the Messenger of Allah ruled that if a man found (his goods) in the possession of a man who was not guilty, then if he wished he could give the man what he had paid for it, or if he wished he could go after the one who had stolen it. Abu Bakr and 'Umar passed similar judgments.
Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 4679 In-book : Book 44, Hadith 231 English translation : Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 4683
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