Sahih Muslim Book - 31, Hadith - 4502

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ قَعْنَبٍ حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ - يَعْنِى ابْنَ بِلاَلٍ - عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ يَزِيدَ مَوْلَى الْمُنْبَعِثِ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ زَيْدَ بْنَ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِىَّ صَاحِبَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَقُولُ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- عَنِ اللُّقَطَةِ الذَّهَبِ أَوِ الْوَرِقِ فَقَالَ « اعْرِفْ وِكَاءَهَا وَعِفَاصَهَا ثُمَّ عَرِّفْهَا سَنَةً فَإِنْ لَمْ تَعْرِفْ فَاسْتَنْفِقْهَا وَلْتَكُنْ وَدِيعَةً عِنْدَكَ فَإِنْ جَاءَ طَالِبُهَا يَوْمًا مِنَ الدَّهْرِ فَأَدِّهَا إِلَيْهِ ». وَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ ضَالَّةِ الإِبِلِ فَقَالَ « مَا لَكَ وَلَهَا دَعْهَا فَإِنَّ مَعَهَا حِذَاءَهَا وَسِقَاءَهَا تَرِدُ الْمَاءَ وَتَأْكُلُ الشَّجَرَ حَتَّى يَجِدَهَا رَبُّهَا ». وَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الشَّاةِ فَقَالَ « خُذْهَا فَإِنَّمَا هِىَ لَكَ أَوْ لأَخِيكَ أَوْ لِلذِّئْبِ ».

It was narrated from Yazid, the freed slave of Al-Munba'ith, that he heard Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani, the Companion of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w), say: The Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) was asked about picking up lost gold and silver. He (s.a.w) said: "Memorize the features of its strap and bag, then announce it for one year. If you do not find [its owner] then spend it, but it is a trust with you. If some day its owner comes looking for it, then pay him back." And he asked him about a lost camel. He said: "What have you to do with it? Let it be, for it has its feet and water supply with it, and it seeks water and eats the trees, until its master finds it." And he asked him about a lost sheep. He said: "Take it, for it is either for you, for your brother or for the wolf."