1/61. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 139b — Wrongful Land Claims
Warning of the Fire for the one who swears a false oath in order to unlawfully take the right of another muslim
Taking Land Unjustly Hadith: Wrongful Claims and Allah’s Anger
Sahih Muslim : 139b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 139b
وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ أَبِي الْوَلِيدِ، قَالَ زُهَيْرٌ حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ عُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ عَلْقَمَةَ بْنِ وَائِلٍ، عَنْ وَائِلِ بْنِ حُجْرٍ، قَالَ كُنْتُ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَتَاهُ رَجُلاَنِ يَخْتَصِمَانِ فِي أَرْضٍ فَقَالَ أَحَدُهُمَا إِنَّ هَذَا انْتَزَى عَلَى أَرْضِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ - وَهُوَ امْرُؤُ الْقَيْسِ بْنُ عَابِسٍ الْكِنْدِيُّ وَخَصْمُهُ رَبِيعَةُ بْنُ عِبْدَانَ - قَالَ " بَيِّنَتُكَ " . قَالَ لَيْسَ لِي بَيِّنَةٌ . قَالَ " يَمِينُهُ " . قَالَ إِذًا يَذْهَبُ بِهَا . قَالَ " لَيْسَ لَكَ إِلاَّ ذَاكَ " . قَالَ فَلَمَّا قَامَ لِيَحْلِفَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنِ اقْتَطَعَ أَرْضًا ظَالِمًا لَقِيَ اللَّهَ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ غَضْبَانُ " . قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ فِي رِوَايَتِهِ رَبِيعَةُ بْنُ عَيْدَانَ .
Hujr Narrated from:
I was with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that two men came there disputing over a piece of land. One of them said: Messenger of Allah, this man appropriated my land without justification in the days of ignorance. The (claimant) was Imru'l-Qais b. 'Abis al-Kindi and his opponent was Rabi'a b. 'Iban He (the Holy Prophet) said (to the claimant): Have you evidence (to substantiate your claim)? He replied: I have no evidence. Upon this he (the Messenger of Allah) remarked: Then his (that is of the defendant) is the oath. He (the claimant) said: In this case he (the defendant) would appropriate this (the property). He (the Holy Prophet) said: There is than no other way left for you but this.He (the narrator) said: When he (the defendant) stood up to take oath, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: He who appropriated the land wrongfully would meet Allah in a state that He would be angry with him. Ishaq in his narration mentions Rabi'a b. 'Aidan (instead of Rabi'a b. 'Ibdan).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 139bIn-book reference : Book 1, Hadith 266USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 1, Hadith 258
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 139b
This taking land unjustly hadith tells of two men disputing over a piece of land. One claimed the other had seized his land without right in the days of ignorance. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم asked for evidence. When the claimant had none, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said the other man’s oath would be used. The claimant worried that this would let the other man take it, but the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said there was no other way for him. When the man stood to take the oath, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم warned that whoever takes land wrongfully would meet Allah while He is angry with him. The Hadith teaches respect for evidence, fear of false claims, and the danger of unjust land taking.
What we learn from this hadith
- Wrongful land taking is warned against in strong terms.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked for evidence before judging the claim.
- A person should not use an oath to take land without right.
