Ibn ʿAsākir records in his Tārīkh (13/264/2) with an authentic chain from ʿAmr ibn Dīnār: ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ once entered an orchard of his in Ṭāʾif called al-Wahṭ. It contained one million wooden stakes—he had bought each stake for a dirham, meaning he used them as supports for the grapevines.

Such are a few of the practical fruits that those ḥadiths produced among the righteous predecessors, may Allah be pleased with them.

Al-Bukhārī entitled the first two reports in his Ṣaḥīḥ, “Chapter: The merit of crops from which people eat.”

Ibn al-Munīr commented: “By this heading al-Bukhārī indicates the permissibility of agriculture, and that the prohibition attributed to ʿUmar applies only when tilling the land distracts one from jihad or other obligatory matters. On that basis the ḥadith of Abū Umāmah in the next chapter should be understood.”

I say: We shall discuss the ḥadith alluded to in the next article, Allah willing.

10 – Abū Umāmah al-Bāhilī said—having noticed a ploughshare and some other farming implements—“I heard the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, say: ‘Nothing of this enters a people’s house but that Allah brings humiliation into it.’ ”

A frantic scramble after worldly gain breeds humiliation:

In the previous article I cited several ḥadiths that encourage developing the land—leaving no doubt that Islam legislates and strongly recommends this for the Muslims. Today we shall cite some reports that might, to certain weak minds or diseased hearts, appear to conflict with the earlier texts; in reality they do not contradict them at all, provided they are properly understood and the soul is free of caprice.