Chapter: To share the yields and fruits

My uncle Zuhair said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade us to do a thing which was a source of help to us." I said, "Whatever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said was right." He said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) 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 Messenger (ﷺ) 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.'

The people used to rent their land for cultivation for one-third, one-fourth or half its yield. The Prophet said, "Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his (Muslim) brother gratis; otherwise keep it uncultivated." Narrated Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his (Muslim) brother gratis; otherwise he should keep it uncultivated."

When I mentioned it (i.e. the narration of Rafi` 'bin Khadij: no. 532) to Tawus, he said, "It is permissible to rent the land for cultivation, for Ibn `Abbas said, 'The Prophet (ﷺ) did not forbid that, but said: One had better give the land to one's brother gratis rather than charge a certain amount for it.' "

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 (ﷺ) 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 lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) for the yield of the banks of the water streams (rivers) and for certain amount of figs.

`Abdullah bin `Umar said, "I knew that the land was rented for cultivation in the lifetime of Allah's Apostle." Later on Ibn `Umar was afraid that the Prophet (ﷺ) had forbidden it, and he had no knowledge of it, so he gave up renting his land.