Buying Al-Kharaj Land From Al-Sultan When Owners Are Coerced

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنْ رَجُلٍ اكْتَرَى أَرْضاً مِنْ أَرْضِ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ مِنَ الْخَرَاجِ وَ أَهْلُهَا كَارِهُونَ وَ إِنَّمَا تَقَبَّلَهَا مِنَ السُّلْطَانِ لِعَجْزِ أَهْلِهَا عَنْهَا أَوْ غَيْرِ عَجْزٍ فَقَالَ إِذَا عَجَزَ أَرْبَابُهَا عَنْهَا فَلَكَ أَنْ تَأْخُذَهَا إِلَّا أَنْ يُضَارُّوا وَ إِنْ أَعْطَيْتَهُمْ شَيْئاً فَسَخَتْ أَنْفُسُ أَهْلِهَا لَكُمْ بِهَا فَخُذُوهَا قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَ

“This is concerning my question before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who rents, from al-Sultan a piece of land of al-Kharaj that belongs to tax payers, because of the failure of the owners. He (the Imam) said, ‘If the owners fail, you can take such land unless it is harmful to the owners. If you pay a

قَالَ: لَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ يَشْتَرِيَ أَرْضَ أَهْلِ الذِّمَّةِ إِذَا عَمَرُوهَا وَ أَحْيَوْهَا فَهِيَ لَهُمْ.

“He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘It is not unlawful if tax payers buy land, if they build and revive it, it becomes their land.’”

إِنَّهُ إِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ انْتُزِعَتْ مِنْكَ‌[2] أَوْ تُؤَدِّيَ عَنْهَا مَا عَلَيْهَا مِنَ الْخَرَاجِ قَالَ عَمَّارٌ ثُمَّ أَقْبَلَ عَلَيَّ فَقَالَ اشْتَرِهَا فَإِنَّ لَكَ مِنَ الْحَقِّ مَا هُوَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ.

“This is regarding their question before one of the two Imam, (abu Ja’far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, about buying the land of farmers of al-Kharaj land. He (the Imam) (a.s.), said, ‘On its coming (the time of the rise of al-Mahdiy with Divine Authority and Power) the land will be taken away or you pay what

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ شِرَاءِ أَرْضِ الذِّمَّةِ فَقَالَ لَا بَأْسَ بِهَا فَتَكُونُ إِذَا كَانَ ذَلِكَ بِمَنْزِلَتِهِمْ تُؤَدِّي عَنْهَا[1] كَمَا يُؤَدُّونَ قَالَ وَ سَأَلَهُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ النِّيلِ- عَنْ أَرْضٍ اشْتَرَاهَا بِفَمِ النِّيلِ- فَأَهْلُ الْأَرْضِ يَقُولُونَ هِيَ أَرْضُهُمْ وَ أَهْلُ الْأُسْتَانِ‌[2] يَقُولُونَ هِيَ مِنْ أَرْضِنَا قَالَ لَا تَشْتَرِهَا إِلَّا بِرِضَا أَهْلِهَا.

“This is concerning my question before abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about buying the land of tax payers (non-Muslims). He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not unlawful. On its coming (the time of the rise of al-Mahdiy with Divine Authority and Power) you will pay what they pay.’ I then asked him (the Imam) about the case of a man from pe

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنَّ لِي أَرْضَ خَرَاجٍ وَ قَدْ ضِقْتُ بِهَا ذَرْعاً قَالَ فَسَكَتَ هُنَيْهَةً ثُمَّ قَالَ إِنَّ قَائِمَنَا لَوْ قَدْ قَامَ كَانَ نَصِيبُكَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْهَا وَ لَوْ قَدْ قَامَ قَائِمُنَا ع كَانَ الْأُسْتَانُ أَمْثَلَ مِنْ قَطَائِعِهِمْ.

“I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that I had a piece of land of al-Kharaj which had caused to me great difficulties. He (the Imam) remained quiet for a while, then said, ‘On its coming (the time of the rise of al-Mahdiy with Divine Authority and Power) your share of the land will be greater than this and on such t