What is the ruling on having disposed of 100 Saudi Riyals that were found in a public place two years ago and spent, and is it permissible to donate it to a mosque or give it as charity to a poor person after this period has passed?
If the lost item has value, it must be announced for a full year at the place where it was found and in public gatherings. If its owner does not appear after a year, the finder may benefit from it, provided that it remains a trust with him, and he must hand it over to its owner whenever the owner claims it. If the lost item was not announced in its first year due to ignorance of the ruling, we ask Allah to forgive you, and the obligation of announcing it is dropped after two years have passed. Whoever does not announce a lost item for a full year is not permitted to benefit from it. He may donate it to a poor person or an Islamic center. If its owner appears and the finder informs him that he donated it on his behalf, then if the owner approves of that, the finder will receive the reward. Otherwise, he must pay the owner, and the finder will receive the reward for the charity.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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