Chapter

The Book of Agriculture

كتاب المزارعة

Arabic Text

أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ زُرَارَةَ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عَوْنٍ، قَالَ كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ يَقُولُ الأَرْضُ عِنْدِي مِثْلُ مَالِ الْمُضَارَبَةِ فَمَا صَلُحَ فِي مَالِ الْمُضَارَبَةِ صَلُحَ فِي الأَرْضِ وَمَا لَمْ يَصْلُحْ فِي مَالِ الْمُضَارَبَةِ لَمْ يَصْلُحْ فِي الأَرْضِ‏.‏‏ قَالَ وَكَانَ لاَ يَرَى بَأْسًا أَنْ يَدْفَعَ أَرْضَهُ إِلَى الأَكَّارِ عَلَى أَنْ يَعْمَلَ فِيهَا بِنَفْسِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَأَعْوَانِهِ وَبَقَرِهِ وَلاَ يُنْفِقَ شَيْئًا وَتَكُونَ النَّفَقَةُ كُلُّهَا مِنْ رَبِّ الأَرْضِ‏.‏‏

English Translation

Ibn 'Awn said:

"Muhammad used to say: 'In my view land is like the wealth put into a Mudarabah (limited partnership) contract. Whatever is valid with regard to the wealth put into a Mudarabah partnership, is valid with regard to land, and whatever is not valid with regard to the wealth put into a Mudarabah partnership, then it is not valid with regard to land.'" He said: "He did not see anything wrong with giving all of his land to the plowman on the basis that he would work with it himself, or with his children, and helpers, and oxen, and, that he would not spend anything on it; all expenses were to be paid by the owner of the land."