Is this hadith authentic?

This hadith is graded Sahih. Sahih hadiths are considered the most authentic grade in hadith classification.

Which collection is this hadith from?

This hadith is from Sahih al-Bukhari, which contains 7,277 hadiths across 97 books. It is hadith number 2278 in the Book of Distribution of Water.

I searched for a different number — is this the right hadith?

Hadith numbering varies across editions and translations (USC-MSA, Dar as-Salam, Fath al-Bari, and others). If you followed a link citing a different number but landed here, you may have been redirected to the canonical version in our library. If you were looking for a different hadith entirely, use the search bar to find it by text.

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#2277

#2278

Sahih al-Bukhari

#2279

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Sahih al-Bukhari #2278

Q: What is Sahih al-Bukhari 2278 about?

This hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari (Book of Distribution of Water), narrated by Narrated Zaid bin Khalid:, states: "A man came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and asked about Al-Luqata (a fallen thing). The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Recognize its container and its tying material and then make a public announcement about it for…"

Distribution of Water

Sahih

The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، حَدَّثَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ، مَوْلَى الْمُنْبَعِثِ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ اللُّقَطَةِ، فَقَالَ ‏"‏ اعْرِفْ عِفَاصَهَا وَوِكَاءَهَا، ثُمَّ عَرِّفْهَا سَنَةً، فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا وَإِلاَّ فَشَأْنَكَ بِهَا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ فَضَالَّةُ الْغَنَمِ قَالَ ‏"‏ هِيَ لَكَ أَوْ لأَخِيكَ أَوْ لِلذِّئْبِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ فَضَالَّةُ الإِبِلِ قَالَ ‏"‏ مَالَكَ وَلَهَا مَعَهَا سِقَاؤُهَا وَحِذَاؤُهَا، تَرِدُ الْمَاءَ وَتَأْكُلُ الشَّجَرَ، حَتَّى يَلْقَاهَا رَبُّهَا ‏"‏‏.‏

A man came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and asked about Al-Luqata (a fallen thing). The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Recognize its container and its tying material and then make a public announcement about it for one year and if its owner shows up, give it to him; otherwise use it as you like." The man said, "What about a lost sheep?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "It is for you, your brother or the wolf." The man said "What about a lost camel?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Why should you take it as it has got its water-container (its stomach) and its hooves and it can reach the places of water and can eat the trees till its owner finds it?"

Narrated by Narrated Zaid bin Khalid:

Context

In this hadith, a man approached the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to inquire about handling lost property, specifically a fallen item. The Prophet (ﷺ) instructed him to identify its container and announce it publicly for a year. If the owner did not come forward, the finder could keep it. The discussion then shifted to lost livestock, where the Prophet (ﷺ) emphasized the self-sufficiency of camels and the limited rights over sheep.

Modern Application

This principle encourages individuals to act responsibly when finding lost items. In today's society, it is important to make efforts to return lost property to its rightful owner, such as reporting found items to local authorities or posting notices in community spaces.

Topics

This hadith is tagged with Ethics of Interaction and Property Rights because it addresses the moral obligation to return lost property and the rights of individuals over their possessions.

Ethics of Interaction Property Rights