Someone entrusted something to him in the Haram and left it behind; what should he do?

A haaji (pilgrim) entrusted a prayer mat to him in the Haram and said that he was going to do Tawaaf and come back. He waited for him from Zuhr until after ‘Ishaa’, and he did not come. What should he do?

Praise be to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah:

We put this question to Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen, may Allaah preserve him, who answered as follows:

He should give it in charity.

Question:

Is this Luqtat al-Haraam (lost property in the Haraam)?

Answer:

It belongs to a specific person but he is not known, so he should give it in charity on his behalf. It is not like Luqtat al-Haraam, which refers to property whose owner is not known. And Allaah knows best.