Zaid b. Khalid al-Juhani, the Companion ot Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), said that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was asked about the picking up of stray gold or silver, whereupon he said:Recognise well the strap and the bag (containing) that and then make an announcement regarding that for one year, but if none recognises it, then spend that and it would be a trust with you; and if someone comes one day to make demand of that, then pay that to him. He (the inquirer) asked about the lost camel, whereupon he said: You have nothing to do with that. Leave that alone, for it has feet and also a leather bag, it drinks water, and eats (the leaves) of the trees. He asked him about sheep, whereupon he said: Take it, it is for you, or for your brother, or for the wolf.
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ بْنِ قَعْنَبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ بِلاَلٍ - عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ، مَوْلَى الْمُنْبَعِثِ أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ زَيْدَ بْنَ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِيَّ، صَاحِبَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ سُئِلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ اللُّقَطَةِ الذَّهَبِ أَوِ الْوَرِقِ فَقَالَ " اعْرِفْ وِكَاءَهَا وَعِفَاصَهَا ثُمَّ عَرِّفْهَا سَنَةً فَإِنْ لَمْ تَعْرِفْ فَاسْتَنْفِقْهَا وَلْتَكُنْ وَدِيعَةً عِنْدَكَ فَإِنْ جَاءَ طَالِبُهَا يَوْمًا مِنَ الدَّهْرِ فَأَدِّهَا إِلَيْهِ " . وَسَأَلَهُ عَنْ ضَالَّةِ الإِبِلِ فَقَالَ " مَا لَكَ وَلَهَا دَعْهَا فَإِنَّ مَعَهَا حِذَاءَهَا وَسِقَاءَهَا تَرِدُ الْمَاءَ وَتَأْكُلُ الشَّجَرَ حَتَّى يَجِدَهَا رَبُّهَا " . وَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الشَّاةِ فَقَالَ " خُذْهَا فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ لَكَ أَوْ لأَخِيكَ أَوْ لِلذِّئْبِ " .
Muslim
The Book of Lost Property • Hadith 5