Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (10/377)

His statement, “its claimant,” means the one who seeks this found property.

His statement, “Whenever its claimant comes”: its general wording includes the case where he comes before the year has elapsed or after it has elapsed.

His statement, “and describes it,” means that he mentions its characteristics, and that what he mentions corresponds to reality.

His statement, “it must be handed over”: that is, the finder is obliged to hand it over to him—that is, to the one who describes it—because no one lays claim to this found property; not even the person in whose possession it is lays claim to it.

His statement, “it must be handed over to him”: the apparent meaning of his words is that it must be handed over to him immediately. This is indeed the case, unless he says, “Keep it with you, and I will return.” It then remains with him as a trust.

The apparent meaning of his words is also that it must be handed over without evidence or requiring an oath. In other words, the finder may not say to the claimant, “Produce evidence that it is yours.” That is because he has no disputant—that is, the one describing it has no disputant. Likewise, he is not required to swear an oath, because he has no disputant. Once he describes it, he is not asked to produce evidence, despite the possibility that he may not be its owner at the time of claiming it—for instance, he may have sold it, and it was then lost by the buyer. This possibility certainly exists. Nevertheless, we do not require the one who describes it to produce evidence, because the basic presumption is that his ownership remains, and he has described it. Therefore, it must be handed over to him in accordance with the sunnah.

Thus, we say: it must be handed over to him without evidence and without an oath.

May he refuse until he has witnesses, or not?

The answer is that he may not do so, because his statement that he handed it over to its owner will be accepted, since he is acting voluntarily. The statement of one acting voluntarily is accepted regarding the return of property to its owner. This is the

وقوله: «طالبها» أي من طلب هذه اللقطة. وقوله: «فمتى جاء طالبها» عمومه يشمل إذا جاء قبل الحول أو بعد الحول. وقوله: «فوصفها» أي ذكر صفاتها، وكان ما ذكره طبق الواقع. وقوله: «لزم» أي يلزم الواجد «دفعها إليه» أي: إلى الواصف؛ لأن هذه اللقطة لا يدعيها أحد، حتى الذي هي في يده لا يدعيها. وقوله: «لزم دفعها إليه» ظاهر كلامه أنه يلزم الدفع إليه فوراً، وهو كذلك، إلا إذا قال: أبقها عندك وسأرجع، فتبقى عنده أمانة. وظاهر كلامه أنه يلزم الدفع إليه بدون بينة ولا استحلاف، بمعنى أن الواجد لا يقول للمدعي إنها له: هات بينة؛ وذلك لأنه لا منازع له، أي: لا منازع للواصف لها، وكذلك ـ أيضاً ـ لا يلزمه اليمين؛ لأنه لا منازع له فإذا وصفها فإنه لا يطالب بالبينة، مع احتمال أن يكون غير مالك لها عند المطالبة؛ لأنه باعها ـ مثلاً ـ وضاعت من المشتري، فهذا الاحتمال وارد ولا شك، لكن مع هذا لا نطالب الواصف بالبينة؛ لأن الأصل بقاء ملكه، وقد وصفها فوجب دفعها إليه بمقتضى السنة. إذاً نقول: لزم دفعها إليه بغير بينة، ولا يمين. وهل له أن يمتنع حتى يُشْهِد أو لا؟ الجواب: ليس له ذلك؛ لأنه سيقبل قوله في دفعها إلى ربها؛ لأنه متبرع، والمتبرع يقبل قوله في رد العين إلى مالكها، وهذا هو