What to do with something you find
The instruction begins with looking at it closely.
The words
اعْرِفْ وِكَاءَهَا ـ أَوْ قَالَ وِعَاءَهَا ـ وَعِفَاصَهَا، ثُمَّ عَرِّفْهَا سَنَةً، ثُمَّ اسْتَمْتِعْ بِهَا، فَإِنْ جَاءَ رَبُّهَا فَأَدِّهَا إِلَيْهِ
Iʿrif wikāʾahā wa ʿifāṣahā, thumma ʿarrifhā sanah, thumma-stamtiʿ bihā, fa-in jāʾa rabbuhā fa-addihā ilayh
The pronunciation above covers the opening of this passage, not all of it
Note its tie and its container. Then announce it for a year. Then make use of it. And if its owner comes, hand it over to him.
Where this comes from
A man asked what to do about picked up property. The whole year of announcing is so that the description can be checked when someone claims it, and the last clause has no time limit attached.
The full narration
Narrated Zaid bin Khalid Al-Juhani:A man asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about the picking up of a "Luqata" (fallen lost thing). The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "Recognize and remember its tying material and its container, and make public announcement (about it) for one year, then utilize it but give it to its owner if he comes." Then the person asked about the lost camel. On that, the Prophet (ﷺ) got angry and his cheeks or his Face became red and he said, "You have no concern with it as it has its water container, and its feet and it will reach water, and eat (the leaves) of trees till its owner finds it." The man then asked about the lost sheep. The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "It is either for you, for your brother (another person) or for the wolf
Source
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī · 91
- Recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, whose narrations are accepted as authentic