The dead land is that land upon which there are no signs of ownership such as fencing, planting, habitation or the like. Cultivation of land means making it suitable for farming at once. Every piece of dead land once cultivated by a person becomes his ownership. Thus the Shari’ah gives it to the one who cultivates it. This is according to what Bukhari related from ‘Aisha (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Whosoever cultivated a land that is not owned by anybody, then He deserved it more.” Abu Dawud narrated that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Whosoever fenced a (dead) land it becomes his” and Bukhari narrated from Umar (ra) that He (pbuh) said: “Anyone who cultivated a dead land it becomes his.” Muslims and the Dhimmi are equal in this matter, because the Hadith is general in its words.

Cultivation is a different matter to the State granting of land. The difference between them is that the cultivation is related to the dead land upon which there is no apparent ownership. There are no signs of fencing, planting, building or the like. Cultivation of such land means to populate it with anything that indicates inhabitation. The granting of land however, is giving of the land that is inhabited and is suitable for farming immediately. This is the land that shows signs of previous ownership. Fencing the land is similar to its cultivation. This is due to the saying of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh), “Whosoever fenced a land with a wall then it becomes his” and his (pbuh) saying, “Whosoever fenced anything with a wall, it becomes his thereby.” Also his (pbuh) saying, “Whosoever reached a thing first that no other Muslim reached before, He deserves it more.”

Thus by fencing, the fencer gains the right of disposal of the land as the Hadith stated. The fencer also has the right to prevent anyone who wanted to from cultivating that which He has fenced. If another person overpowered Him and managed to inhabit the land that He had fenced, He would not own that land and it would be returned back to the original fencer. Fencing is also like cultivation with regard to the disposal of the land and possession of it. If the person who fenced a land later sold it He owns its price, because the land is a right that can be recompensed with property, so it can be exchanged. If this person died, the ownership of this fenced land is transferred to his inheritors like any other of his properties and they gain the right of disposal over it and it is divided amongst them according to the divine rules like other inherited properties. However, fencing a land does not mean just putting stones around it, it is rather putting anything around it which indicates holding a hand over it, which indicates ownership. Fencing could be by placing stones around the land, putting dry branches, clearing it, burning the thistles, cutting the spikes and grass, or placing other such items around it to prevent people entering it. It could also be by preparing the canals even if one did not irrigate it, or any other similar thing.

From the Hadith, it is clear that fencing like cultivation must only be with regard to the dead land, and it would not be for other than that. The saying of Umar (ra) “a fencer has no right after three years” referring to the fencer has no right in the dead land. The non-dead land cannot be possessed by fencing nor by revival, it is rather possessed by granting from the Imam. This is because revival and fencing came connected with the dead land. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said: “Whoever revived a dead land...” The word ‘dead’ is an adjective, so it has a concept that is usable as a restriction on the word land. (This means that the land that is other than dead land cannot be owned by walling or revival). Al-Baihaqi also narrated from Amir ibn Shuaib “that Umar made fencing for three years.” If He left it (the land) for three years and another person cultivated it then He becomes more deserving of it. This means that the non-dead land is not owned by fencing or cultivation.

This differentiation between the dead and used land indicates that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) allowed the people to own the dead land by habitation and fencing. So it became of the Mubah things. Therefore, it does not need permission from the Imam for habitation or fencing, because the Mubah things do not need permission from the Imam.

However, the lands which are not dead are not owned unless the Imam granted them because they are not of the mubah things. They are rather the lands on which the Imam put his hand and which are called the lands of the State. The matter which proves this case is that Bilal al-Muzni asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) to grant Him a land, and He did not own it except after the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) granted it to him. If the dead land could be owned by habitation or fencing Bilal would have encircled it by any marks which denote his ownership, and He would have owned it without asking the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) to grant it to him.

Whoever cultivates a dead land of the ’Ushri land, He owned its neck and its benefit, whether He is Muslim or non-Muslim. For such land, the Muslim landlord is obliged to pay the Zakat (’Ushr) of the plants and fruits which are entitled for Zakat once the amount of the harvest reaches the Nisab. As for the non-Muslim landlord of such land, He is not obliged to pay either Zakat or Kharaj, because He is not one of those who are subject to pay Zakat and because there is no Kharaj on ’Ushri land.

Whoever cultivates a dead land in Kharaji area where no Kharaj has been put over it before, He owns its neck and its benefit if He is Muslim. If He is non-Muslim He owns its benefit only. The Muslim landlord of such land is obliged to pay the ‘Ushr with no Kharaj on him. While the non-Muslim landlord has to pay the Kharaj, similar to that put on its kuffar inhabitants at the time of its conquest.

Whoever cultivates a dead land in Kharaji area where Kharaj has been levied before it became dead, He owns its benefit only without owning its neck, whether the landlord is Muslim or non-Muslim. Such a landlord is obliged to pay the Kharaj because it is a conquered land. Therefore, the Kharaj remains on it at all times, whether owned by a Muslim or non- Muslim.

This is the case if the land was cultivated for farming. If, however, the land is cultivated or fenced for the purpose of housing, industry, stores or sheds, then no ’Ushr or Kharaj is due, whether it was originally ’Ushri or Kharaji land. This is the situation because when the Sahabah opened (i.e conquered) Iraq and Egypt they built Kufa, Basra and Al-Fustat and they lived there at the time of Umar ibn Al-Khattab. Other people (Muslims and non-Muslim) joined them in these cities. Yet Kharaj was not levied on them, nor did they pay Zakat, because Zakat is not due on homes and buildings.