Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Amr bin al-As (may Allah be pleased with both of them) narrates that a man from the tribe of Muzaynah came to the service of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He asked:“O Messenger of Allah! If someone steals a rope, what do you command regarding it?”The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied:“Punishment will be given for this and similar things. The hand will not be cut off for stealing an animal, but if an animal is kept with protection and it is stolen, then the hand will be cut off, provided its value is equal to the value of a shield. In that case, the hand will be cut off. If its value is less, then compensation will be taken and lashes will be administered.”

The man asked:“What is the ruling for stealing fruit from a tree?”The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied:“For stealing such things, lashes will be given; the hand will not be cut off for stealing fruit from a tree. But if the fruit is kept somewhere for drying and it is stolen from there, then the hand will be cut off. Therefore, if the stolen fruit from there is equal to the value of a shield, the hand will be cut off, but if it is not of that value, the hand will not be cut off.”

He asked:“What is the ruling if something is stolen from the road or from a residential area, or if something is found lying around?”The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied:“You should announce it for a year. If its owner comes, give it to him; otherwise, use it. Whenever its owner comes to you, you must give it to him. If something is found in an uninhabited settlement or on an unknown road, then one-fifth of the treasure found in it must be given.”

The man asked:“If a lost goat is found, what is your command regarding it?”The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied:“It will either come to you, or to one of your brothers, or a wolf will get it, so keep it as your brother’s lost property.”

The man asked:“What is your opinion about a lost camel?”The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied:“It does not matter; its belly and its feet are with it. It will eat and drink water itself until its owner reaches it.”