In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Ruling Regarding Picking Up a Lost Item (In the Light of Hadith)

“Hazrat Zayd bin Khalid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and asked him about picking up a lost item. He ﷺ said: Recognize its bag and its string, then announce it for a year; if its owner is found (then return it), otherwise spend it as you wish. He asked about a lost goat. He ﷺ said: It is for you, or for your brother, or for the wolf. He asked about a lost camel. He ﷺ said: What concern is it of yours? It has its water-skin and its feet; it can go to water and eat from trees until its owner finds it.” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim)

“Hazrat Zayd bin Khalid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever keeps a lost animal with himself without announcing it is astray from the straight path.” (Sahih Muslim)

“Hazrat ‘Abd al-Rahman bin ‘Uthman Tamimi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade picking up the lost property of a pilgrim.” (Sahih Muslim)

“Hazrat ‘Amr bin Shu‘ayb (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from his father, from his grandfather, from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: He was asked about fruit on the tree. He ﷺ said: Whoever, being in need, takes fruit from it but does not carry it away, there is no blame upon him; and whoever takes fruit and carries it away, upon him is double compensation and punishment in addition. And whoever steals from the heap of fruit after it has been gathered, and its value reaches the value of a shield (i.e., the legal threshold of theft), his hand is to be cut off. He also narrated, like the other narrators, regarding the lost camel and the goat. And he said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was asked about picking up a lost item. He ﷺ said: Whatever is found on a road or in an inhabited settlement, announce it for a year; if its owner comes, give it to him; if he does not come, then it is yours. And whatever is found in a desolate ancient land or from buried treasure, then one-fifth of it belongs (to the public treasury).” (Sunan al-Nasa’i)

“Hazrat Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that ‘Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) found a dinar. He took it to Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) and asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about it. He ﷺ said: It is provision from Allah. So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, ‘Ali, and Fatimah spent it. After a short while, a woman came searching for the dinar. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ then instructed ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) to return the dinar.” (Sunan Abu Dawud)

“Hazrat ‘Iyad bin Himar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: Whoever finds a lost item should take one just witness or two just witnesses and should neither conceal it nor hide it. If he can identify its owner, he should send it to him; otherwise it is the wealth of Allah—He gives it to whom He wills.” (Musnad Ahmad, Sunan Abu Dawud)

“Hazrat Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ granted concession regarding sticks, whips, ropes, and similar items, that the one who picks them up may benefit from them.” (Sunan Abu Dawud)

Clarification:
If a food item is found on the road, it may be eaten, as when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ found a fallen date on the road, he ﷺ said: If I did not fear that it might be from charity, I would have eaten it. If the found item is of importance, it should be announced for a year, though not continuously; and if it is of lesser importance, it should be announced for three days.