What should be done with property found in the wilderness?
2026-10-14
T214 · Ibn Taymiyyah
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah
شيخ الإسلام أحمد بن تيمية
Original Q&A · Complete source question and answer
Complete original question and answer, 30/411–412.
النص العربي
السؤال الأصلي
وسئل عن رجل لقي لقية في وسط فلاة، وقد أنشد عليها إلى حيث دخل إلى بلده. فهل هي حلال ؟ أم لا ؟
الجواب
يعرفها سنة قريبا من المكان الذي وجدها فيه، فإن لم يجد بعد سنة صاحبها، فله أن يتصرف فيها، وله أن يتصدق بها. والله أعلم.
English translation
English translation prepared for SalafAlSalih.com from the cited Arabic source. It is not an official translation.
Original question
He was asked about a man who found lost property in the middle of a wilderness and announced it along his route until he reached his town. Is it lawful for him?
Answer
He announces it for one year near the place where he found it. If after a year he has not found its owner, he may use it or give it in charity. Allah knows best.
Source and editorial notes
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā 30/411–412
مجموع الفتاوى
Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā
Arabic checked against the cited source and adjacent question boundaries. Diacritics and display marks omitted; honorific glyphs expanded. Titles and scope notes are editorial.