Bringing barren Lands into Cultivation ; and the use of Water - Section 1 Mishkat al-Masabih 2991
Arabic hadith text
عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَنْ عَمَرَ أَرْضًا لَيْسَتْ لِأَحَدٍ فَهُوَ أَحَقُّ» . قَالَ عُرْوَةُ: قَضَى بِهِ عُمَرُ فِي خِلَافَتِهِ. رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ
Translation
‘A’isha reported the Prophet as saying, “He who develops land which has no owner has the best right to it.” ‘Urwa said that ‘Umar gave decision accordingly during his caliphate. Bukhari transmitted it.