That he was told by the most learned one amongst them (i.e. Ibn ʿAbbas) that the Prophet ﷺ went towards some land which was flourishing with vegetation and asked to whom it belonged. He was told that such and such a person took it on rent. The Prophet ﷺ said, "It would have been better (for the owner) if he had given it to him gratis rather than charging him a fixed rent.
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ خَرَجَ إِلَى أَرْضٍ تَهْتَزُّ زَرْعًا فَقَالَ لِمَنْ هَذِهِ فَقَالُوا اكْتَرَاهَا فُلاَنٌ فَقَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُ لَوْ مَنَحَهَا إِيَّاهُ كَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْخُذَ عَلَيْهَا أَجْرًا مَعْلُومًا