Hadith #359

Arabic Text

English Translation

It was narrated from 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr (رضي الله عنهما) — via Ibn Idris, who heard Ibn Ishaq, from 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb, from his father, from his grandfather — who said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when a man from Muzayna asked him about a stray camel. He said: "It has its feet and its water [i.e., it can fend for itself] — it eats wild trees and drinks from watering-holes. Leave it until its seeker comes." He asked him about a stray sheep. He said: "It is for you, or for your brother, or for the wolf — gather it to yourself until its seeker comes." He asked him about al-harisa [livestock caught grazing on another's pasture in the field]. He said: "For it, twice its value and a punitive flogging." He asked: "What about [livestock] taken from its pen?" He said: "For that, the hand is cut off when what is taken reaches the value of a shield [al-mijan — the minimum threshold]." He asked him: "O Messenger of Allah — found property [al-luqata] found on a well-traveled road?" He said: "Announce it for a year — if its owner comes [to claim it], well; otherwise it is yours." He said: "O Messenger of Allah — what about what is found in ancient ruins?" He said: "For it and for buried treasure [al-rikaz]: one-fifth [al-khums]."'