35b/45: Chapter
Sunan an-Nasai 3909 — Stopping Land Rent After Verification
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
Ibn Umar Stops Taking Land Rent After Checking the Hadith
Sunan an-Nasai : 3909
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3909
أَخْبَرَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا ابْنُ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، كَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ يَأْخُذُ كِرَاءَ الأَرْضِ فَبَلَغَهُ عَنْ رَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ، شَىْءٌ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِي فَمَشَى إِلَى رَافِعٍ وَأَنَا مَعَهُ فَحَدَّثَهُ رَافِعٌ عَنْ بَعْضِ عُمُومَتِهِ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى عَنْ كِرَاءِ الأَرْضِ. فَتَرَكَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بَعْدُ.
Nafi Narrated from:
Ibn 'Umar used to take rent for some land, then he heard something from Rafi' bin Khadij. He took me by the hand and went off to Rafi', and I was with him. Rafi' narrated to him from some of his paternal uncles, that the Messenger of Allah forbade leasing land, so 'Abdullah stopped (doing that) afterward.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3909In-book reference : Book 35b, Hadith 53English translation : Vol. 4, Book 35, Hadith 3940
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3909
This hadith shows 'Abdullah bin 'Umar responding to new information with direct action. He had been taking rent for some land. When he heard that Rafi' bin Khadij had a report about the matter, he took Nafi' by the hand and went to Rafi'. Rafi' then narrated from some of his paternal uncles that the Messenger of Allah forbade leasing land. After hearing the report, Ibn 'Umar stopped the practice. The narration is simple and focused. It does not describe the rent amount or the exact produce involved. Its main message is that Ibn 'Umar checked the report with the person who transmitted it and then changed what he was doing. For readers, it is a clear example of verifying a hadith and taking it seriously.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ibn Umar sought the report directly from Rafi bin Khadij.
- Nafi accompanied him and witnessed the meeting.
- Rafi transmitted the prohibition from some of his paternal uncles.
- Ibn Umar stopped taking land rent after hearing the report.
