حَدَّثَنِي مَالِكٌ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ، مَوْلَى الْمُنْبَعِثِ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ الْجُهَنِيِّ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ اللُّقَطَةِ . فَقَالَ " اعْرِفْ عِفَاصَهَا وَوِكَاءَهَا ثُمَّ عَرِّفْهَا سَنَةً فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا وَإِلاَّ فَشَأْنَكَ بِهَا " . قَالَ فَضَالَّةُ الْغَنَمِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " هِيَ لَكَ أَوْ لأَخِيكَ أَوْ لِلذِّئْبِ " . قَالَ فَضَالَّةُ الإِبِلِ قَالَ " مَا لَكَ وَلَهَا مَعَهَا سِقَاؤُهَا وَحِذَاؤُهَا تَرِدُ الْمَاءَ وَتَأْكُلُ الشَّجَرَ حَتَّى يَلْقَاهَا رَبُّهَا " .
Malik related to me from Rabia ibn Abi Abd ar-Rahman from Yazid,the mawla of al-Munbaith that Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani said, "A mancame to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant himpeace, and asked him about finds. He said, 'Memorize thecharacteristics of the object found, then publicise it for a year. Ifthe owner comes, give it to him. If not, then it is your business.' Hesaid, 'What about lost sheep, Messenger of Allah?' He said, 'They areyours, your brother's or the wolf's.' He said, 'And the lost camel?'He said, 'It's none of your concern. It has its water and its feet. Itwill reach water and eat trees until its owner finds it.' " Translation Not Available
Book Ref: Muwatta Imam Malik Book 36 Hadith 1449
Web Ref: Muwatta Imam Malik Book 36 Hadith 46