35b/45: Chapter
Sunan an-Nasai 3917 — Prohibition of Al-Mukhabarah
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
Al-Mukhabarah Hadith: Ibn Umar Leaves the Farming Agreement
Sunan an-Nasai : 3917
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 3917
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا وَكِيعٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ دِينَارٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ عُمَرَ، يَقُولُ كُنَّا نُخَابِرُ وَلاَ نَرَى بِذَلِكَ بَأْسًا حَتَّى زَعَمَ رَافِعُ بْنُ خَدِيجٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى عَنِ الْمُخَابَرَةِ.
`Amr bin Dinar Narrated from:
I heard Ibn 'Umar say: 'We used to sell grain before it was ripe and before it was evident that it was free of disease and blight (by means of Al-Mukhabarah). We did not see anything wrong with that, until Rafi' bin Khadij said that the Messenger of Allah had forbidden Al-Mukhabarah.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3917In-book reference : Book 35b, Hadith 61English translation : Vol. 4, Book 35, Hadith 3948
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 3917
This hadith concerns Al-Mukhabarah, a farming arrangement named in the report. Ibn 'Umar said that they had practiced it and did not see anything wrong with it. The translation describes grain being dealt with before it was ripe and before freedom from disease and blight was clear. Their view changed when Rafi' bin Khadij said that the Messenger of Allah had forbidden Al-Mukhabarah. The narration does not give a long legal definition or list every condition of the agreement. Its focus is the change caused by the prophetic report. For readers searching for the Al-Mukhabarah hadith, the key points are that the practice had been accepted by those involved, Rafi' conveyed a prohibition, and that report became the reason for leaving the earlier view.
What we learn from this hadith
- Ibn Umar said they had practiced Al-Mukhabarah without seeing harm in it.
- The report mentions grain before ripeness and clear safety from blight.
- Rafi bin Khadij conveyed that the Messenger of Allah forbade the practice.
- The prophetic report changed their earlier understanding.
