Sahih Bukhari Volume 3, Book 45, Hadith 2438

حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سُوَيْدَ بْنَ غَفَلَةَ، قَالَ كُنْتُ مَعَ سَلْمَانَ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ، وَزَيْدِ بْنِ صُوحَانَ فِي غَزَاةٍ، فَوَجَدْتُ سَوْطًا‏.‏ فَقَالَ لِي أَلْقِهِ‏.‏ قُلْتُ لاَ، وَلَكِنْ إِنْ وَجَدْتُ صَاحِبَهُ، وَإِلاَّ اسْتَمْتَعْتُ بِهِ‏.‏ فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا حَجَجْنَا فَمَرَرْتُ بِالْمَدِينَةِ، فَسَأَلْتُ أُبَىَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ فَقَالَ وَجَدْتُ صُرَّةً عَلَى عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِيهَا مِائَةُ دِينَارٍ، فَأَتَيْتُ بِهَا النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏"‏ عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً ‏"‏‏.‏ فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلاً ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُ، فَقَالَ ‏"‏ عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً ‏"‏‏.‏ فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلاً ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ، فَقَالَ ‏"‏ عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً ‏"‏‏.‏ فَعَرَّفْتُهَا حَوْلاً ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ الرَّابِعَةَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ اعْرِفْ عِدَّتَهَا وَوِكَاءَهَا وَوِعَاءَهَا، فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا وَإِلاَّ اسْتَمْتِعْ بِهَا ‏"‏‏.‏ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَانُ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ شُعْبَةَ، عَنْ سَلَمَةَ، بِهَذَا قَالَ فَلَقِيتُهُ بَعْدُ بِمَكَّةَ، فَقَالَ لاَ أَدْرِي أَثَلاَثَةَ أَحْوَالٍ أَوْ حَوْلاً وَاحِدًا‏.‏

Narrated By Suwaid bin Ghafala : While I as in the company of Salman bin Rabi'a and Suhan, in one of the holy battles, I found a whip. One of them told me to drop it but I refused to do so and said that I would give it to its owner if I found him, otherwise I would utilize it. On our return we performed Hajj and on passing by Medina, I asked Ubai bin Ka'b about it. He said, "I found a bag containing a hundred Dinars in the lifetime of the Prophet and took it to the Prophet who said to me, 'Make public announcement about it for one year.' So, I announced it for one year and went to the Prophet who said, 'Announce it publicly for another year.' So, I announced it for another year. I went to him again and he said, "Announce for an other year." So I announced for still another year. I went to the Prophet for the fourth time, and he said, 'Remember the amount of money, the description of its container and the string it is tied with, and if the owner comes, give it to him; otherwise, utilize it.'" Narrated By Salama : The above narration (Hadith 616) from Ubai bin Ka'b: adding, "I met the sub-narrator at Mecca later on, but he did not remember whether Ka'b had announced what he had found one year or three years."