Sunan Abi Dawud: Book 20, Hadith 149

Narrated Urwah: I testify that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) decided that the land is the land of Allah, and the servants are the servants of Allah. If anyone brings barren land into cultivation, he has more right to it. This tradition has been transmitted to us from the Prophet (ﷺ) by those who transmitted the traditions about prayer from him.

حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَبْدَةَ الآمُلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، أَخْبَرَنَا نَافِعُ بْنُ عُمَرَ، عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي مُلَيْكَةَ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ، قَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَضَى أَنَّ الأَرْضَ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَالْعِبَادَ عِبَادُ اللَّهِ وَمَنْ أَحْيَا مَوَاتًا فَهُوَ أَحَقُّ بِهِ جَاءَنَا بِهَذَا عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الَّذِينَ جَاءُوا بِالصَّلَوَاتِ عَنْهُ ‏.‏

Sunan Abi Dawud: Book 20, Hadith 149

 
This hadith is from the Sunan Abi Dawud collection of hadiths. What truly distinguishes Sunan Abi Dawud among its peers is its compiler’s advanced critical scholarship. Abu Dawud was not merely a collector but a rigorous evaluator. He applied a discerning methodology to vet the authenticity of each narration, frequently providing his own notes on the strength or weakness of the hadiths included. While he prioritized sound (sahih) and reliable reports for legal derivation, he sometimes included less robust narrations to illustrate scholarly points. This transparent and critical approach is a primary reason for the collection’s esteemed and highly authoritative status within the Islamic sciences.

Use the tags to drill down deeper and find connections and new streams of information to help you fill gaps in knowledge and better connect the dots. Eman and Life is a growing database of knowledge with the mission to help further us in our pursuit of the best lifestyle through the guidance of the Quran and Sunnah.

 

For more Hadith in Book 20: Tribute, Spoils, and Rulership (Kitab Al-Kharaj, Wal-Fai’ Wal-Imarah)
 

Categories