Following al-Qāḍī’s line of reasoning, the same two opinions would apply to land obtained by purchase as well. Yet the version related by Ibn Abī Mūsā is the more reliable, for al-Kirmānī, Muḥammad b. Abī …, Ḥarb, Ibrāhīm b. Hāniʾ, and Yaʿqūb b. Bakhtān all recount that Aḥmad was asked—and Ḥarb himself says: “I asked Aḥmad and said:
‘If a man from the People of the Covenant revives dead land, what is incumbent upon him?’
He replied, ‘In my view, nothing is due from him.’
He went on to say, ‘The people of Medina hold a commendable opinion in this matter: they maintain that a dhimmī must not be allowed to buy land subject to the tithe.’
He added, ‘The people of Basra, however, have a most curious view—they say the tithe should be doubled against him.’
Ḥarb continues: ‘I asked Aḥmad on another occasion, “If a dhimmī revives dead land?” He answered, “A single tithe is due.” And on yet another occasion he said, “Nothing is due from him.”’
Ḥarb also transmitted from ʿUbayd Allāh b. al-Ḥasan al-ʿAnbarī that it was said to him: ‘Your practice of taking …’
(1) MS A adds the word “said.”
(2) This is Harb ibn Ismail; his biography has already been given—see the Biographical Index.
(3) The printed edition reads “Muhammad ibn Harb,” but the word “Abi” was probably dropped inadvertently.
(4) This is Muhammad ibn Naqib ibn Abi Harb al-Jarjarai. Ahmad ibn Hanbal used to correspond with him and inquire about his affairs; he transmitted from the Imam and preserved several valuable legal questions. See: Tabaqat al-Hanabila 1:331, no. 472.
(5) This is Ibrahim ibn Hani al-Naysaburi (Abu Ishaq), a trustworthy ascetic who conveyed many questions from Imam Ahmad. A devout and pious scholar, he died in 265 AH/878 CE. See: Tabaqat al-Hanabila 1:97-98, no. 105; Shadharat al-Dhahab 2:149.
(6) This is Yaqub ibn Ishaq ibn Bakhtan (Abu Yusuf), a neighbor and close friend of Imam Ahmad who heard from him directly and transmitted several of his legal opinions. He was regarded as a righteous, reliable authority. See: Tabaqat al-Hanabila 1:415, no. 541.
(7) MS A reads: “ibn Hanbal.”
(8) Al-Mughni and al-Sharh al-Kabir, 2:593 (pagination of al-Mughni).
(9) This is Ubayd Allah ibn al-Hasan ibn al-Husayn ibn Abi al-Har al-Anbari, the qadi of Basra, a reliable jurist of the seventh generation. Muslim cites him once in his Sahih. He died in 168 AH/784 CE. See: Taqrib al-Tahdhib 1:531, no. 1434.