Hadith 2325

حَدَّثَنَا الْحَكَمُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الزِّنَادِ ، عَنِ الْأَعْرَجِ ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، قَالَ : " قَالَتْ الْأَنْصَارُ لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : اقْسِمْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ إِخْوَانِنَا النَّخِيلَ ، قَالَ : لَا ، فَقَالُوا : تَكْفُونَا الْمَئُونَةَ وَنَشْرَكْكُمْ فِي الثَّمَرَةِ ، قَالُوا : سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا " .
Narrated Abu Huraira: The Ansar said to the Prophet "Distribute the date palm trees between us and our emigrant brothers." He replied, "No." The Ansar said (to the emigrants), "Look after the trees (water and watch them) and share the fruits with us." The emigrants said, "We listen and obey."
Hadith Reference صحيح البخاري / كتاب المزارعة / 2325
Hadith Grading محدثین: أحاديث صحيح البخاريّ كلّها صحيحة
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:

It is understood from this that it is permissible for an orchard or land to belong to one person while the work and labor are done by another person, and both share in the produce. This is called musaqat.

The reason why the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) forbade the Ansar from distributing the land was that he was certain that the Muslims would progress greatly. Many lands would be acquired, so the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) deemed it appropriate for the land of the Ansar to remain with them.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 2325
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
(1)
The background of this narration is that when the Muhajirun migrated from Makkah to Madinah Tayyibah, the Ansar, out of sympathy and on the basis of brotherhood, offered to divide their lands and orchards among the Muhajirun. However, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was certain that future conquests would occur, Muslims would progress, and they would receive lands and orchards as spoils (ghanimah). Therefore, he considered it appropriate for the lands and orchards of Madinah Tayyibah to remain with the Ansar. However, he agreed to the second proposal: that the fields and orchards would remain with the Ansar, while the responsibility for labor and supervision would be undertaken by the Muhajirun. Through this partnership, the Muhajirun would receive their share from the produce.
This proposal was agreed upon.

(2)
The purpose of mentioning this hadith in the chapters of sharecropping (muzara‘ah) is to show that one form of agriculture is that the owner of the land or orchard partners with another person on the condition that he will work in the field and supervise the orchard, and thus the produce and fruits will be divided according to the Islamic system.
How much share the laborer receives depends on the circumstances and conditions.
If water and other necessities are easily available, the share may be less, and if, on the contrary, the provision of water is difficult and more effort is required, then the share may be greater.
Reason also dictates that the determination of the share should be according to the circumstances and conditions.
And Allah knows best.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 2325
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
That is, there is no harm in this; the gardens will remain yours, we will work in them, and in return for our labor, we will take half of the fruit as wages.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not approve the division of the gardens between the Ansar and the Muhajirun.
Because through divine revelation, it had become known to him that there would be many conquests in the future, and many properties would come into the hands of the Muslims; so why should the ancestral property of the Ansar be divided?
Sadaqa Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 3782
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
When the Muhajirun (emigrants) left their homeland of Makkah and came to Madinah Tayyibah, they were greatly distressed due to livelihood difficulties. The sorrow of leaving behind their homes, relatives, and businesses was further compounded.
On this occasion, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) established brotherhood between the Muhajirun and the Ansar, as a result of which the Muhajirun and Ansar became as close as milk and sugar, and began to consider each other as true brothers.
The offer to divide the orchards was also a result of this bond of brotherhood, but the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not approve of it, because it had been revealed to him through revelation that there would be many conquests in the future.
Many properties would come into the hands of the Muslims.
On this basis, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not like to divide the inherited properties of the Ansar, but rather allowed the orchards to remain with the Ansar. However, the labor and work in the orchards was undertaken by the Muhajirun.
Then, the produce would be divided equally, half and half.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 3782