Fatwa ID: 08956
Answered by Maulana Abdool Taheer Hussein Tagaully
Question:
Is it possible to put some sort of notice at the entrance of a building that any lost items will be given away for free or donated to a charity after x amount of days?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
According to the Hanafi Madhhab, picking up an item which is liable to be lost, with the intention of preserving it and returning it to its rightful owner is termed Luqatah [1]. The objective here is preservation, and not ownership [2]. For this reason, the Fuqaha have outlined a number of conditions and procedures for returning Luqatah to its rightful owner.
If the owner is known, the item must be returned to him [3]. If the owner is unknown, the finder should make a public announcement, such as through a notice [4]. The duration of this announcement will depend on the value and nature of the item; valuable items require a longer and more careful effort to locate the owner [5]. Once a reasonable period has elapsed and the owner has not been found, the finder may donate the item to charity on behalf of the owner. If the rightful owner later appears, he has the choice either to approve the charity, in which case its reward will be for him, or to hold the finder liable and claim compensation [6] [7].
In conclusion, it is permissible for a building to place a notice at the entrance explaining a lost-and-found policy. An example of such a notice could be:
Lost and Found Policy
Any item found on these premises should be handed to management. Lost items will be recorded and kept for a reasonable period according to their nature and value. Owners may reclaim their items by giving a clear description or proof of ownership.
Low-value unclaimed items may be donated or disposed of after 30 days. Valuable items, money, phones, wallets, documents, cards, jewellery, and similar items may be kept for a longer period and/or handed to the relevant authorities.
Any item donated will be donated to charity on behalf of its owner and not as the property of management.
Finally, a simple record should also be kept for each lost item, noting what the item is, where and when it was found, who handed it in, what was done to find the owner, and whether it was later returned, donated, or disposed of.
Only Allah ﷻ knows best.
Written by Maulana Abdool Taheer Hussein Tagaully
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
References:
[1]
«فَالْأَوْلَى أَنْ يُقَالَ هِيَ مَالٌ مَعْصُومٌ مُعَرَّضٌ لِلضَّيَاعِ وَعَرَّفَهَا فِي الْمُحِيطِ بِأَنَّهَا رَفْعُ شَيْءٍ ضَائِعٍ لِلْحِفْظِ عَلَى الْغَيْرِ لَا لِلتَّمْلِيكِ وَجَعَلَ عَدَمَ الْحَافِظِ لَهَا مِنْ شَرَائِطِهَا»
Al-Bahr al-Raaiq – Vol 5 – Pg 161 – Dar al-kutub al-Islamiyy
[2]
«(قَوْلُهُ: لَا لِلتَّمْلِيكِ) الْأَوْلَى لَا لِلتَّمَلُّكِ»
Hashiyah Ibn Abideen – Vol 4 – Pg 276 – Dar al-Fikr
[3]
«بِدَلِيلِ أَنَّهُ لَا يُعْرَفُ بَلْ يُرَدُّ إلَيْهِ»
Hashiyah Ibn Abideen – Vol 4 – Pg 276 – Dar al-Fikr
[4]
«وَأَمَّا مَكَانُ التَّعْرِيفِ فَالْأَسْوَاقُ وَأَبْوَابُ الْمَسَاجِدِ؛ لِأَنَّهَا مَجْمَعُ النَّاسِ وَمَمَرُّهُمْ فَكَانَ التَّعْرِيفُ فِيهَا أَسْرَعَ إلَى تَشْهِيرِ الْخَبَرِ»
Badaai’ al-Sanaai’ – Vol 6 – Pg 202 – Dar al-kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah
[5]
«أَمَّا مُدَّةُ التَّعْرِيفِ: فَيَخْتَلِفُ قَدْرُ الْمُدَّةِ لِاخْتِلَافِ قَدْرِ اللُّقَطَةِ إنْ كَانَ شَيْئَا لَهُ قِيمَةٌ تَبْلُغُ عَشَرَةَ دَرَاهِمَ فَصَاعِدًا يُعَرِّفُهُ حَوْلًا، وَإِنْ كَانَ شَيْئًا قِيمَتُهُ أَقَلُّ مِنْ عَشَرَةٍ يُعَرِّفُهُ أَيَّامًا عَلَى قَدْرِ مَا يَرَى»
Badaai’ al-Sanaai’ – Vol 6 – Pg 202 – Dar al-kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah
[6]
«وَإِذَا تَصَدَّقَ بِهَا عَلَى الْفُقَرَاءِ فَإِذَا جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا كَانَ لَهُ الْخِيَارُ إنْ شَاءَ أَمْضَى الصَّدَقَةَ وَلَهُ ثَوَابُهَا، وَإِنْ شَاءَ ضَمَّنَ الْمُلْتَقِط أَوْ الْفَقِيرَ إنْ وَجَدَهُ؛ لِأَنَّ التَّصَدُّقَ كَانَ مَوْقُوفًا عَلَى إجَازَتِهِ»
Badaai’ al-Sanaai’ – Vol 6 – Pg 202 – Dar al-kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah
[7]
«(فإن جاء صاحبها) بعد التصدق بها (فهو بالخيار: إن شاء أمضى الصدقة) وله ثوابها، وتصير إجازته اللاحقة بمنزلة الإذن السابق (وإن شاء ضمن الملتقط) ؛ لأنه سلم ماله إلى غيره بغير إذنه، وإن شاء ضمن المسكين إن هلك في يده؛ لأنه قبض ماله بغير إذنه، وإن كان قائماً أخذه؛ لأنه وجد عين ماله كما في الهداية»
Al-Lubaab fi Sharh al-kitab – Vol 2 – Pg 207 – al-Maktabah al-‘Ilmiyyah