within the Sacred Sanctuary of Makkah). This is because the Luqatah (a lost item found by someone else) of Al-Haram-ul-Makki must not be possessed even after announcing it, according to the statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him) regarding Al-Haram: “Its found object is not allowable to be picked up except for someone who will announce it and if its owner comes, it should be given to him.” 1 If the amount of money is inconsiderable in the eyes of common people, it may be taken when found and it is not obligatory to announce it.
May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.
Al-Bukhari, Sahih, Book on transactions, no. 2090; and Ahmad, Musnad, vol. 1, p. 259. ↩
- Shaykh Abdul-Aziz ibn Baz , Shaykh Salih Fawzan , Shaykh Abdul-Aziz Aal al-Shaykh , Shaykh Bakr Abu Zayd , Shaykh Abdullah ibn Ghudayyan
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- Estimated reading time :1 Min read
- Source:Fatawa Al-Lajnah Ad-Da'imah no. 17290-2
- Luqatah
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