Reviving Barren Land

“I once heard abu Ja’far (a.s.), saying, ‘Whoever of people revive a land and build it, they are more deserving to have it and it is for them. 5 ”

“I once heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘Whoever comes upon a ruined barren place, then finds out and digs its canals and builds it, he owes charity. If the land belonged to a man before him who has disappeared, abandoned it and ruined it, then came thereafter, he has to take notice that the land belongs to Allah and to those who build it.’”

“ Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘One who revives a barren (dead) land, it becomes his land.”’

“Abu Ja‘far, and abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, have said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Whoever revives a barren (dead) land, it becomes his land.’”

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘We have found in the book of Ali (a.s.), that the land belongs to Allah which He makes whomever of His servant He wants to inherit; and the end result is in favor of the pious people. We and the people of the House have inherited the earth and we are the pious ones. All of the earth belongs to us. Whoever of the Muslims revives and builds it and pays taxes to the Imam from the people of the House, he can eat thereof. If he abandons and ruins it and then another person of the Muslims takes it after him, builds it and revives it, he then is more rightful than the one who has abandoned it. So he pays taxes to the Imam from the House and he can eat thereof until the reappearance of al-Qa’im from the people of my house with the sword to control and protect it. He sends them in exile just as the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, protected it, except for what is in the hands of our followers who will then contract with him for what is in their hands and he (a.s.), will leave it in their hands.’”

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Whoever plants a tree or digs a valley as the first one before anyone else and revives a land which is barren (dead), it becomes his land from Allah and the Messenger of Allah, ‘O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause.’”