Majmu' al-Fatawa - Ibn Taimiya - (30/414)

or anyone asking after them, while he has been using the animals and goods. What should he do?

He replied:

He may use them, and he may give them in charity to someone who will benefit from them. Allah knows best.

He was asked—may Allah have mercy on him:

A ship sank at sea and then drifted to a certain locality, its identity being known. It had been carrying jars of hot oil. The villagers worked together to haul the vessel ashore and turn it over. The oil floated on the surface of the water and continued drifting with it. The villagers then came to the sea and found the oil floating on the water. Each gathered as much as he could, with the vessel nearby. Is the oil collected in this way lawful or unlawful?

Another vessel, laden with pomegranates, sank, and its entire cargo drifted away at sea. People began gathering what they could, but no owner could be identified. Is property whose owner is unknown lawful or unlawful to take?

He replied:

Those who collected the oil from the surface of the water saved legally protected property from destruction. They are entitled to the customary remuneration for their work, while the oil belongs to its owner. As for the oil belonging to its owner, I know of no disagreement on this, apart from a little dissent. It is reported that al-Hasan said:

“It belongs to whoever salvages it.”

وَلَا مُنْشِدٌ وَهُوَ يَسْتَعْمِلُ الدَّوَابَّ وَالْمَتَاعَ. فَمَا يَصْنَعُ؟ . فَأَجَابَ: يَجُوزُ لَهُ أَنْ يَسْتَعْمِلَهُ وَيَجُوزُ لَهُ أَنْ يَتَصَدَّقَ بِهِ عَلَى مِنْ يَنْتَفِعُ بِهِ. والله أَعْلَمُ. وَسُئِلَ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ -: عَنْ سَفِينَةٍ غَرِقَتْ فِي الْبَحْرِ ثُمَّ إنَّهَا انْحَدَرَتْ وَهِيَ مَعْلُومَةٌ إلَى بَعْضِ الْبِلَادِ. وَقَدْ كَانَ فِيهَا جِرَارُ زَيْتٍ حَارٍّ ثُمَّ إنَّ أَهْلَ الْقَرْيَةِ تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْمَرْكَبِ حَتَّى أَخْرَجُوهَا إلَى الْبَرِّ وَقَلَبُوهَا فَطَفَا الزَّيْتُ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْمَاءِ وَبَقِيَ رَائِحًا مَعَ الْمَاءِ ثُمَّ إنَّ أَهْلَ الْقَرْيَةِ جَاءُوا إلَى الْبَحْرِ فَوَجَدُوا الزَّيْتَ عَلَى الْمَاءِ فَجَمَعَ كَلُّ وَاحِدٍ مَا قَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ وَالْمَرْكَبُ قَرِيبَةٌ مِنْهُمْ فَهَذَا الزَّيْتُ الْمَجْمُوعُ حَلَالٌ أَمْ حَرَامٌ؟ وَمَرْكَبُ رُمَّانٍ غَرِقَتْ وَجَمِيعُ مَا فِيهَا انْحَدَرَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَبَقِيَ كُلُّ أَحَدٍ يَجْمَعُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَلَمْ يُعْرَفْ لَهُ صَاحِبٌ فَهَلْ مَا لَا يُعْرَفُ صَاحِبُهُ حَلَالٌ؟ أَمْ حَرَامٌ؟ . فَأَجَابَ: الَّذِينَ جَمَعُوا الزَّيْتَ عَلَى وَجْهِ الْمَاءِ قَدْ خَلَّصُوا مَالَ الْمَعْصُومِ مِنْ التَّلَفِ وَلَهُمْ أُجْرَةُ الْمِثْلِ وَالزَّيْتُ لِصَاحِبِهِ. وَأَمَّا كَوْنُ الزَّيْتِ لِصَاحِبِهِ فَلَا أَعْلَمُ فِيهِ نِزَاعًا؛ إلَّا نِزَاعًا قَلِيلًا؛ فَإِنَّهُ يُرْوَى عَنْ الْحَسَنِ بِأَنَّهُ قَالَ: هُوَ لِمَنْ خَلَّصَهُ.