Question
What is the ruling on searching for gold if it is on my land or someone else's land? Does the state have any authority over this gold?
Answer
I say, and with God's guidance: If the gold is in your land, it is your right, and if it is in someone else's land, it is the right of that other person. The principle is that it should belong to the finder if it is in permissible land, and one-fifth must be paid to the state like in the case of spoils of war, as mentioned in the hadith. And God knows best.