Kila mmiliki wa ardhi analazimika kuitumia ardhi yake. Mmiliki ambaye anahitaji msaada wa kuitumia ardhi hiyo husaidiwa na Bait ul-Mal. Akipuuza kuitumia ardhi kwa miaka mitatu mfululizo, inachukuliwa kutoka kwake na kupewa mtu mwingine. ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab alisema: “Yule anayezungushia uzio (kitu fulani) hana haki ndani yake baada ya miaka mitatu.” Yahya ibn Adam alipokea kutoka kwa ‘Amru ibn Shu’aib, aliyesema: “Mtume ﷺ alitoa ardhi kwa baadhi ya watu kutoka Mazina au Johaina, nao wakaipuuza. Watu wengine walikuja wakailima. ‘Umar alisema: ‘Kama ardhi ilitolewa na mimi au na Abu Bakr, ningeirudisha (kwa watu hao). Lakini kwa kuwa ilitolewa na Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ, sitafanya hivyo.’ Pia alisema: ‘Yeyote aliyepuuza ardhi kwa miaka mitatu bila kuitumia, kisha mtu mwingine akaja akaitumia, inakuwa yake.’” Maana ya maneno ya ‘Umar ni kwamba ardhi haikutumiwa kwa zaidi ya miaka mitatu. Kama ilikuwa zawadi kutoka kwa Abu Bakr, basi chini ya miaka mitatu ilikuwa imepita, na kama ilikuwa kutoka kwa ‘Umar, pia chini ya miaka mitatu ilikuwa imepita. Lakini kama zawadi kutoka kwa Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ, zaidi ya miaka mitatu ilikuwa imepita, kwa hiyo haikuweza kurudishwa kwa wale waliopewa zawadi hiyo.

Every landlord is obliged to use his land. The owner, who is in need of help for using the land, is helped by the Bait ul-Mal. If He neglects the use of the land for three continuous years it is taken from Him and given to another person. ’Umar ibn Al-Khattab said: “The one who fences (something) has no right in it after three years.” Yahya ibn Adam reported from Amru ibn Shu’aib, who said: “The Prophet (pbuh) granted land to some people from Mazina or Johaina and they neglected it. Other people came and cultivated it. ’Umar said: ‘If the land was granted by me or by Abu Bakr, I would have returned it back (to those people). But since it was granted by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) I would not.’ And He said: ‘Whoever neglected a land for three years without using it and another person came and used it, it becomes his.”’ What is meant by the words of ’Umar is that the land was not used for more than three years. If it was a grant from Abu Bakr, then less than three years had passed and if it was from ‘Umar, less than three years had passed as well. As a grant from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), however more than three years had passed, so it could not be returned back to those who were given the grant.

Abu Ubayd alisimulia katika kitabu cha Al-Amwal kutoka kwa Bilal ibn al-Harith al-Muzni kwamba Mtume ﷺ alikuwa amempa ardhi yote ya Al-Aqeeq. Alisema kwamba wakati wa Umar, Umar alimwambia Bilal, "Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ hakukupa eneo hilo iliulizingire dhidi ya watu, bali ili ulitumie. Basi chukua kutoka humo kiasi unachoweza kulimudu, na urudishe kilichobaki." Hivyo basi, ni ijmaa ya Maswahaba kwamba yeyote aliyepuuza ardhi yake kwa miaka mitatu, ardhi hiyo itachukuliwa kutoka kwake na kupewa mtu mwingine.

Abu Ubayd reported in the book of Al-Amwal from Bilal ibn al-Harith al-Muzni that the Prophet (pbuh) had granted Him all of al-Aqeeq. He said that during the time of ’Umar, He (’Umar) said to Bilal, “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did not grant you the place to fence it against the people but to use it. So take of it as much as you can afford and return the rest of it.” Therefore it is Ijma’a of the Sahabah that whoever neglected his land for three years, would have the land taken away from Him and given to another person.

