Finding money on the road
Question:-
My Friend found R50 somewhere. He doesn’t know whether it belonged to a Muslim or non-Muslim. However, he put the money into the Masjid Lillah box.
What is the Shariah ruling in this regard?
Answer:-
The ruling in regards to finding a lost item or lost funds is that the lost item or lost funds should be advertised (so that the owner is informed and may be able to claim his funds). If the value of the lost item/cash is less than 10 Dirhams which is approximately R375.00, then the item should be advertised for a month, or a few days according to some Kitaabs such as Hidaayah, (by having notices put up at public places such as the market place, notice boards or the entrance of the Masaajid etc.). However, if the lost item is worth more than R375.00, then it should be advertised for a period of one year.
لَهُ أَنْ يُعَرِّفَ اللُّقَطَةَ، وَالتَّقْدِيرُ بِالْحَوْلِ لَيْسَ بِعَامٍّ لَازِمٍ فِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَإِنَّمَا يُعَرِّفُهَا مُدَّةً يَتَوَهَّمُ أَنَّ صَاحِبَهَا يَطْلُبُهَا وَذَلِكَ يَخْتَلِفُ بِقِلَّةِ الْمَالِ وَكَثْرَتِهِ حَتَّى قَالُوا فِي عَشَرَةِ دَرَاهِمَ فَصَاعِدًا: يُعَرِّفُهَا حَوْلًا؛ لِأَنَّ هَذَا مَالٌ خَطِيرٌ يَتَعَلَّقُ الْقَطْعُ بِسَرِقَتِهِ وَيُتَمَلَّكُ بِهِ مَا لَهُ خَطَرٌ، —- وَفِيمَا دُونَ الْعَشَرَةِ إلَى ثَلَاثَةٍ يُعَرِّفُهَا شَهْرًا، وَفِيمَا دُونَ ذَلِكَ إلَى الدِّرْهَمِ يُعَرِّفُهَا جُمُعَةً، وَفِي دُونِ الدِّرْهَمِ يُعَرَّفُ يَوْمًا، وَفِي فَلْسٍ أَوْ نَحْوِهِ يَنْظُرُ يَمْنَةً وَيَسْرَة ثُمَّ يَضَعْهُ فِي كَفِّ فَقِيرٍ، وَشَيْءٌ مِنْ هَذَا لَيْسَ بِتَقْدِيرٍ لَازِمٍ؛ لِأَنَّ نَصْبَ الْمَقَادِيرِ بِالرَّأْيِ لَا يَكُونُ —-(المبسوط للسرخسي – كتاب اللقيطة)
If the owner doesn’t claim the item within the stipulated period (depending on the value of the items as explained above), then the lost item/cash may be given to such poor people that qualify as recipients of Zakaat. It is, therefore, not correct to place such funds into the Masjid Lillah box, as the rightful recipients of the lost funds are the poor.
Since, the funds were discharged in the incorrect manner by contributing the funds to the Masjid, the person that found the funds should discharge (another) R50 to the correct recipient (which is a poor person), and he will be rewarded for contributing the previous amount of R50 towards the Masjid.
(وَإِنْ كَانَ الْمُلْتَقِطُ غَنِيًّا لَمْ يَجُزْ لَهُ أَنْ يَنْتَفِعَ بِهَا) ؛ لِأَنَّهَا مَالُ الْغَيْرِ فَلَا يُبَاحُ لَهُ الِانْتِفَاعُ بِهِ إلَّا بِرِضَاهُ وَالْإِبَاحَةُ؛ لِأَنَّهُ مَحَلٌّ لِلصَّدَقَةِ بِالْإِجْمَاعِ قَوْلُهُ (وَإِنْ كَانَ فَقِيرًا فَلَا بَأْسَ أَنْ يَنْتَفِعَ بِهَا) ؛ لِأَنَّهُ ذُو حَاجَةٍ (الجوهرة النيرة).
ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!