While we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on one of his journeys, riding mounts were scarce. The people began discussing the shortage of mounts, so I said, "Messenger of Allah, I know of something that would provide us with enough mounts."He asked, "What would provide us with enough?"I replied, "A small herd of camels we could come upon at a steep riverbank, so we could make use of them as mounts."He said, "No. A Muslim's stray animal is the burning fire of Hell, so do not go near it. A Muslim's stray animal is the burning fire of Hell, so do not go near it. A Muslim's stray animal is the burning fire of Hell, so do not go near it."And he said regarding lost property, "If you find a stray, announce it publicly. Do not conceal it, and do not hide it away. If its owner is identified, hand it over. Otherwise, it is the wealth of Allah, which He gives to whomever He wills."
بينما نحن مع رسول الله ﷺ في بعض أسفاره، وفي الظهر قلة، إذ تذاكر القوم الظهر، فقلت: يا رسول الله، قد علمت ما يكفينا من الظهر، فقال: وما يكفينا؟ قلت: ذود نأتي عليهن في جرف، فنستمتع بظهورهم. قال: لا، ضالة المسلم حرق النار، فلا تقربنها ضالة المسلم حرق النار، فلا تقربنها. ضالة المسلم حرق النار، فلا تقربتها. وقال في اللقطة: الضالة تجدها فانشدنها، ولا تكتم، ولا تغيب، فإن عرفت فأدها، وإلا فمال الله يؤتيه من يشاء.
Imam Ahmad (20754) narrated it from Ismail, who said, Saeed Jareeri informed us, from Abu Ala bin Shakhir, from Mutarrif, who said, "Two hadiths have reached me from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and I know that I have found both of them true, but I do not know which of them came first." Abu Muslim Judhami, of Judhayma of Abdul-Qays, told us, our teacher Jarud told us, and he then mentioned it. Tabarani also narrated it in Al-Kabir (2/298), and Darimi (2643, 2644), and Ibn Hibban (4887), and Bayhaqi (6/190), all of them through routes from Abu Muslim Judhami, from Jarud, in a shortened form.Ibn Hibban mentioned Abu Muslim Judhami in Al-Thiqat (5/581), but no one's endorsement of him is mentioned in Al-Tahdheeb (12/235). However, a number of narrators who reported from him are mentioned there, so he is "acceptable" as stated in Al-Taqreeb, meaning when corroborated. And he has indeed been corroborated.Ibn Qani narrated it in his Mujam (164), and Tabarani (2/296), both through the route of Abu Kamil Jahdari, who said, Abu Mashar Bara told us, Muthanna bin Saeed told us, from Qatada, from Abdullah bin Babah, from Abdullah bin Amr bin As, who said, Jarud informed me, and he then mentioned it in a shortened form. This is a strong corroboration, except that Daraqutni holds that Abu Bara erred in it, and that the statement of Jareeri is more likely correct. Al-Ilal (6/14).Abdul-Razzaq (18603) narrated it, and from him Ahmad (20755), and Tabarani (2/296), and Bayhaqi (6/191), from Sufyan, from Khalid Haddan, from Yazid bin Abdullah bin Shikhir, from Mutarrif bin Shikhir, from Jarud Abdi, who reported it as a raised hadith in a shortened form. Bayhaqi said, "It has also been said from him, from Mutarrif, from Abu Muslim, from Jarud. And it has also been said, from Mutarrif bin Abdullah bin Shikhir, from his father." End of quote.Abdul-Razzaq also narrated it through other chains as well, and altogether, taking all its routes together, the hadith is hasan.As for Mutarrif's statement, "Two hadiths have reached me...", he seems to think that one of them abrogates the other, but he did not know which came first. What appears to me is that there is no contradiction between them requiring us to resort to abrogation. The statement of the Prophet ﷺ, "A Muslim's stray animal is a burning fire," applies if he takes possession of it without announcing it publicly, as mentioned in other hadiths. But if he announces it and does not find its owner, and a year passes over it, as stated in the sahih hadiths, then it becomes wealth from Allah, which He gives to whomever He wills. It has also been said that its meaning refers to an animal that resists being taken, such as camels, as mentioned previously. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.