Chapter: Leasing out Land (Kira) in return for food

We used to give on rent land during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). We rented it on the share of one-third or one-fourth of the (produce) along with a definite quantity of corn. One day a person from among my uncles came to us and said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade us this act which was a source of benefit to us, but the obedience to Allah and to His Messenger (ﷺ) is more beneficial to us. He forbade us that we should rent land with one-third or one-fourth of (the produce) and the corn of a measure, and he commanded the owner of land that he should cultivate it or let it be cultivated by other (persons) but he showed disapproval of renting it or anything besides it.

We used to give land on rent, and we rented it on one-third or one-fourth share. The rest of the hadith is the same.

Another chain narrated the same as the above hadith.

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Rafi' b. Khadij with the same chain of transmitters, but in it no mention is made of some of his uncles.

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) forbade a practice which was useful for us. I said: What is this? (I believe) that whatrver Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) says is absolutely true. He (Zuhair) said that he (the Holy Prophet) asked me: What do you do with your cultivable lands? I said: Allah's Messenger, we rent those irrigated by canals for dry dates or barley. He said: Don't do that. Cultivate them or let them be cultivated (by others) or retain them yourself.

This hadith has been transmitted on the authority of Rafi from the Prophet (ﷺ) about this, but he did not make mention of his uncle Zuhair.