Hivyo ndivyo mwenye ardhi anaruhusiwa kupanda juu ya ardhi yake kwa kutumia zana zake, mbegu zake, wanyama wake na nguvu kazi yake; na ana haki ya kuajiri wafanyakazi wa kufanya kazi humo. Ikiwa hawezi kuitumia, basi Dola inaweza kumsaidia. Ikiwa mwenye ardhi hafanyi hivi, lazima ampe mtu mwingine ardhi hiyo ili apande humo, kama zawadi isiyo na malipo. Ikiwa hafanyi hivyo na akaendelea kuishikilia, anapewa kipindi cha miaka mitatu. Akiipuuza kwa miaka mitatu, Dola itaichukua kutoka kwake na kumpa mtu mwingine. Imepokewa na Yahya bin Adam katika kitabu cha Al-Kharaj kwamba Yunus alisimulia kutoka kwa Muhammad bin Ishaq, kutoka kwa ’Abdullah bin Abu Bakr, ambaye alisema: “Bilal bin al-Harith bin al-Muzni alimwendea Mtume wa Allah ﷺ na kuomba apewe ardhi fulani; Mtume ﷺ alimpa kipande kikubwa cha ardhi. ’Umar alipochukua madaraka alimwambia Bilal, ‘Ee Bilal, uliomba kwa Mtume wa Allah ﷺ akupe ardhi kubwa, naye akakupa; na Mtume wa Allah ﷺ hakuwa na desturi ya kuzuia chochote alichoombwa kutoa, lakini wewe huwezi kuisimamia ardhi hii.’ Bilal akasema: ‘Ndiyo.’ ’Umar akasema: ‘Basi angalia sehemu unayoweza kuisimamia na uishike, na sehemu ambayo huwezi kuitumia, ituletee ili tuigawanye miongoni mwa Waislamu.’ Bilal akasema: ‘Naapa kwa Allah sitafanya hivyo kwa ardhi ambayo Mtume wa Allah ﷺ aliinipa.’ ’Umar akasema: ‘Naapa kwa Allah lazima ufanye hivyo.’ Basi ’Umar akachukua kutoka kwake sehemu ambayo hakuweza kuitumia na akaigawanya miongoni mwa Waislamu.” Ni dhahiri kabisa kwamba mtu anayemiliki ardhi lakini hawezi kupanda juu yake, na anaipuuza kwa miaka mitatu, ataichukuliwa na Dola na kupewa mtu mwingine, kama alivyofanya ’Umar bin al-Khattab kwa Bilal al-Muzni kuhusu ardhi ya migodi ya al-Qabliyah.

In this way the landlord is allowed to plant upon his land by use of his tools, seeds, animals and labour; and He has the right to employ labourers to work on it. If He cannot use it then the State may help him. If the landlord does not do this He has to give it to another person, to plant upon it, as a grant without recompense. If He does not do this and He keeps hold of it He is given a period of three years. If He neglects it for three years, the State will take it from Him and grant it to someone else. It is narrated by Yahya ibn Adam in the book of Al-Kharaj that Yunus narrated from Muhammad ibn Ishaq from ’Abdullah ibn Abu Bakr, who said: “Bilal ibn al-Harith ibn al-Muzni came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and asked that He grant Him a certain land; the Prophet (pbuh) granted Him a large piece of land. When ’Umar took the authority He said to Bilal, ‘O Bilal you asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) to grant you large land so He granted it to you; and the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was not used to holding back anything He was asked to give and you can’t manage this land.’ Bilal said: ‘Yes.’ ’Umar said: ‘So look at the part which you can manage and hold it, and the part which you are not able to use give it to us so as to divide it amongst Muslims.’ Bilal said: ‘I swear by Allah I will not do that to a land the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) gave to me.’ ’Umar said: ‘By Allah you must do it.’ So ’Umar took from Him the part He could not use and divided it amongst the Muslims.” It is quite clear that the person who owns land but cannot plant upon it and who neglects it for three years, will have it taken from Him by the State and given to another person, as ’Umar ibn Al-Khattab had done with Bilal al-Muzni with regard to the land of the mines of al-Qabliyah.

