Usul16

Chapter on What Falls Under the Ruling of Lost Property

faqih-4059Vol. 3, p. 298-299

أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ أَوْدَعَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنَ اللُّصُوصِ دَرَاهِمَ أَوْ مَتَاعاً وَ اللِّصُّ مُسْلِمٌ فَهَلْ يَرُدُّهُ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ لَا يَرُدُّهُ عَلَيْهِ فَإِنْ أَمْكَنَهُ أَنْ يَرُدَّهُ عَلَى صَاحِبِهِ فَعَلَ‌[4] وَ إِلَّا كَانَ فِي يَدِهِ بِمَنْزِلَةِ اللُّقَطَةِ يُصِيبُهَا فَيُعَرِّفُهَا حَوْلًا فَإِنْ أَصَابَ صَاحِبَهَا وَ إِلَّا تَصَدَّقَ بِهَا فَإِنْ جَاءَ صَاحِبُهَا بَعْدَ ذَ

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a Muslim man who was entrusted with dirhams or goods by a thief, and the thief is also a Muslim. Should he return them to him? Imam (as) said: "He should not return them to him. If he is able to return them to their rightful owner, he should do so. Otherwise, he should treat them as lost