Money found on the street

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Nasihah (Advice): Honesty leads to Paradise

Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn Masood radiyallahu anhu reported that Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: “You must be truthful. Verily, truthfulness leads to righteousness and righteousness leads to Paradise. A man continues to be truthful and encourages honesty until he is recorded with Allah as truthful. And beware of falsehood. Verily, falsehood leads to wickedness and wickedness leads to the Hellfire. A man continues tell lies and encourages falsehood until he is recorded with Allah as a liar.” [Sahih Bukhari]

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Question and Answer:

I found an amount of money on the street. Am I permitted to take and use this money?

A. It is not permissible to simply take and use money found on the street. If a person picks up this money, they become responsible for safeguarding it and making efforts to return it to their rightful owner.

The correct course of action is as follows:

Announce the discovery of the money in the vicinity where it was found or place a public notice about the lost funds.
If the genuine owner comes forward and can accurately describe the amount and composition of the money lost, you must return it to them.
If, after a reasonable period and sincere efforts, the owner cannot be located, you have two options: a. Continue to hold the money in trust indefinitely. b. Give the money in charity on behalf of the unknown owner.
Should the owner appear after the money has been given in charity, inform them of your actions. If they accept the charity, they will receive its reward. If not, you must reimburse them from your own wealth, and you will receive the reward for the charity. (Hindiyyah 2:289)

Note 1: If the finder is destitute, they may use the money for essential needs only if all efforts to locate the owner have failed.

Note 2: In areas with established lost and found facilities, handing over the money to these authorities fulfils your responsibility.

And Allah Ta’ala Knows Best

Mufti Moosa Salie

Mufti Taahir Hansa

(The answer hereby given is specifically based on the question asked and should be read together with the question asked. Islamic rulings on this Q&A newsletter are answered in accordance to the Hanafi Fiqh unless otherwise stated.)

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