10/1. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1701 — Lost Property and Honest Return
Finds
Hadith About Lost Property: Announce It and Protect the Owner’s Right
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1701
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1701
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ كَثِيرٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ سُوَيْدِ بْنِ غَفَلَةَ، قَالَ غَزَوْتُ مَعَ زَيْدِ بْنِ صُوحَانَ وَسَلْمَانَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ فَوَجَدْتُ سَوْطًا فَقَالاَ لِي اطْرَحْهُ . فَقُلْتُ لاَ وَلَكِنْ إِنْ وَجَدْتُ صَاحِبَهُ وَإِلاَّ اسْتَمْتَعْتُ بِهِ فَحَجَجْتُ فَمَرَرْتُ عَلَى الْمَدِينَةِ فَسَأَلْتُ أُبَىَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ فَقَالَ وَجَدْتُ صُرَّةً فِيهَا مِائَةُ دِينَارٍ فَأَتَيْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً " . فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلاً ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ فَقَالَ " عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً " . فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلاً ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ فَقَالَ " عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً " . فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلاً ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ لَمْ أَجِدْ مَنْ يَعْرِفُهَا . فَقَالَ " احْفَظْ عَدَدَهَا وَوِكَاءَهَا وَوِعَاءَهَا فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا وَإِلاَّ فَاسْتَمْتِعْ بِهَا " . وَقَالَ وَلاَ أَدْرِي أَثَلاَثًا قَالَ " عَرِّفْهَا " . أَوْ مَرَّةً وَاحِدَةً .
Suwaid bin Ghafalah Narrated from:
I fought along with Zayd ibn Suhan and Sulayman ibn Rabi'ah. I found a whip. They said to me: Throw it away. I said: No; if I find its owner (I shall give it to him); if not, I shall use it. Then I performed hajj; and when I reached Medina, I asked Ubayy ibn Ka'b.He said: I found a purse which contained one hundred dinars; so I came to the Prophet (ﷺ). He said to me: Make the matter known for a year. I made it known for a year and then came to him. He then said to me: Make the matter known for a year. So I made it known for a year. I then (again) came to him. He said to me: Make the matter known for a year. Then I came to him and said: I did not find anyone who realises it.He said: Remember, its number, its container and its tie. If its owner comes, (give it to him), otherwise use it yourself. He (the narrator Shu'bah) said: I do not know whether he said the word "make the matter known" three times or once.
[1] The speaker here is Shu'bah as explained in other versions of the narration.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1701In-book reference : Book 10, Hadith 1English translation : Book 9, Hadith 1697
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1701
This hadith about lost property teaches careful honesty when a person finds something that belongs to someone else. Ubayy ibn Ka'b found a purse containing one hundred dinars and asked the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم what to do. The instruction was to make the matter known for a year, and the narration mentions this being repeated. The finder was also told to remember the number, container, and tie of the purse. This shows that found wealth is not treated like ordinary personal property right away. The owner’s right stays important. If the owner comes, the item must be returned. If no owner is found after the required announcement, the finder may use it, while still knowing its signs. The core lesson is trust, record-keeping, and respect for people’s property.
What we learn from this hadith
- A person who finds valuable property should not rush to use it without trying to find its owner.
- The details of the lost item, such as number, container, and tie, should be remembered.
- If the rightful owner appears, the item should be given back to him.
- Asking knowledgeable people about unclear matters is a good step.
