Sunan Abu Dawud #3075
Tribute, Spoils, and Rulership (Kitab Al-Kharaj, Wal-Fai' Wal-Imarah)
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادُ بْنُ السَّرِيِّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدَةُ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ إِسْحَاقَ - عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ
" مَنْ أَحْيَا أَرْضًا مَيْتَةً فَهِيَ لَهُ " . وَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ قَالَ فَلَقَدْ خَبَّرَنِي الَّذِي حَدَّثَنِي هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ أَنَّ رَجُلَيْنِ اخْتَصَمَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم غَرَسَ أَحَدُهُمَا نَخْلاً فِي أَرْضِ الآخَرِ فَقَضَى لِصَاحِبِ الأَرْضِ بِأَرْضِهِ وَأَمَرَ صَاحِبَ النَّخْلِ أَنْ يُخْرِجَ نَخْلَهُ مِنْهَا . قَالَ فَلَقَدْ رَأَيْتُهَا وَإِنَّهَا لَتُضْرَبُ أُصُولُهَا بِالْفُئُوسِ وَإِنَّهَا لَنَخْلٌ عُمٌّ حَتَّى أُخْرِجَتْ مِنْهَا .
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If anyone brings barren land into cultivation, it belong to him. He then transmitted a similar tradition mentioned above (No. 3067).
He ('Urwah) said: One who transmitted this tradition to me said that two persons brought their dispute to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). One of them grew palm trees in the land of the other. He decided to return the land to its owner of the palm-trees to remove his palm-trees. He said: I saw when their roots were being struck with axes. The trees were fully grown up, but they were removed from there.
Narrated by Narrated Urwah:
Context
This hadith discusses the concept of ownership and cultivation, stating that whoever revives barren land has the right to it. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) also resolved a dispute regarding land use, reinforcing the importance of rightful ownership and agreements in community interactions.
Modern Application
In modern contexts, this hadith encourages us to take initiative in our communities, whether through gardening, farming, or revitalizing neglected spaces. It highlights the value of contributing positively to our surroundings and respecting others' rights.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Community and Contracts & Agreements because it emphasizes the principles of ownership and the importance of agreements in communal living.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ الأَنۡعَامِ
Al-An'aam (The Cattle)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
۞ وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنشَأَ جَنَّٰتٍۢ مَّعْرُوشَٰتٍۢ وَغَيْرَ مَعْرُوشَٰتٍۢ وَٱلنَّخْلَ وَٱلزَّرْعَ مُخْتَلِفًا أُكُلُهُۥ وَٱلزَّيْتُونَ وَٱلرُّمَّانَ مُتَشَٰبِهًۭا وَغَيْرَ مُتَشَٰبِهٍۢ ۚ كُلُوا۟ مِن ثَمَرِهِۦٓ إِذَآ أَثْمَرَ وَءَاتُوا۟ حَقَّهُۥ يَوْمَ حَصَادِهِۦ ۖ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ
And He it is who causes gardens to grow, [both] trellised and untrellised, and palm trees and crops of different [kinds of] food and olives and pomegranates, similar and dissimilar. Eat of [each of] its fruit when it yields and give its due [zakah] on the day of its harvest. And be not excessive. Indeed, He does not like those who commit excess.
سُورَةُ النَّحۡلِ
An-Nahl (The Bee)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يُنۢبِتُ لَكُم بِهِ ٱلزَّرْعَ وَٱلزَّيْتُونَ وَٱلنَّخِيلَ وَٱلْأَعْنَٰبَ وَمِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ ۗ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَةًۭ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
He causes to grow for you thereby the crops, olives, palm trees, grapevines, and from all the fruits. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.
سُورَةُ الرَّعۡدِ
Ar-Ra'd (The Thunder)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَفِى ٱلْأَرْضِ قِطَعٌۭ مُّتَجَٰوِرَٰتٌۭ وَجَنَّٰتٌۭ مِّنْ أَعْنَٰبٍۢ وَزَرْعٌۭ وَنَخِيلٌۭ صِنْوَانٌۭ وَغَيْرُ صِنْوَانٍۢ يُسْقَىٰ بِمَآءٍۢ وَٰحِدٍۢ وَنُفَضِّلُ بَعْضَهَا عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ فِى ٱلْأُكُلِ ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَءَايَٰتٍۢ لِّقَوْمٍۢ يَعْقِلُونَ
And within the land are neighboring plots and gardens of grapevines and crops and palm trees, [growing] several from a root or otherwise, watered with one water; but We make some of them exceed others in [quality of] fruit. Indeed in that are signs for a people who reason.
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Al-Baqara (The Cow)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
أَيَوَدُّ أَحَدُكُمْ أَن تَكُونَ لَهُۥ جَنَّةٌۭ مِّن نَّخِيلٍۢ وَأَعْنَابٍۢ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ لَهُۥ فِيهَا مِن كُلِّ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ وَأَصَابَهُ ٱلْكِبَرُ وَلَهُۥ ذُرِّيَّةٌۭ ضُعَفَآءُ فَأَصَابَهَآ إِعْصَارٌۭ فِيهِ نَارٌۭ فَٱحْتَرَقَتْ ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَفَكَّرُونَ
Would one of you like to have a garden of palm trees and grapevines underneath which rivers flow in which he has from every fruit? But he is afflicted with old age and has weak offspring, and it is hit by a whirlwind containing fire and is burned. Thus does Allah make clear to you [His] verses that you might give thought.
سُورَةُ القَلَمِ
Al-Qalam (The Pen)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰرِمِينَ
[Saying], "Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit."
Common Words
116 total95 unique15 repeated
من5x
وغير3x
إن3x
فى3x
معروشت2x
وٱلزيتون2x
لكم2x
كل2x
ٱلثمرت2x
ذلك2x
لقوم2x
صنوان2x
على2x
أن2x
له2x
وهو1x
ٱلذى1x
أنشأ1x
جنت1x
وٱلنخل1x
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About Sunan Abu Dawud
This hadith is #3075 from Sunan Abu Dawud, in the Book of Tribute, Spoils, and Rulership (Kitab Al-Kharaj, Wal-Fai' Wal-Imarah). It is graded Sahih and narrated by Narrated Urwah:.