Kwa hitimisho, ardhi inamilikiwa kwa kuizungushia uzio, kwa kupewa na Khalifah, kwa kuilima, kwa urithi na kwa biashara. Matini zilizokuja kuhusu kuchukua ardhi kutoka kwa mtu aliyeipuuza kwa miaka mitatu zimetaja aliyeizungushia uzio ardhi, na aliyepewa ardhi na Khalifah. Hazikutaja aina nyingine za wamiliki wa ardhi, kama mrithi, mlimaji wa ardhi na mnunuzi. Basi, je, kupuuza ardhi yoyote inayomilikiwa na mtu kwa miaka mitatu kunamruhusu Khalifah kuichukua kutoka kwake na kuipa mwingine? Au hili ni mahsusi kwa aliyeizungushia uzio ardhi iliyokufa, na aliyepewa ardhi na Khalifah? Ili kujibu swali hili, tunaona kwamba kuzungushia ardhi uzio ni kama kuinunua au kuirithi au njia nyingine yoyote ya umiliki, kwa upande wa kuitumia na kuimiliki. Ikiwa aliyezungushia ardhi uzio ataiuza, atamiliki bei yake, kwa sababu ni haki kwa kubadilishana mali, hivyo inaruhusiwa kulipwa fidia kwa hilo. Zaidi ya hayo, ikiwa aliyezungushia ardhi uzio atafariki, umiliki wa ardhi unahamishiwa kwa warithi wake kama mali nyingine zinazoziendesha, nao wataigawanya miongoni mwao kwa mujibu wa kanuni za Shari'ah. Hili pia linafanana na yule ambaye Khalifah anampa kipande cha ardhi. Kwa hiyo, aliyezungushia ardhi uzio na aliyepewa ardhi, hawana sifa yoyote mahsusi inayowatofautisha na wamiliki wengine wa ardhi, ambayo ingefanya kuchukuliwa kwa ardhi kutoka kwao, ikiwa imepuuzwa kwa miaka mitatu, kuwe mahsusi kwao peke yao kwa kuwaacha wamiliki wengine wanaomiliki ardhi kwa njia nyingine za umiliki. Wala hawana sifa hiyo inayofanya kuzungushia uzio na kupewa ardhi kuwa kizuizi cha kuchukua ardhi ikiwa imepuuzwa kwa miaka mitatu. Kuhusu hoja ya kwamba maandiko yamewataja wao peke yao, hili halionyeshi kizuizi, kwa sababu hii si maelezo, kwa hiyo kuchukua ardhi kutoka kwa anayeipuuza ni kwa sababu tu alimiliki kwa kuzungushia uzio au kwa kupewa. Bali ni maandishi yaliyotaja mwanachama mmoja wa Mutlaq (ya jumla isiyo na masharti), ambapo ardhi huchukuliwa kutoka kwa aina moja ya mmiliki iwapo ataipuuza. Maandishi ni ya jumla, na kutaja umiliki kwa kuzungushia uzio na kwa kupewa ni kutaja mwanachama mmoja tu wa Mutlaq, si kizuizi kinachowatenga wengine. Hata hivyo, ikiwa maandiko yalikuja kuhusu tukio fulani, yanapaswa kuchunguzwa. Ikiwa yalijumuisha sababu ya hukumu, basi yanakuwa maandiko ya jumla katika jambo lenye sababu. Maandiko husika yanaonyesha sababu, nayo ni kuchukua ardhi baada ya miaka mitatu kwa sababu ya kuacha kuilima. Kuacha ardhi kwa miaka mitatu ndiko sababu ya kuichukua (Illah). Basi sababu ya kuchukua ardhi kutoka kwa aliyeizungushia uzio ni kwamba aliiacha kwa miaka mitatu, si kwa sababu yeye ni mmiliki kwa kuzungushia uzio, wala kwa sababu ni mmiliki kwa kuzungushia uzio aliyeiacha. Kuzungushia ardhi uzio hakuonyeshi kwamba ndiyo sababu ya kuichukua, wala peke yake wala kwa kuunganishwa na kuiacha. Bali kuiacha peke yake ndilo jambo linaloonyesha sababu (Illah) ya kuichukua. Kwa hiyo, kuacha ardhi ni sababu (Illah) inayozunguka pamoja na hukumu iliyosababishwa, iwepo na isiwepo. Popote ardhi itakapoachwa na mmiliki wake kwa miaka mitatu, itachukuliwa kutoka kwake, awe ameimiliki kwa kuzungushia uzio, au kwa kupewa, au kwa urithi, au kwa njia nyingine yoyote. Na ikiwa mmiliki kwa kuzungushia uzio hakuiacha ardhi yake kwa miaka mitatu, haitachukuliwa kutoka kwake.

