Lost and Found


Question:

I entered the Masjid today to pray the Jumu’ah prayer and by the door I found a twenty Dirham Morrocan note, so I took it and put it in my pocket, and I still have it.

What should I do?
Should I announce the finding or do I give it to the caretakers of the masjid or is it considered an amount which is not really considered anything in this time, whereby I can take it or give it as charity on behalf of it’s owner?

Benefit us, may Allah bless you.

Answer:

If this amount was to be something of no real worth over there, and that it’s likes do not cause the people to go back and look for it, if they were to lose it.

Then it is not considered a Luqat (stray article).

And it’s finder does not need to find it’s owner, so you can take it and use it.

And if the person was to return for it, or you were to come to the knowledge of it’s owner, it becomes a must that you return it to him.

Answered by:
Shaykh Abu Hatim Yusuf Al-‘Inaabi Al-Jazaa’iree – may Allah preserve him.

Source:
t.me/abouhatem/198

Answered on:
1th, Rabee’ Ath-Thaani, 1438H.

Translated by:
Abu ‘Abdirrahman ‘Abdullaah bin Ahmed Ash-Shingaani