Book of Lost Property

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Explaining the Meaning of Lost Property

To pick something up is for its finder to take possession of it. Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says:

“A caravan came along, and they sent their water-drawer, who lowered his bucket. He exclaimed, ‘Good news! Here is a boy!’ They concealed him as merchandise, but Allah knew well what they were doing.” [Joseph: 19]

“And they sold him for a paltry price—a few dirhams—for they held him in little esteem.” [Joseph: 20]

The word sharawhu means “they sold him.” His brothers were tending their flocks near the well. When the caravan brought him out, they came and said, “He is a runaway slave of ours.” They told Joseph in Hebrew, “Unless you acknowledge that you are our slave, we will take you from them and kill you.” He therefore acknowledged that he was their slave, and they sold him to them for a paltry price—that is, an unjust one, since they knew that selling him was unlawful for them. They held him in little esteem because they wanted him kept away from his father. It has also been said that the pronoun refers to the price: they cared little about the price, but sold him to someone who would take him to Egypt. Another interpretation is that sharawhu means that the merchants bought him for a paltry price—that is, a reduced one—and that they held him in little esteem because they did not know his standing with Allah, Mighty and Majestic.

Section

There is disagreement concerning a foundling. According to one view, he is a slave belonging to whoever finds him; according to another, he is free, and his patronage belongs