Superfluous Land (Ahadith 2299 – 2300)

Bismillah.

Volume 3, Book 47, Number 801 :
Narrated by Jabir (radiallaahu `anhu)
Some men had superfluous land and they said that they would give it to others to cultivate on the condition that they would get one-third or one-fourth or one half of its yield. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his brother or keep it uncultivated.”
Narrated Abu Said (radiallaahu `anhu): A bedouin came to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) and asked him about emigration. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said to him, “May Allah be merciful to you. The matter of emigration is difficult. Have you got some camels?” He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) asked him, “Do you pay their Zakat?” He replied in the affirmative. He asked, “Do you lend them so that their milk may be utilized by others?” The bedouin said, “Yes.” The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) asked, “Do you milk them on the day of watering them?” He replied, “Yes.” The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “Do good deeds beyond the cities and Allah will never disregard any of your deeds.”

This Bedouin wanted to come to Madinah for work leaving his family behind. Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) feared that he might not be able to live like that and fulfill his family’s rights so he asked him to stay where he was and work there, assuring him all the while that Allah will not disregard any of his deeds.

Volume 3, Book 47, Number 802 :
Narrated by Tawus
That he was told by the most learned one amongst them (i.e. Ibn Abbas (radiallaahu `anhu)) that the Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) went towards some land which was flourishing with vegetation and asked to whom it belonged. He was told that such and such a person took it on rent. The Prophet (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “It would have been better (for the owner) if he had given it to him gratis rather than charging him a fixed rent.

Just like it was discussed in the matter of superfluous water, if someone has excess land that they can’t look after, they shouldn’t withhold it lest others benefit from it.

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The Forty Virtuous Deeds (Hadith No. 2298)

Bismillah.

Volume 3, Book 47, Number 800:
Narrated ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr (radiallaahu `anhu):
That Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu `alayhi wasallam) said, “There are forty virtuous deeds and the best of them is the Maniha of a she-goat, and anyone who does one of these virtuous deeds hoping for Allah’s reward with firm confidence that he will get it, then Allah will make him enter Paradise because of it.
Hassan (a sub-narrator) said, “We tried to count those good deeds below the Maniha; we mentioned replying to the sneezer, removing harmful things from the road, etc., but we failed to count even fifteen.”

Okay so here’s a thought. Why don’t we try and compile these forty deeds? Condition: they have to be less virtuous than Maniha, as it says in the hadith above: “and the best of them is the Maniha”.

I have here a list of some that I could find. See if you can add to it. :)

1: (Can’t find the translated version)..
2: Feeding the Hungry
3: Quenching Someone’s Thirst

عن البراء بن عازب رضي الله عنه قال جاء رجل أعرابي إلى رسول الله فقال يا رسول الله ؛ علمني عملاً يدخلني الجنة ويباعدني عن النار، فقال

«إن كنت أقصرت الخطبة لقد أعرضت المسألة، أعتق النسمة، وفك الرقبة، قال أليستا واحدة ؟ قال لا ؛ عتق النسمة أن تنفرد بعتقها، وفك الرقبة أن تعطي في ثمنها أي تُساهم ، والمنيحة الوكوف يعني الشاة غزيرة اللبن يمنحونها لفقراء يشربون لبنها ، والفيء على ذي الرحم القاطع، يعني العطاء والصلة والبذل للقريب ولو كان قاطعًا للرحم ، فإن لم تطق ذلك فأطعم الجائع واسق الظمآن، وأمر بالمعروف وانه عن المنكر، فإن لم تطق ذلك فكف لسانك إلا عن خير رواه أحمد وابن حبان واللفظ له، حديث صحيح

4: Saying Salam
“He who says Assalaamu Alaikum (Peace be upon you) ten rewards are written down for him, and he who says Assalaamu Alaikum wa rahmatullah (Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy) for him twenty rewards are written down and he who says Assalaamu Alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh (Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessing) thirty rewards are written down (for him).”

5: Justice between Two People
6: Helping Someone with their Ride
7: A Good Word
8: Removing Harm from the Way
“Every small bone of everyone has upon it a charitable act for everyday upon which the sun rises. Bringing about justice between two is an act of charity. Helping a man get on his mount, lifting him onto it or helping him put his belongings onto it, is a charitable act. A good word is a charitable act. Every step you take toward the prayer is a charitable act. And removing a harmful thing from the path is a charitable act.” (Recorded in al-Bukhari and Muslim)

9: Relieving Someone from Difficulty
10: Concealing Someone’s Fault
”Whoever relieves a believer’s distress of the distressful aspects of this world, Allah will rescue him from a difficulty of the difficulties of the Hereafter… Whoever conceals [the faults of] a Muslims, Allah will conceal [his faults] in this life and the Hereafter. [Muslim]

11: Making Space
“O you who have believed, when you are told, “Space yourselves” in assemblies, then make space; Allah will make space for you.” [Al-Mujadilah: 11]

12: Helping the Oppressed, Stopping the Oppressor
“Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one.” [Bukhari]

13: Guiding to Good
“Whoever leads to good, he is like the one who does it.” [Tirmidhi]

14: Enjoining Good
15: Conciliation between Two People
“No good is there in much of their private conversation, except for those who enjoin charity or that which is right or conciliation between people.” [4:114]

16: Kind Speech
“Kind speech and forgiveness are better than charity followed by injury.” [2:263]

17: Planting a Tree
If a Muslim plants a tree, or sows a field and men and beasts and birds eat from it, all of it is charity from him. [Muslim]

18: Giving Gifts to Neighbors
“O Muslim women, never belittle any gift you give your neighbor even if it is a hoof of a sheep.”

19: Intercession for “Good”
“Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a reward therefrom.” [4:85]

20: Visiting the Sick
If a man visits his sick Muslim brother, it is as if he walks reaping the fruits of Paradise until he sits, and when he sits he is showered in mercy, and if this was in the morning, seventy thousand angels pray for him until the evening, and if this was in the evening, seventy thousand angels pray for him until the morning. [Tirmidhi]

21: Defending Your Muslim Brother
“Whoever defends the honor of his brother in absence has the right over Allah to be freed from the Fire.” [Ahmad]

22: Shaking Hands
“There are no two Muslims who meet and shake hands with one another, but they will be forgiven before they part.” [Abu Dawud]

23: Loving Someone for Allah’s Sake
“There are three qualities whoever has them, will taste the sweetness of Iman: To love Allah and His Messenger (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) more than anyone else; to love a slave (of Allah) only for (the sake of) Allah; and to abhor returning to infidelity after Allah has saved him from it as he would abhor to be thrown into the fire (of Hell)” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

24: Replying to the Sneezer
“When one of you sneezes, let him say, ‘Al-hamdu-Lillaah (Praise be to Allaah),’ and let his brother or companion say to him. ‘Yarhamuk Allaah (May Allaah have mercy on you).’ If he says, ‘Yarhamuk-Allaah,’ then let (the sneezer) say, ‘Yahdeekum Allaah wa yuslihu baalakum (May Allaah guide you and rectify your condition).’”

25: Smiling
“Your smile to your brother is a sadaqah (charitable act) for you.” [Tirmidhi]

26: Giving Good Advice
Narrated Jarir:
When I gave the pledge of allegiance to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and he stipulated that I should give good advice to every Muslim. [Bukhari]

27: Spending on Wife
“You will be rewarded for whatever you spend for Allah’s sake even if it were a morsel which you put in your wife’s mouth.” [Bukhari]