then it is not permissible for rulers after the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to establish protected reserves. He said, in the report of Abū al-Ḥārith: “Pasture may be reserved for the camels collected as zakat, because it is for Allah and His Messenger.” He also said, in the report of ʿAbd Allah: “No man may reserve land that he does not own, except in the case of what belongs to Allah and His Messenger.”

He said: “What is meant by ‘what belongs to Allah and His Messenger’ is the camels used as mounts in Allah’s cause. The Messenger of Allah commanded”—he said: “What is meant by ‘what belongs to Allah and His Messenger’ is the camels used as mounts in Allah’s cause. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded that a reserve be established for whatever needs might arise. As for anything besides that, no one may establish a reserve unless he owns land, in which case he may reserve it.”

Thus, he prohibited a person from reserving uncultivated land for his own needs, while permitting the Muslims to do so. He clarified that this was for Allah and His Messenger; accordingly, the meaning of the Prophet’s statement, “There is no protected reserve except for Allah and His Messenger,” is: no protected reserve may be established except on the model of the reserve established by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ for the interests of all Muslims—not on the model practiced in the pre-Islamic era, when the most powerful among them would monopolize a reserve for himself.