I asked Rafi' b. Khadij about the renting of land for gold and silver, whereupon he said: There is no harm in it for the people let out land situated near canals and at the ends of the streamlets or portion of fields. (But it so happened) that at times this was destroyed and that was saved. whereas (on other occasions) this portion was saved and the other was destroyed and thus no rent was payable to the people (who let out lands) but for this one (which was saved). It was due to this that he (the Holy Prophet) prohibited it. But if there is something definite and reliable (e. g. money). there is no harm in it.  

لاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ إِنَّمَا كَانَ النَّاسُ يُؤَاجِرُونَ عَلَى عَهْدِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ عَلَى الْمَاذِيَانَاتِ وَأَقْبَالِ الْجَدَاوِلِ وَأَشْيَاءَ مِنَ الزَّرْعِ فَيَهْلِكُ هَذَا وَيَسْلَمُ هَذَا وَيَسْلَمُ هَذَا وَيَهْلِكُ هَذَا فَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِلنَّاسِ كِرَاءٌ إِلاَّ هَذَا فَلِذَلِكَ زُجِرَ عَنْهُ فَأَمَّا شَىْءٌ مَعْلُومٌ مَضْمُونٌ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ  

"I asked Rafi' bin Khadij about leasing land in return for Dinars and silver. He said: 'There is nothing wrong with that. During the time of the Messenger of Allah they used to rent land to one another in return for what grew on the banks of streams and where the springs emerged - some areas of which might give good produce and some might give none at all - and the people did not lease land in any other way. So that was forbidden. But as for leases where the return is known and guaranteed, there is nothing wrong with that.'"  

لاَ بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ النَّاسُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُؤَاجِرُونَ عَلَى الْمَاذِيَانَاتِ وَأَقْبَالِ الْجَدَاوِلِ فَيَسْلَمُ هَذَا وَيَهْلِكُ هَذَا وَيَسْلَمُ هَذَا وَيَهْلِكُ هَذَا فَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِلنَّاسِ كِرَاءٌ إِلاَّ هَذَا فَلِذَلِكَ زُجِرَ عَنْهُ فَأَمَّا شَىْءٌ مَعْلُومٌ مَضْمُونٌ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ وَافَقَهُ مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ عَلَى إِسْنَادِهِ وَخَالَفَهُ فِي لَفْظِهِ  

I asked Rafi' b. Khadij about the lease of land for gold and silver (i.e. for dinars and dirhams). There is no harm in it, for the people used to let out land in the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for what grew by the current of water and at the banks of streamlets and at the places of cultivation. So sometimes this (portion) perished and that (portion) was saved, and sometimes this remained intact and that perished. There was no (form of) lease among the people except this. Therefore, he forbade it. But if there is something which is secure and known, then there is no harm in it. The tradition of Ibrahim is more perfect. Qutaibah said: "from Hanzalah on the authority of Rafi' ". Abu Dawud said: A similar tradition has been transmitted by Yahya b. Sa'id from Hanzalah.  

لاَ بَأْسَ بِهَا إِنَّمَا كَانَ النَّاسُ يُؤَاجِرُونَ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِمَا عَلَى الْمَاذِيَانَاتِ وَأَقْبَالِ الْجَدَاوِلِ وَأَشْيَاءَ مِنَ الزَّرْعِ فَيَهْلِكُ هَذَا وَيَسْلَمُ هَذَا وَيَسْلَمُ هَذَا وَيَهْلِكُ هَذَا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِلنَّاسِ كِرَاءٌ إِلاَّ هَذَا فَلِذَلِكَ زَجَرَ عَنْهُ فَأَمَّا شَىْءٌ مَضْمُونٌ مَعْلُومٌ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ وَحَدِيثُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ أَتَمُّ وَقَالَ قُتَيْبَةُ عَنْ حَنْظَلَةَ عَنْ رَافِعٍ  

"I asked Rafi' bin Khadij about leasing land in return for Dinars and silver. He said: 'There is nothing wrong with that. During the time of the Messenger of Allah they used to rent land to one another in return for what grew on the banks of streams and where the springs emerged - some areas of which might give good produce and some might give none at all - and the people did not lease land in any other way. So that was forbidden. But as for leases where the return is known and guaranteed, there is nothing wrong with that.'" (Using translation from Nasāʾī 3899)  

لَا بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ النَّاسُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ يُؤَاجِرُونَ مَا عَلَى الْمَاذِيَانَاتِ وَأَقْبَالِ الْجَدَاوِلِ فَيَسْلَمُ هَذَا وَيَهْلِكُ هَذَا وَيَسْلَمُ هَذَا وَيَهْلِكُ هَذَا وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِلنَّاسِ كِرَاءٌ إِلَّا هَذَا فَلِذَلِكَ زَجَرَ عَنْهُ فَأَمَّا شَيْءٌ مَعْلُومٌ مَضْمُونٌ فَلَا بَأْسَ بِهِ وَافَقَهُ مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَلَى إِسْنَادِهِ وَخَالَفَهُ فِي لَفْظِهِ