Does what is found in the sea, desert, or abandoned places take the ruling of a "Luqatah" (found object), or does it have a special ruling?
What a person finds in abandoned places and the like, if it is new, then it is a lost item (Luqata) that must be announced for a year. If its owner is not found, then it belongs to the finder, and he must hand it over to its owner whenever he appears. However, if it is old, it is considered a treasure trove (Rikaz) for its finder, and he must pay one-fifth of it, for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "And in Rikaz, there is one-fifth." As for minerals that originate from the earth, such as gold and silver, they belong to whoever extracts them, and Zakat is obligatory on them if they reach the Nisab and a year has passed over them. If they are other minerals like sulfur, they belong to whoever extracts them if the land is not owned.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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