Zaidi ya hayo, kuzungushia ardhi uzio, kama alivyotaja ’Umar (ra.) katika Hadithi ya Mtume wa Allah (pbuh): “Atakayezungushia ardhi uzio (Muhtajir) hana haki…” ni usemi wa kiashiria wa umiliki wake; kwani ni kawaida kwa mmiliki wa ardhi kuizungushia uzio kwa kuweka mawe kuzunguka mipaka yake, ili ijulikane kuwa ni mali yake, na itofautishwe na mali ya wengine. Si sharti aweke mawe kuzunguka ili aitwe mzungushiaji uzio. Badala yake, kuweka mimea au miti kwenye mipaka ya ardhi, au kuchimba mtaro, au kufanya kazi yoyote inayoonyesha kuwa anaimiliki, yote haya huitwa (Ihtijar), na yule anayefanya hivyo kwa ardhi huitwa mzungushiaji uzio (Muhtajir). Mtume wa Allah ﷺ anasema katika Hadithi nyingine iliyopokewa na Abu Dawud: “Yeyote aliyezunguka ardhi kwa uzio…” Hadithi hii inaashiria kuwa kuzungushia ardhi uzio ni usemi wa kiashiria wa umiliki wake, kulingana na maana ya kilugha ya neno “kuzungushia uzio.” Kilugha, neno Ihtajara linarejelea kitu ambacho mtu anakiweka kwenye paja lake au kukikumbatia. Ihtijara (kuzungushiwa uzio) kuhusu ardhi, maana yake ni mtu kuikumbatia, yaani kuimiliki. Kwa hiyo maana ya Hadithi itakuwa kwamba yeyote aliyeikumbatia ardhi (aliyeimiliki), hana haki baada ya miaka mitatu, iwe aliweka mawe kwenye mipaka yake, au aliizungushia uzio, au alifanya chochote kinachoonyesha umiliki wake juu yake.

In addition, fencing of the land as mentioned by ’Umar (ra.) in the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh): “Anyone who fences a land (Muhtajir) has no....” is an indirect expression of its ownership; as it is usual that the owner of the land fences the land by encircling its borders with stones, so as to be known as his property, and be differentiated from the property of others. It is not a condition that He puts stones around it so as to be called a fencer. Rather, to put plants or trees on the borders of the land or to dig a ditch, or carry out any work which indicates that He possesses it, all this is called (Ihtijar), and the one who does that to a land is called a fencer (Muhtajir). The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) says in another Hadith that is narrated by Abu Dawud: “Whoever encircled a land by a fence...” The Hadith implies that walling (fencing) of the land is an indirect expression of its ownership, according to the linguistic meaning of the word “fenced.” Linguistically, the word Ihtajara refers to something one puts in his lap or embraces. Ihtijara (walled) with respect to a land, means one embraced it, meaning ownership of it. Therefore the meaning of the Hadith will be that whoever embraced a land (owned it), has no right after three years, whether He put stones on its borders, or He encircled it by a fence, or He did anything that indicates his ownership of it.

