35b/45: Chapter
Sunan an-Nasai 3880 — Clear and Fair Agricultural Sales
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
Hadith About Al-Muhaqalah and Al-Muzabanah in Fair Trade
Sunan an-Nasai : 3880
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3880
أَخْبَرَنِي زِيَادُ بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبَّادُ بْنُ الْعَوَّامِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ بْنُ حُسَيْنٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى عَنِ الْمُحَاقَلَةِ وَالْمُزَابَنَةِ وَالْمُخَابَرَةِ وَعَنِ الثُّنْيَا إِلاَّ أَنْ تُعْلَمَ. وَفِي رِوَايَةِ هَمَّامِ بْنِ يَحْيَى كَالدَّلِيلِ عَلَى أَنَّ عَطَاءً لَمْ يَسْمَعْ مِنْ جَابِرٍ حَدِيثَهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ كَانَ لَهُ أَرْضٌ فَلْيَزْرَعْهَا ".
Jabir Narrated from:
The Prophet forbade Al-Muhaqalah, Al-Muzabanah, Al-Mukhabarah and exceptions when selling, unless they were well-defined.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3880In-book reference : Book 35b, Hadith 24English translation : Vol. 4, Book 35, Hadith 3911
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3880
This hadith sets a clear rule for fair agricultural sales. The Prophet forbade Al-Muhaqalah, Al-Muzabanah, Al-Mukhabarah, and unclear exceptions in a sale. The main lesson is that a farm transaction should not leave an important part vague or unknown. An exception may be made only when it is well-defined. For someone searching for the meaning of Al-Muhaqalah or Al-Muzabanah in Islam, this narration points directly to clarity in buying and selling. It does not give every legal detail of these terms, so the safest explanation is to stay with its wording: these named practices were forbidden, and an exception in a sale had to be known. Clear terms help both sides understand what is included and what is excluded.
What we learn from this hadith
- Named agricultural sale practices such as Al-Muhaqalah and Al-Muzabanah were forbidden.
- An exception in a sale should be clearly known and defined.
- Farm transactions should avoid terms that leave the subject of sale uncertain.
- The hadith directs buyers and sellers toward clear agreements.
