The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked about the hanging fruit. He replied: If a needy person takes some and does not take a supply away in his garment, he is not to be blamed, but he who carries any of it away is to be find twice the value and punished, and he who steals any of it after it has been put in the place where dates are dried is to have his hand cut off if its value reaches the price of a shield. Regarding stray camels and sheep he mentioned the same as others have done. He said: He was asked about finds and replied: If it is in a frequented road and a large town, make the matter known for a year, and if its owner comes, give it to him, but if he does not, it belongs to you. If it is in a place which has been a waste from ancient time, or if it is a hidden treasure (belonging to the Islamic period), it is subject to the payment of the fifth.
The Book of Lost and Found Items
Sunan Abi Dawud 1710 - Commentary by Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya
Hanging Fruits Ruling
The Prophet's distinction between taking for immediate consumption versus carrying away establishes the principle of necessity versus appropriation. The needy may satisfy immediate hunger without sin, but systematic taking constitutes theft.
The graduated punishment - fine for taking away, hand-cutting for storage theft - demonstrates Islamic law's wisdom in proportioning penalties to the act's severity and context.
Stray Animals Jurisprudence
The Prophet's reference to "same as others have done" indicates continuity with established Abrahamic traditions regarding livestock, requiring proper announcement and care until owners are found.
Found Property Regulations
The distinction between populated and deserted areas reflects practical wisdom. In frequented areas, the finder must exert effort to locate owners; in ancient ruins, the item is treated as treasure with one-fifth due as zakah.
The one-year announcement period balances the rights of original owners with the practical needs of finders, preventing indefinite uncertainty while ensuring due diligence.