15/38. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 1378 — Reviving Barren Land
What Has Been Mentioned About Reviving Barren Land
Hadith About Reviving Barren Land in Islam
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 1378
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 1378
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ الثَّقَفِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا أَيُّوبُ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ زَيْدٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَنْ أَحْيَى أَرْضًا مَيِّتَةً فَهِيَ لَهُ وَلَيْسَ لِعِرْقِ ظَالِمٍ حَقٌّ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غَرِيبٌ . وَقَدْ رَوَاهُ بَعْضُهُمْ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مُرْسَلاً . وَالْعَمَلُ عَلَى هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ عِنْدَ بَعْضِ أَهْلِ الْعِلْمِ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ أَحْمَدَ وَإِسْحَاقَ قَالُوا لَهُ أَنْ يُحْيِيَ الأَرْضَ الْمَوَاتَ بِغَيْرِ إِذْنِ السُّلْطَانِ . وَقَدْ قَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لَيْسَ لَهُ أَنْ يُحْيِيَهَا إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ السُّلْطَانِ . وَالْقَوْلُ الأَوَّلُ أَصَحُّ . قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنْ جَابِرٍ وَعَمْرِو بْنِ عَوْفٍ الْمُزَنِيِّ جَدِّ كَثِيرٍ وَسَمُرَةَ . حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُوسَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْوَلِيدِ الطَّيَالِسِيَّ عَنْ قَوْلِهِ " وَلَيْسَ لِعِرْقِ ظَالِمٍ حَقٌّ " . فَقَالَ الْعِرْقُ الظَّالِمُ الْغَاصِبُ الَّذِي يَأْخُذُ مَا لَيْسَ لَهُ . قُلْتُ هُوَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي يَغْرِسُ فِي أَرْضِ غَيْرِهِ قَالَ هُوَ ذَاكَ .
Sa'eed bin Zaid Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) Said: "Whoever Revives A Barren Land Then It Is For Him, And There Is No Right For The Unjust Root."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1378In-book reference : Book 15, Hadith 59English translation : Vol. 3, Book 13, Hadith 1378
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 1378
This hadith about reviving barren land in Islam reports Sa'eed bin Zaid narrating that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said whoever revives a barren land, then it is for him, and there is no right for the unjust root. The supplied Arabic explanation says the unjust root refers to a wrongdoer who takes what is not his, such as planting in another person's land. The hadith joins two ideas: productive work on dead land and rejection of wrongful claims. It encourages making unused land beneficial, but not by taking over someone else's right. The main lesson is that effort matters, yet injustice does not become valid just because someone planted or worked.
What we learn from this hadith
- Reviving barren land is recognized in this hadith.
- Wrongful planting or taking does not create a right.
- Useful work must stay away from injustice.
- Land benefit and land rights should both be respected.
