The above mentioned tradition has also been transmitted by Malik through a different chain of narrators to the same effect. This version adds: They have their stomachs: They can go down to water and eat trees. He did not say about the stray sheep: take it. About a find he said : Make it known for a year; if it’s owner comes, (give it to him), otherwise use it yourself. This version has not the word : “ spend it”. Abu Dawud said : This tradition has been narrated by al-Thawri, Sulaiman bin Bilal, and Hammad bin Salamah on the authority of Rabi ‘ ah in a similar manner. They did not mention the word “take it”.
Hadith In Arabic Text :
حدثنا ابن السرح، حدثنا ابن وهب، أخبرني مالك، بإسناده ومعناه زاد ” سقاؤها ترد الماء وتأكل الشجر ” . ولم يقل ” خذها ” . في ضالة الشاء وقال في اللقطة ” عرفها سنة فإن جاء صاحبها وإلا فشأنك بها ” . ولم يذكر ” استنفق ” . قال أبو داود رواه الثوري وسليمان بن بلال وحماد بن سلمة عن ربيعة مثله لم يقولوا ” خذها ” .
Chapter : The Book of Lost and Found Items – كتاب اللقطة