Narrated from Sayyiduna Zayd bin Khalid al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever keeps a lost item in his house and does not announce it, he is misguided.

It is narrated from Abdullah Bajli, he says: I was at the place of Bawazij with my father, Sayyiduna Abu Jarir (may Allah be pleased with him), when suddenly a cow came out towards the pasture. When he saw this cow and did not recognize it, he said: Where has this cow come from? I said: It has joined our cows, but he ordered that it be driven away, so it was done as such, until it disappeared. Then he narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Only a misguided person gives shelter to a lost animal in his house.

Narrated from Sayyiduna Jarud (may Allah be pleased with him), he says: We were on a journey with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), there was a shortage of mounts, and people were discussing about mounts. I said: O Messenger of Allah! I know how we can get mounts. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked: How is that? I said: There are camels in the flowing water area (of Madinah), we can benefit by riding them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: No, a Muslim’s lost property is like a burning flame of fire, so never go near it; a Muslim’s lost property is like a burning flame of fire, so never go near it; a Muslim’s lost property is like a burning flame of fire, so never go near it. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said regarding a fallen item: When you find a lost item, be sure to announce it and do not hide it nor conceal it; if it is recognized, return it to the concerned person, otherwise it is the property of Allah Almighty, He gives it to whomever He wills.

It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Jarood (may Allah be pleased with him) in this manner that he asked the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) about lost animals. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) said: The lost property of a Muslim is a flame of fire.

Mutarrif narrates from his father Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Shukhair (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man said: O Messenger of Allah! We find lost camels, what is the ruling regarding them? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The lost animal of a believer is a flame of fire.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that Sayyiduna Mughirah bin Shu'bah (may Allah be pleased with him) had a spear. Whenever we went on an expedition with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Sayyiduna Mughirah (may Allah be pleased with him) would take it with him and plant it in the ground and deliberately leave it behind. People would pass by it and pick it up. I said: If I come to the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), I will definitely inform him about this action. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) came to know of this, he said: If you start doing this deliberately, then lost property will not be picked up.