A man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about lost property. He said, "Announce it for a year, then take note of its tie and its container, then make use of it. If its owner comes, return it to him."The man asked, "Messenger of Allah, what about a stray sheep?"He replied, "Take it, for it is either for you, your brother, or the wolf."The man asked, "Messenger of Allah, what about a stray camel?"The Messenger of Allah ﷺ became angry until his cheeks turned red, or his face turned red, and then he said, "What business do you have with it? It has its hooves and its water supply with it, until its owner finds it."
أن رجلا سأل رسول الله ﷺ عن اللقطة، فقال: عرفها سنة، ثم اعرف وكاءها وعفاصها، ثم استنفق بها، فإن جاء ربها فأدها إليه قال: يا رسول الله، فضالة الغنم؟ قال: خذها، فإنما هي لك أو لأخيك أو للذئب قال: يا رسول الله، فضالة الإبل؟ قال: فغضب رسول الله ﷺ حتى احمرت وجنتاه- أو احمر وجهه- ثم قال: مالك ولها، معها حذاؤها وسقاؤها، حتى يلقاها ربها.
Bukhari narrated it in Al-Adab (6112), and Muslim in Al-Luqata (1722:2), both through Ismail bin Jafar, who reported to us, from Rabia bin Abu Abdul-Rahman, from Yazid, the freed slave of Munbaith, from Zayd bin Khalid Juhani, who related it.