Does the one who finds buried treasure in a mosque deserve the entire treasure, or does he get a specific share?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Buried treasure is of two types: if it dates back to the pre-Islamic era (Jahiliyyah), it is considered "rikaz" (a buried treasure from the time of ignorance). In this case, it belongs to the one who finds it, after giving out one-fifth as charity, because no one has exclusive ownership over the interior of the mosque. If it dates back to the Islamic era, it is considered "luqata" (a lost item). It must be returned to its owner if known, or to their heirs if the owner has died. Otherwise, it should be publicized for a year, and if its owner does not appear, then it belongs to the one who found it.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/23396
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 23396
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy