the owner despairs of it, ceases to care for it, and leaves off searching for it. The requirement of announcement lapses if it is delayed beyond the first year, according to the text narrated from Ahmad; because the wisdom behind the announcement is not attained after the first year. If one omits it for part of the year, one announces it for the remainder. It is also inferred that the announcement does not lapse by its delay (28); because it is an obligation, so it does not lapse by delaying it beyond its time, just like acts of worship and other obligations. Also, because the announcement in the second year accomplishes the intended purpose in some way (29) of deficiency, so it is obligatory to perform it, due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "If I command you to do something, perform of it what you are able." (30) Based on this, if one delays the announcement for part of the year, one performs the announcement in the remainder of it and completes it from the second year. On both accounts, one does not gain ownership by announcement [except for] (31) the first year; because the condition for ownership is announcement in the first year, and that did not occur. Is it permissible for him to give it away as charity or to keep it (32) with him forever? There are two narrations. It is possible that he is required to hand it over to the authority (hakim), as we have stated regarding a case where one finds something (33) that is not permitted to be picked up. If he omits the announcement for part of the first year, he also does not gain ownership by announcing it thereafter; because the condition has not been completed, and the absence of part of a condition is like the absence of all of it, just as if one were to fail in part of the purification (tahara) or part of the covering (sutra) in prayer.

Section: If one omits the announcement in the first year due to being unable to do so, such as leaving it due to illness, imprisonment, forgetfulness, or the like, there are two views. One is that its ruling is the ruling of what happens if one leaves it despite being