Sahih Muslim Book - 31, Hadith - 4506

وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ ح وَحَدَّثَنِى أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ نَافِعٍ - وَاللَّفْظُ لَهُ - حَدَّثَنَا غُنْدَرٌ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ سَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ سُوَيْدَ بْنَ غَفَلَةَ قَالَ خَرَجْتُ أَنَا وَزَيْدُ بْنُ صُوحَانَ وَسَلْمَانُ بْنُ رَبِيعَةَ غَازِينَ فَوَجَدْتُ سَوْطًا فَأَخَذْتُهُ فَقَالاَ لِى دَعْهُ. فَقُلْتُ لاَ وَلَكِنِّى أُعَرِّفُهُ فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهُ وَإِلاَّ اسْتَمْتَعْتُ بِهِ. قَالَ فَأَبَيْتُ عَلَيْهِمَا فَلَمَّا رَجَعْنَا مِنْ غَزَاتِنَا قُضِىَ لِى أَنِّى حَجَجْتُ فَأَتَيْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ فَلَقِيتُ أُبَىَّ بْنَ كَعْبٍ فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ بِشَأْنِ السَّوْطِ وَبِقَوْلِهِمَا فَقَالَ إِنِّى وَجَدْتُ صُرَّةً فِيهَا مِائَةُ دِينَارٍ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَأَتَيْتُ بِهَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَقَالَ « عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً ». قَالَ فَعَرَّفْتُهَا فَلَمْ أَجِدْ مَنْ يَعْرِفُهَا ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ. فَقَالَ « عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً ». فَعَرَّفْتُهَا فَلَمْ أَجِدْ مَنْ يَعْرِفُهَا ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ. فَقَالَ « عَرِّفْهَا حَوْلاً ». فَعَرَّفْتُهَا فَلَمْ أَجِدْ مَنْ يَعْرِفُهَا. فَقَالَ « احْفَظْ عَدَدَهَا وَوِعَاءَهَا وَوِكَاءَهَا فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا وَإِلاَّ فَاسْتَمْتِعْ بِهَا ». فَاسْتَمْتَعْتُ بِهَا. فَلَقِيتُهُ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ بِمَكَّةَ فَقَالَ لاَ أَدْرِى بِثَلاَثَةِ أَحْوَالٍ أَوْ حَوْلٍ وَاحِدٍ.

It was narrated that Salamah bin Kuhayl said: I heard Suwaid bin Ghafalah say: I went out with Zaid bin Suhan and Salman bin Rabi'ah on a campaign, and I found a whip and picked it up. They said to me: Leave it. I said: No, but I will announce it. If its owner comes (I will give it to him), otherwise I will make use of it. I refused (to pay heed to them). When we came back from our campaign, it was decreed that I would go for Hajj. I came to AI-Madinah and met Ubayy bin Ka'b, and I told him about the whip and what they had said. He said: At the time of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) I found a moneybag in which there was one hundred Dinar. I brought it to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) and he said: "Announce it for one year." So I announced it, but no one came forward to claim it. I came to him again and he said: "Announce it for one year," but no one came forward to claim it. Then I came to him again and he said, "Announce it for one year." So I announced it, but no one came forward to claim it. Then he said: "Memorize its number, and the features of its bag and strap, then if its owner comes (give it to him), otherwise make use of it." So I made use of it. I met him in Makkah after that and he said: I do not know if it was three years or one year.