Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (8/139)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

Third: that which may neither be sold nor leased.

Land acquired by force may be leased but not sold, except for dwellings. As for Mecca, its property may neither be sold nor leased. All other places, however, may be sold and leased, such as the land of Medina, Jerusalem, and other lands.

His statement, “Nothing other than dwellings from land acquired by force may be sold,” indicates that land and dwellings acquired through a peace settlement may be sold. This is indeed the case, for the land of the enemy is either acquired by force, or acquired through a peace settlement on the condition that it remains theirs and that we allow them to retain it in return for kharaj land-tax, or it is acquired through a peace settlement on the condition that it belongs to us. If it belongs to them, then it is their property and they may dispose of it; and if it belongs to us, then it is our property and we may dispose of it. This applies when it is acquired through a peace settlement; as for land acquired by force, we have already explained its ruling.

“No sale is valid of the water of a well, nor of the pasture or thorns that grow on one’s land; rather, whoever takes them becomes their owner.”

His statement, “No sale is valid of the water of a well”: the water of a well is the water that springs forth from the ground. It is not permissible to sell this water, because the Prophet ﷺ said, “People share in three things: water, pasture, and fire.” (1) Moreover, this water did not emerge through human power, but through the power of Allah. A person may dig a deep well and yet no water comes forth; thus, it is not the result of his labor or action. Rather, he is merely a means. He therefore does not own it, and since he does not own it, it is not valid for him to sell it,

(1) Reported by Imam Ahmad (5/364) and Abu Dawud in the Book of Hiring, chapter: “The Prohibition of Withholding Water” (3477), on the authority of a man among the Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Ibn Majah also reported it in the Book of Judgments, chapter: “Muslims Are Partners in Three Things” (2472), on the authority of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him; al-Busiri graded it weak. Ibn Majah further reported it in the same place from Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, as a marfu report (attributed to the Prophet) (2473), with the wording: “Three things must not be withheld ...” Al-Busiri and al-Hafiz authenticated it in al-Talkhis (1304).

الثالث: ما لا يجوز بيعه ولا إجارته. فالذي فتح عنوة تجوز إجارته دون بيعه، إلا المساكن، ومكة لا يجوز بيعها ولا إجارتها، وبقية الأماكن يجوز بيعها وإجارتها كأرض المدينة وبيت المقدس وبقية الأراضي. وقوله: «ولا يباع غير المساكن مما فتح عنوة» يؤخذ منه أنه يجوز بيع الأرض والمساكن مما فتح صلحاً، وهو كذلك؛ وذلك أن أرض العدو إما أن تفتح عنوة، وإما أن تفتح صلحاً على أنها لهم ونقرها معهم بالخراج، وإما أن تفتح صلحاً على أنها لنا، فإن كانت لهم فهي ملكهم يتصرفون فيها، وإن كانت لنا فهي ملكنا نتصرف فيها، هذا إذا كانت صلحاً، أما العنوة فقد بينا حكمها. وَلَا يَصِحُّ بَيْعُ نَقْع البِئْرِ وَلَا ما نَبَتَ فِي أرْضِهِ مِنْ كَلأٍ وَشَوْكٍ، وَيَمْلِكُهُ آخِذُهُ، .. قوله: «ولا يصح بيع نقع البئر» نقع البئر هو ماء البئر الذي نبع من الأرض، فلا يجوز بيع هذا الماء؛ لقول النبي ﷺ: «الناس شركاء في ثلاث: الماء، والكلأ، والنار» (١)؛ ولأن هذا الماء لم يخرج بقدرة الإنسان؛ بل بقدرة الله ﷿، فقد يحفر الإنسان بئراً عميقاً ولا يخرج الماء فليس من كَدِّه ولا فعله، بل هو سبب، فلذلك لا يملكه، وإذا كان لا يملكه فإنه لا يصح

(١) أخرجه الإمام أحمد (٥/ ٣٦٤)؛ وأبو داود في الإجارة/ باب في منع الماء (٣٤٧٧) عن رجل من أصحاب النبي ﷺ، وأخرجه ابن ماجه في الأحكام/ باب المسلمون شركاء في ثلاث (٢٤٧٢) عن ابن عباس ﵄ وضعفه البوصيري، وأخرجه ابن ماجه في الموضع السابق عن أبي هريرة ﵁ مرفوعاً (٢٤٧٣) ولفظه: «ثلاث لا يمنعن … »، وصححه البوصيري والحافظ في «التلخيص» (١٣٠٤).