CHAPTER 1. The superiority of sowing seeds and planting trees.

3:513 Narrated by Anas bin Malik

Allah’s Apostle said, “There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him.”

CHAPTER 2. What is to be afraid of the results of indulging in the agricultural mechanical equipment, or to transgress the prescribed limits.

3:514 Narrated by Abu Umama al-Bahili

I saw some agricultural equipments and said: “I heard the Prophet saying: “There is no house in which these equipment enters except that Allah will cause humiliation to enter it.”

CHAPTER 3. Keeping a watch-dog for the farm.

3:515 Narrated by Abu Huraira

Allah’s Apostle said, “Whoever keeps a dog, one Qirat of the reward of his good deeds is deducted daily, unless the dog is used for guarding a farm or cattle.” Abu Huraira (in another narration) said from the Prophet, “unless it is used for guarding sheep or farms, or for hunting.” Narrated Abu Hazim from Abu Huraira: The Prophet said, “A dog for guarding cattle or for hunting.”

CHAPTER 4. Employing oxen for ploughing.

3:517 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Prophet said, “While a man was riding a cow, it turned towards him and said, ‘I have not been created for this purpose (i.e. carrying), I have been created for sloughing.” The Prophet added, “I, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar believe in the story.” The Prophet went on, “A wolf caught a sheep, and when the shepherd chased it, the wolf said, ‘Who will be its guard on the day of wild beasts, when there will be no shepherd for it except me?’ “After narrating it, the Prophet said, “I, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar too believe it.” Abu Salama (a sub-narrator) said, “Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were not present then.” (It has been written that a wolf also spoke to one of the companions of the Prophet near Medina as narrated in Fatah-al-Bari: Narrated Unais bin ‘Amr: Ahban bin Aus said, “I was amongst my sheep. Suddenly a wolf caught a sheep and I shouted at it. The wolf sat on its tail and addressed me, saying, ‘Who will look after it (i.e. the sheep) when you will be busy and not able to look after it? Do you forbid me the provision which Allah has provided me?’ ” Ahban added, “I clapped my hands and said, ‘By Allah, I have never seen anything more curious and wonderful than this!’ On that the wolf said, ‘There is something (more curious) and wonderful than this; that is, Allah’s Apostle in those palm trees, inviting people to Allah (i.e. Islam).’ “Unais bin ‘Amr further said, “Then Ahban went to Allah’s Apostle and informed him what happened and embraced Islam.)” palm trees or other trees and share the fruits with me.”

CHAPTER 5. (It is permissible for one) to say to another, “Look after my date-palm trees or other trees and share the fruits with me.”

3:518 Narrated by Abu Huraira

The Ansar said to the Prophet “Distribute the date palm trees between us and our emigrant brothers.” He replied, “No.” The Ansar said (to the emigrants), “Look after the trees (water and watch them) and share the fruits with us.” The emigrants said, “We listen and obey.”

3:520 Narrated by Rafi’ bin Khadij

We worked on farms more than anybody else in Medina. We used to rent the land at the yield of specific delimited portion of it to be given to the landlord. Sometimes the vegetation of that portion was affected by blights etc., while the rest remained safe and vice versa, so the Prophet forbade this practice. At that time gold or silver were not used (for renting the land). If they provided the seeds, they would get so-and-so much. Al-Hasan said, “There is no harm if the land belongs to one but both spend on it and the yield is divided between them.” Az-Zuhri had the same opinion. Al-Hasan said, “There is no harm if cotton is picked on the condition of having half the yield.” Ibrahim, Ibn Siain, ‘Ata’, Al-Hakam, Az-Zuhri and Qatada said, “There is no harm in giving the yarn to the weaver to weave into cloth on the basis that one-third or one-fourth (or any other portion) of the cloth is given to the weaver for his labor.” Ma’am said, “There is no harm in hiring animals for a definite (fixed) period on the basis that one-third or one-fourth of the products carried by the animals is given to the owner of the animals.”

CHAPTER 6. Temporary share-cropping contract on basis of dividing the yield into two halves, one for each partner etc.

3:521 Narrated by ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar

The Prophet concluded a contract with the people of Khaibar to utilize the land on the condition that half the products of fruits or vegetation would be their share. The Prophet used to give his wives one hundred Wasqs each, eighty Wasqs of dates and twenty Wasqs of barley. (When ‘Umar became the Caliph) he gave the wives of the Prophet the option of either having the land and water as their shares, or carrying on the previous practice. Some of them chose the land and some chose the Wasqs, and ‘Aisha chose the land.

