Bringing barren Lands into Cultivation ; and the use of Water - Section 2 Mishkat al-Masabih 3003
Arabic hadith text
وَعَنْ طَاوُسٍ مُرْسَلًا: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «من أحيى مَوَاتًا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ فَهُوَ لَهُ وَعَادِيُّ الْأَرْضِ لِلَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ هِيَ لَكُمْ مِنِّي» . رَوَاهُ الشَّافِعِي
Translation
Tawus, in mursal form, reported God's Messenger as saying, “If anyone cultivates barren land it belongs to him, but ancient property belongs to God and His Messenger and then comes to you from me.” Shafi‘i transmitted it.