Lost and Found
 

We have a lot of items that were found in DAT property.  Items are consists of the following”
-          Jewelry
-          Valuable watches
-          Smart phones.

The Islamic center is not liable for any personal losses, It is not permissible for anyone to pick up any kind of lost property unless he can be sure that he will deal with it properly and that he is able to make the necessary announcements, based on  the hadeeth of Zayd ibn Khaalid al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked about lost gold and silver. He said, ‘Know the details of the purse and the string, then announce it for a year. If no one claims it, then dispose of it, and it is like a trust in your hands. Then if the owner comes along some day, give it to him.”

The meaning of the phrase “Know the purse and the string” refers to the kind of purse or wallet that money is kept in and the way it is fastened or tied up.  The meaning of the phrase “then announce it for a year” is that it should be mentioned to people in the places where they gather, such as in market places and by the doors of the mosque etc. “A year” means for one full year. In the first week after it is found, it should be announced every day, because it is more likely that the owner will come in that first week. After that it should be announced as often as is customary among the people.

This was the method of announcing lost property in the past. Nowadays people should make lost and found announcements in whatever way is appropriate. What matters is achieving the desired result, so one must do whatever it takes to return property to its rightful owner. 

The hadeeth indicates that it is obligatory to know exactly what the lost property is. The phrase “Know the purse and the strings” indicates that it is obligatory to know what it looks like, so that if the owner comes and describes it properly, it can be given to him, but if his description is at odds with the true description, then it is not permissible to give it to him.

The phrase “If no one claims it, then dispose of it” indicates that the finder takes possession of the property after one year has passed and after announcing it, but he should not dispose of it before he knows exactly what it is, i.e., until he knows “the purse and the string”, and he knows its value, nature and description. If the original owner comes along some time later, and describes it accurately, he should then give it to him, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “If someone comes looking for it someday, then give it to him.”

If someone comes looking for it and describes it properly, it must be given to him without asking him for proof or to swear an oath, because of the command of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to that effect, and because his precise description is sufficient in the place of proof or an oath. Indeed, his description may be clearer and more honest than proof or an oath. He should also be given any increase, whether attached or separate. But if he is not able to describe it, then it should not be given to him, because it is a trust in the hands of the finder, and it is not permissible for him to give it to someone who cannot prove that he is the owner.

If you have lost an item, please email us the description of the item to info@taqwa.net.