3:523 Narrated by ‘Amr

I said to Tawus, “I wish you would give up Mukhabara (Share-cropping), for the people say that the Prophet forbade it.” On that Tawus replied, “O ‘Amr! I give the land to share-croppers and help them. No doubt; the most learned man, namely Ibn ‘Abbas told me that the Prophet had not forbidden it but said, ‘It is more beneficial for one to give his land free to one’s brother than to charge him a fixed rental.”

CHAPTER 7. The Auqâf (i.e. endowments) of the companions of the Prophet , .O and the land of Kharâj (Zakât), the contracts of share-cropping and other agreements of the companions.

3:527 Narrated by Zaid bin Aslam from his father

Umar said, “But for the future Muslim generations, I would have distributed the land of the villages I conquer among the soldiers as the Prophet distributed the land of Khaibar.”

CHAPTER 8. Whoever cultivates neglected uncultivated land belonging to nobody (will own it).

3:528 Narrated by ‘Aisha

The Prophet said, “He who cultivates land that does not belong to anybody is more rightful (to own it).” ‘Urwa said, “Umar gave the same verdict in his Caliphate.”

3:531 Narrated by Ibn ‘Umar

Umar expelled the Jews and the Christians from Hijaz. When Allah’s Apostle had conquered Khaibar, he wanted to expel the Jews from it as its land became the property of Allah, His Apostle, and the Muslims. Allah’s Apostle intended to expel the Jews but they requested him to let them stay there on the condition that they would do the labor and get half of the fruits. Allah’s Apostle told them, “We will let you stay on thus condition, as long as we wish.” So, they (i.e. Jews) kept on living there until ‘Umar forced them to go towards Taima’ and Ariha’.

CHAPTER 9. The companions of the Prophet used to share the yields and fruits of their farms with each other gratis.

3:532 Narrated by Rafi bin Khadij

My uncle Zuhair said, “Allah’s Apostle forbade us to do a thing which was a source of help to us.” I said, “Whatever Allah’s Apostle said was right.” He said, “Allah’s Apostle sent for me and asked, ‘What are you doing with your farms?’ I replied, ‘We give our farms on rent on the basis that we get the yield produced at the banks of the water streams (rivers) for the rent, or rent it for some Wasqs of barley and dates.’ Allah’s Apostle said, ‘Do not do so, but cultivate (the land) yourselves or let it be cultivated by others gratis, or keep it uncultivated.’ I said, ‘We hear and obey.’

3:535 Narrated by Nafi

Ibn ‘Umar used to rent his farms in the time of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthman, and in the early days of Muawiya. Then he was told the narration of Rafi ‘bin Khadij that the Prophet had forbidden the renting of farms. Ibn ‘Umar went to Rafi’ and I accompanied him. He asked Rafi who replied that the Prophet had forbidden the renting of farms. Ibn ‘Umar said, “You know that we used to rent our farms in the life-time of Allah’s Apostle for the yield of the banks of the water streams (rivers) and for certain amount of figs.

3:536 Narrated by Salim

Abdullah bin ‘Umar said, “I knew that the land was rented for cultivation in the life-time of Allah’s Apostle .” Later on Ibn ‘Umar was afraid that the Prophet had forbidden it, and he had no knowledge of it, so he gave up renting his land.

CHAPTER 10.

3:538 Narrated by Abu Huraira

Once the Prophet was narrating (a story), while a bedouin was sitting with him. “One of the inhabitants of Paradise will ask Allah to allow him to cultivate the land. Allah will ask him, ‘Are you not living in the pleasures you like?’ He will say, ‘Yes, but I like to cultivate the land.’ ” The Prophet added, “When the man (will be permitted he) will sow the seeds and the plants will grow up and get ripe, ready for reaping and so on till it will be as huge as mountains within a wink. Allah will then say to him, ‘O son of Adam! Take here you are, gather (the yield); nothing satisfies you.’ ” On that, the bedouin said, “The man must be either from Quraish (i.e. an emigrant) or an Ansari, for they are farmers, whereas we are not farmers.” The Prophet smiled (at this).