15/26. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1363 — Water Dispute and Justice
What Has Been Related About The Case Of Two Men And One Of Them Lives Downstream From The Other
Hadith About Water Rights and Accepting Judgment
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1363
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1363
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ الزُّبَيْرِ حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ خَاصَمَ الزُّبَيْرَ عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي شِرَاجِ الْحَرَّةِ الَّتِي يَسْقُونَ بِهَا النَّخْلَ فَقَالَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ سَرِّحِ الْمَاءَ يَمُرُّ . فَأَبَى عَلَيْهِ فَاخْتَصَمُوا عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لِلزُّبَيْرِ " اسْقِ يَا زُبَيْرُ ثُمَّ أَرْسِلِ الْمَاءَ إِلَى جَارِكَ " . فَغَضِبَ الأَنْصَارِيُّ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَنْ كَانَ ابْنَ عَمَّتِكَ فَتَلَوَّنَ وَجْهُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ قَالَ " يَا زُبَيْرُ اسْقِ ثُمَّ احْبِسِ الْمَاءَ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ إِلَى الْجَدْرِ " . فَقَالَ الزُّبَيْرُ وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لأَحْسِبُ نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ فِي ذَلِكَ : (فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ) . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَرَوَى شُعَيْبُ بْنُ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ عَنِ الزُّبَيْرِ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ . وَرَوَاهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ عَنِ اللَّيْثِ وَيُونُسَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ نَحْوَ الْحَدِيثِ الأَوَّلِ .
'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair Narrated from:
A Man From The Ansar Disputed With Az-Zubair Before The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) About The Canals Of Harrah Which They Used To Irrigate The Date Palms. The Ansari Said: 'Let The Water Pass'. But He Refused, So They Brought Their Dispute To The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Said To Az-Zubair: 'O Zubair! Irrigate (Your Land) Then Let The Water Pass To You Neighbor.'The Ansari Became Angry And Said:'[O Messenger Of Allah!] Is This Because He Is Your Aunt'S Son?' The Face Of The Messenger Of Allah (ﷺ) Changed Color. Then He Said: 'O Zubair! Irrigate (Your Land) And Then Withhold The Water Until It Reaches The Walls.' Az-Zubair Said: 'By Allah! I Think That This Ayah Was Revealed About That: But No, By Your Lord, They Can Have No Faith Until They Make You (O Muhammad) Judge In All Disputes Between Them, And Find In Themselves No Resistance Against Your Decisions And Accept (Them) With Full Submission.'
[1] An-Nisā' 4:65.Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1363In-book reference : Book 15, Hadith 43English translation : Vol. 3, Book 13, Hadith 1363
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1363
This hadith about water rights in Islam describes a dispute between Az-Zubair and a man from the Ansar over canals used to water date palms. The Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) first told Az-Zubair to water his land, then let the water pass to his neighbor. When the Ansari reacted angrily and accused the judgment of favoring a relative, the Prophet's face changed, and he gave Az-Zubair a fuller instruction: water the land and hold the water until it reached the walls. Az-Zubair then connected the event to the verse about accepting the Prophet's judgment without resistance. The hadith teaches fairness in disputes, patience with rulings, and the need to accept a rightful judgment even when it is hard.
What we learn from this hadith
- Disputes should be taken to fair judgment.
- A person should avoid angry claims when a judgment goes against him.
- Water and land rights need clear and just handling.
- Believers should accept the Prophet's decision with submission.
