35b/45: Chapter
Sunan an-Nasai 3898 — Known Cash Rent for Farmland
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
Leasing Farmland for Dinars and Dirhams in Islam
Sunan an-Nasai : 3898
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3898
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حُجَيْنُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ حَنْظَلَةَ بْنِ قَيْسٍ، عَنْ رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عَمِّي، أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يُكْرُونَ الأَرْضَ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمَا يَنْبُتُ عَلَى الأَرْبِعَاءِ وَشَىْءٍ مِنَ الزَّرْعِ يَسْتَثْنِي صَاحِبُ الأَرْضِ فَنَهَانَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنْ ذَلِكَ. فَقُلْتُ لِرَافِعٍ فَكَيْفَ كِرَاؤُهَا بِالدِّينَارِ وَالدِّرْهَمِ فَقَالَ رَافِعٌ لَيْسَ بِهَا بَأْسٌ بِالدِّينَارِ وَالدِّرْهَمِ. خَالَفَهُ الأَوْزَاعِيُّ.
Rafi' bin Khadij Narrated from:
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."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3898In-book reference : Book 35b, Hadith 42English translation : Vol. 4, Book 35, Hadith 3929
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3898
This hadith distinguishes between two land-rental arrangements. People had leased land in return for crops growing on the banks of streams and for another crop share reserved by the owner. The Messenger of Allah forbade that arrangement. Hanzalah then asked Rafi' bin Khadij about renting land for Dinars and Dirhams, and Rafi' said there was nothing wrong with it. For users searching for cash rent for farmland in Islam, the contrast is clear in the text. One return depended on selected crop areas and an owner's stated share, while the other used money. The explanation should stay with these forms and should not claim a rule for every contract. The narration supports clear monetary rent while rejecting the uncertain crop-based terms described.
What we learn from this hadith
- Rent tied to crops on stream banks was forbidden in the report.
- An additional crop share reserved by the owner was part of the rejected arrangement.
- Rafi' said there was nothing wrong with rent paid in Dinars and Dirhams.
- The form of payment changes the nature of the lease described.
