15/35. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1374 — Ubayy's Lost Dinar Report
What Has Been Related About Lost Items, The Stray Camel And Sheep
Hadith About Found Money and Public Announcement
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1374
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1374
حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْخَلاَّلُ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، وَيَزِيدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ الثَّوْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ سُوَيْدِ بْنِ غَفَلَةَ، قَالَ خَرَجْتُ مَعَ زَيْدِ بْنِ صُوحَانَ وَسَلْمَانَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ فَوَجَدْتُ سَوْطًا قَالَ ابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ فِي حَدِيثِهِ فَالْتَقَطْتُ سَوْطًا فَأَخَذْتُهُ قَالاَ دَعْهُ . فَقُلْتُ لاَ أَدَعُهُ تَأْكُلُهُ السِّبَاعُ لآخُذَنَّهُ فَلأَسْتَمْتِعَنَّ بِهِ . فَقَدِمْتُ عَلَى أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ فَسَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَحَدَّثْتُهُ الْحَدِيثَ فَقَالَ أَحْسَنْتَ أَنَا وَجَدْتُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صُرَّةً فِيهَا مِائَةُ دِينَارٍ . قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِهَا فَقَالَ لِي " عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً " . فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلاً فَمَا أَجِدُ مَنْ يَعْرِفُهَا ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ بِهَا فَقَالَ " عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً آخَرَ " . فَعَرَّفْتُهَا ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ بِهَا فَقَالَ " عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً آخَرَ " . وَقَالَ " أَحْصِ عِدَّتَهَا وَوِعَاءَهَا وَوِكَاءَهَا فَإِنْ جَاءَ طَالِبُهَا فَأَخْبَرَكَ بِعِدَّتِهَا وَوِعَائِهَا وَوِكَائِهَا فَادْفَعْهَا إِلَيْهِ وَإِلاَّ فَاسْتَمْتِعْ بِهَا " . قَالَ هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Suwaid bin Ghafalah Narrated from:
I Went Out With Zaid Bin Suhan And Salman Bin Rabi'Ah, And Found A Whip." In His Narration Ibn Numair (One Of The Narrators) Said: "I Found A Lost Whip And Took It. They Said: 'Leave It'. I Said: 'I Will Not Leave It To Be Eaten By Predators. I Will Take It To Make Use Of It.' So I Met Up With Ubayy Bin Ka'B And Asked Him About That. So He Narrated The Hadith, He Said: 'That Is Fine. I Found A Sack Containing One Hundred Dinar During The Lifetime Of The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ)'He Said: 'So I Brought It To Him. He Said To Me: "Make A Public Announcement About It For One Year." So I Announced It For A Year But Did Not Find Anyone To Claim It. Then I Brought It To Him. He Said To Me: "Make A Public Announcement About It For Another Year." So I Announced It For A Year But Did Not Find Anyone To Claim It. Then I Brought It To Him. He Said: "Make A Public Announcement About If For Another Year." And He Said: "Remember Its Amount, Its Container And Its String. If Someone Comes Seeking It And Informs You Of Its Amount And Its String, Then Give It To Him, Otherwise Use It."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1374In-book reference : Book 15, Hadith 55English translation : Vol. 3, Book 13, Hadith 1374
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1374
This hadith about found money and public announcement begins with Suwaid bin Ghafalah finding a whip and later asking Ubayy bin Ka'b about it. Ubayy said that he had found a sack with one hundred dinars during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). He brought it to the Prophet, who told him to announce it for a year. After no one claimed it, he was told again to announce it for another year, then another year. He was also told to remember its amount, container, and string. If someone came and described those details, it should be given to him. Otherwise, he could use it. The hadith teaches patient honesty with valuable lost property.
What we learn from this hadith
- Valuable lost property requires careful public announcement.
- The finder should know the amount and identifying details.
- A claimant should be checked through clear description.
- Using the item comes only after following the stated process.
