“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade us from doing something that was convenient for us.” I said: “What the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said is true.” He said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “What do you with your farms?” We said: “We rent them out for one third or one quarter of their yield, and a certain amount of wheat and barley.” He said: “Do not do that; cultivate them or let others cultivate them.”  

نَهَانَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَنْ أَمْرٍ كَانَ لَنَا رَافِقًا فَقُلْتُ مَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَهُوَ حَقٌّ فَقَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ مَا تَصْنَعُونَ بِمَحَاقِلِكُمْ قُلْنَا نُؤَاجِرُهَا عَلَى الثُّلُثِ وَالرُّبُعِ وَالأَوْسُقِ مِنَ الْبُرِّ وَالشَّعِيرِ فَقَالَ فَلاَ تَفْعَلُوا ازْرَعُوهَا أَوْ أَزْرِعُوهَا  

“If one of us did not need his land, he would give it (to someone else to cultivate) in return for one third, or one half of the yield , and he would stipulate (that the should receive) the produce grows on the banks of three streams, and the grains that remain in the ear after threshing, and the produce irrigated by a stream. Life at that time was hard, and he would work (the land) with iron and whatever Allah (SWT) willed, and he would benefit from it. Then Rafi bin Khadij came to us and said: ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade you to do something that may seem beneficial to you, but obedience to Allah and obedience to His Messenger are more beneficial for you. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade Haq for you, and he said: “Whoever has no need of his land, let him give it to his brother (to cultivate) or let him leave it (uncultivated).”  

إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ نَهَاكُمْ عَنْ أَمْرٍ كَانَ لَكُمْ نَافِعًا وَطَاعَةُ اللَّهِ وَطَاعَةُ رَسُولِهِ أَنْفَعُ لَكُمْ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَنْهَاكُمْ عَنِ الْحَقْلِ وَيَقُولُ مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى عَنْ أَرْضِهِ فَلْيَمْنَحْهَا أَخَاهُ أَوْ لِيَدَعْ  

“May Allah (SWT) forgive Rafi' bin Khadij. By Allah (SWT)! I have more knowledge of Ahadith than he does. Two men who had quarreled came to the Prophet ﷺ and he said: 'If this is your situation, do not lease farms,' and what Rafi' bin khadij heard was 'Do not lease farms.' ”  

زَيْدُ بْنُ ثَابِتٍ يَغْفِرُ اللَّهُ لِرَافِعِ بْنِ خَدِيجٍ أَنَا وَاللَّهِ أَعْلَمُ بِالْحَدِيثِ مِنْهُ إِنَّمَا أَتَى رَجُلاَنِ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَقَدِ اقْتَتَلاَ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ هَذَا شَأْنَكُمْ فَلاَ تُكْرُوا الْمَزَارِعَ قَالَ فَسَمِعَ رَافِعُ بْنُ خَدِيجٍ قَوْلَهُ فَلاَ تُكْرُوا الْمَزَارِعَ