The Book of Agriculture

كتاب المزارعة

Chapter 1: The Third Of The Conditions, In It Is Sharecropping (Muzara'ah) And Contracting

It was narrated that Abu Sa'eed said

"When you hire a worker, tell him what his wages will be."

It was narrated from Hammad and Qatadah, concerning a man who said to another man

"I will lease (something) from you until I reach Makkah for such and such a payment, and if I travel for a month or such and such -something that he named- I will give you such and such in addition." They did not see anything wrong with that, but they did not like it if he said: "If I travel for more than a month I will deduct such and such from your lease."

Chapter 2: Mentioning The Differing Hadiths Regarding The Prohibition Of Leasing Out Land In Return For One Third, Or One Quarter Of The Harvest And The Different Wordings Reported By The Narrators

Usaid bin Rafi' bin Khadij said

"Rafi' bin Khadij said: 'The Messenger of Allah has forbidden something for you that used to be beneficial for us, but obedience to the Messenger of Allah is more beneficial for us. He said: "Whoever has land let him cultivate it, and if he is unable to do so, let him give it to his brother to cultivate."'"

Rafi' bin Khadij said

"The Messenger of Allah came out to us and forbade something for us that had been beneficial for us. He said: 'Whoever has land, let him cultivate it or give it to someone else (to cultivate), or leave it.'"

It was narrated from Jabir that the Prophet forbade Al-Muhaqalah, Al-Muzabanah, Al-Mukhabarah and exceptions when selling, unless they were well-defined.

It was narrated from Jabir bin 'Abdullah

"The Prophet forbade Al-Haql and it is Al-Muzabanah."

It was narrated that Rafi' bin Khadij said

"The Messenger of Allah forbade Al-Muhaqalah and Al-Muzabanah, and said: 'Only three may cultivate: A man who has land which he cultivates; a man who was given some land and cultivates what he was given; and a man who takes land on lease for gold or silver.'"

It was narrated that Rafi' bin Khadij said

"My paternal uncle told me that they used to lease land at the time of the Messenger of Allah in return for what grew on the banks of the streams, and a share of the crop stipulated by the owner of the land. But the Messenger of Allah forbade us that." I (Hanzalah) said to Rafi': "How about leasing it in return for Dinars and Dirhams?" Rafi' said: "There is nothing wrong with (leasing it) for Dinars and Dirhams."

It was narrated that Usaid bin Zuhair said

"Rafi' bin Khadij came to us and I was not sure what he meant. He said: 'The Messenger of Allah has forbidden to you something that used to benefit you, but obedience to the Messenger of Allah is better for you than that which benefits you. The Messenger of Allah has forbidden Al-Haql for you. Al-Haql means share-cropping the land in return for one-third or one-quarter (of the yield). So whoever has land that he does not need, let him give it to his brother (to cultivate it) or let him leave it. And he has forbidden to you Al-Muzabanah. Al-Muzabanah means when a man has a great number of datepalms and says: Take it in return for (a certain number of) Wasqs of dried dates this year.'"

It was narrated that Mujahid said

"I took Tawus by the hand and brought him to Ibn Rafi' bin Khadij, and he told him, narrating from his father, that the Messenger of Allah forbade leasing land. Tawus rejected that and said: 'I heard Ibn 'Abbas (say) that he did not see anything wrong with that.'"

It was narrated that Jabir said

"Some people had some extra land which they leased out in return for half of the yield, or one-third, or one-quarter. The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever has land, let him cultivate it, or give it to his brother to cultivate or keep it (without cultivating it).'"

It was narrated from Jabir that the Prophet forbade Al-Mukhabarah, Al-Muzabanah and Al-Muhaqalah, and selling fruit until it is fit to eat (ripe enough), except in the case of Al-'Araya.

It was narrated from Jabir bin 'Abdullah that the Prophet forbade Al-Muzabanah and Al-Mukhadarah. He (one of the narrators) said

"Al-Mukhadarah means selling fruit before it ripens and Al-Mukhabarah means selling grapes in return for a certain number of Sa's."

It was narrated that Abu Ja'far Al-Khatmi - whose name was 'Umair bin Yazid - said

"My paternal uncle sent me with a slave of his, to Sa'eed bin Al-Musayyab to ask him about Al-Muzara'ah. He said: 'Ibn 'Umar did not see anything wrong with it, until he heard the Hadith from Rafi' bin Khadij. Then he met him, and Rafi' said: "The Prophet came to Banu Harithah and saw some crops. He said: 'How good are the crops of Zubair.' They said: 'It is not Zubair's.' He said: 'Is the land not Zubair's?' They said: 'No (it is not his), rather he is leasing it.' The Messenger of Allah said: 'Take your crops and give him what he spent.' So we took our crops, and gave him what he had spent."

Chapter 1: The Third Of The Conditions, In It Is Sharecropping (Muzara'ah) And Contracting

It was narrated from Hammad -Ibn Abi Sulaiman- that he was asked about a man who hired a worker in return for food and he said

"No, not until he tells him (what his wages will be)."

Chapter 2: Mentioning The Differing Hadiths Regarding The Prohibition Of Leasing Out Land In Return For One Third, Or One Quarter Of The Harvest And The Different Wordings Reported By The Narrators

It was narrated from Usaid bin Zuhair that he went out to his people, Banu Harithah, and said

"O Banu Harithah, a calamity has befallen you." They said: "What is it?" He said: "The Messenger of Allah has forbidden leasing land." We said: "O Messenger of Allah, what if we lease it in return for some of the grain?" He said, "No." He said: "We used to lease it in return for straw." He said: "No." "We used to lease it in return for what is planted on the banks of a stream that is used for irrigation." He said: "No. Cultivate it (yourself) or give it to your brother."

It was narrated that Usaid bin Zuhair said

"Rafi' bin Khadij came to us and said: 'The Messenger of Allah has forbidden for you Al-Haql. Al-Haql is the third and the fourth. And Al-Muzabanah. Al-Muzabanah is to buy what is at the top of the date-palm trees in return for a certain number of Wasqs of dried dates.'"

It was narrated that Rafi' bin Khadij said

"The Prophet passed by the land of a man from among the Ansar who he knew was in need and said: 'Whose is this land?' He said: 'So and so's; he has given it to us in return for rent.' He said: 'Why did he not give it to his brother?'" Rafi' came to the Ansar and said: "The Messenger of Allah has forbidden something for you which was beneficial, but obedience to the command of the Messenger of Allah is more beneficial for you."

It was narrated that Rafi' bin Khadij said

"The Messenger of Allah forbade Al-Haql (renting land in return for one-third or one-quarter of the produce)."

It was narrated that 'Amr bin Dinar said

"Tawus regarded it disliked renting out land for gold and silver, but he did not see anything wrong with leasing it in return for one-third or one-quarter (of the yield). Mujahid said to him: 'Go to Ibn Rafi' bin Khadij and listen to his Hadith.' He said: 'By Allah, if I knew that the Messenger of Allah had forbidden that I would not have done it. But my Hadith comes from one who is more knowledgeable than him. Ibn 'Abbas (said) that the Messenger of Allah said: "If one of you were to give his land to his brother (to cultivate it), that would be better than taking an agreed portion of the yield."'"