Hoja hii ni hoja kuhusu maandishi. Hata hivyo, kuhusu kile ’Umar alichofuata, na ambacho masahaba wengine walinyamaza kukubaliana nacho, ’Umar aliamuru ardhi ambayo Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alimpa Mazina, ambayo wengine waliilima, ipewe wale waliolima, na akamzuia Mazina kuichukua. Alisema pia: “Mtu yeyote aliyeacha ardhi bila kuilima kwa miaka mitatu, kisha mtu mwingine akailima, itakuwa yake.” Kauli hii ya ’Umar ni ya jumla, kwani alisema: “Mtu yeyote aliyeacha ardhi…” Pia alimwambia Bilal ibn al-Harith al-Muzni: “Mtume wa Allah ﷺ hakukupa ardhi ili uizungushie uzio dhidi ya watu, bali alikupa ili uitumie. Chukua sehemu unayoweza kuisimamia, na urudishe iliyobaki.” Kwa kweli alimchukulia sehemu ambayo hakuweza kuitumia. Kuweka kikomo uamuzi huu kwa ardhi iliyotolewa pekee bila ushahidi wazi wa kuukomea hakuruhusiwi; bali unapaswa kubaki wa jumla. Ukweli kwamba tukio lilitokea kwa mtu aliyepewa ardhi ni usemi tu kuhusu tukio, na haukomei kwenye tukio hilo.

This is the argument with regard to the text. However, with regard to what ’Umar followed, and the rest of the companions kept silent on, ’Umar ordered that the land which the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) granted to Mazina which others cultivated, be given to those who cultivated it, and He prevented Mazina from taking it. He also said: “Whoever neglected a land for three years without cultivating it, and some other person cultivated it, it would be his.” This speech of ’Umar is general, as He said: “Whoever neglected a land…” He also said to Bilal ibn al-Harith al- Muzni “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did not grant you land to fence it against the people, rather He granted it you to use it, so take the part which you can manage, and return the rest of it.” He actually took from Him that which He was unable to use. Limiting this decision to granted land alone without a clear evidence of specification is not allowed, rather it should stay general. The fact that the incident occurred with the person who was granted the land is just an expression about an incident, and is not limited to that incident.

Kwa hiyo, kila mmiliki wa ardhi anayeipuuza ardhi kwa miaka mitatu, ardhi yake huchukuliwa kutoka kwake na kupewa mwingine, bila kujali njia aliyoimiliki nayo ardhi hiyo. Jambo linalozingatiwa ni kupuuza ardhi, si njia ya umiliki wake. Si sahihi kusema kwamba hili ni kuchukua mali ya watu bila haki. Hii ni kwa sababu Shari'a ilipaisha umiliki wa ardhi kwa maana tofauti na umiliki wa mali zinazohamishika au umiliki wa majengo: ilifanya umiliki wa ardhi uwe ni kwa ajili ya kuilima. Ikiwa ardhi itapuuzwa kwa muda ulioamuliwa na Shari'a, basi mmiliki atakuwa amepuuza maana ya umiliki wake. Shari'a imefanya umiliki wa ardhi kwa ajili ya kilimo, iwe kwa kulima, kupewa, kurithi, kununua au kwa njia nyinginezo. Pia imefanya kuondolewa kwa umiliki huo kwa sababu ya kupuuza. Yote haya ni kwa lengo la kuendelea kulima na kutumia ardhi.

Therefore, every landlord who neglects the land for three years has his land taken from Him and given to another, whatever his means of ownership of the land was.What matters is the neglecting of the land and not the means of its ownership. It is not true to say that this means taking the property of people without right. This is because Shar’a gave land ownership a meaning different to that of the ownership of moveable properties or the ownership of buildings: it made land ownership for cultivating it. If it was neglected for the period determined by the Shar’a, then the landlord would have ignored the meaning of its ownership. Shar’a has made the ownership of the land for farming whether by cultivation, granting, inheritance, buying or other means. It also made the stripping of the ownership of it, by negligence. This is all for the purpose of continual farming and use of the land.