What do with Money found on ground ? ( Luqta )

Question

Asalaam alikum - i was in Costco today and noticed money on the ground. It w as $7...of course I couldn’t determine who it belonged/who dropped it so I picked it up and plan on giving it in charity, maybe placing in masjid box.

Would that be permissible/appropriate? Answer: ﺑﺴﻢ اﷲ اﻟﺮﺣﻤﻦ اﻟﺮﺣﯿﻢ In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful If a person found a missing item on the floor and decides to pick it up, then they should only do so with the intention of finding its owner and returning it to him. Furthermore, if a person finds something but decides not to pick it up, then he would not be sinful. Nevertheless, if he fears that the item will be picked up by such a person who would not return it to its owner, then it becomes necessary upon him to pick it up and return it to its owner. When a person finds an item and decides to pick it up, it becomes mandatory for him to search for its owner and return it to him. In regards to your particular situation, it is advised that you inform the Costco management saying something along the lines, “I found some money on the floor and could not locate its owner, hence I am leaving my contact information with you. If the owner approaches you and enquires about his lost money, you may give him my contact information, and I would be more than happy to give him his money.” After doing your due diligence in searching for the owner, you feel almost certain that you will not find him, then you must give that wealth as charity, without the intention of seeking reward, to a poor person who is eligible to receive zakah, not putting it in the Masjid donation box. One’s intention should be (when donating this wealth to a poor person) that if the owner of the money is a Muslim, then they are giving this money as charity on his behalf so that he may receive its reward.

On the other hand, if the owner of the money is a non Muslim, then they are giving this money as charity to absolve themselves of its responsibility.

(Fatawa Hindiyah: v. 2, p. 308 [DKI]; Raddul Muhtar: v. 6, p. 431-438 [Maktaba Imdadia]; Qamoosul Fiqh: v. 4, p. 590-593; Fatawa Mahmudia: v. 23, p. 367 [Darul Isha’at]; Fatawa Darul Uloom Deoband: v. 11,12, & 13, p. 269 [Darul Isha’at]; Fatawa Darul Uloom Zakariya: v. 6, p. 97 [Zam Zam]; Fatawa Usmani: v. 3, p. 474 [Quranic Studies Publishers]; Behishti Zewar:

p. 303 [Darul Isha’at])

Only Allah knows best

Written by Maulana Mohammad Ahsan Osmani Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah Darul Ifta Birmingham