and this explanation of al-mukhābarah; it appears to be from Zayd ibn Thābit, and it is the one that should be relied upon among the statements mentioned by Ibn al-Athīr in "al-Nihāyah"; because it is an explanation from a Companion and a narrator of the ḥadīth, so he is more knowledgeable about what he narrates than others. The reason for his (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) prohibition of al-mukhābarah has been clarified in another narration; ʿUrwah ibn al-Zubayr narrates that Zayd ibn Thābit said: May Allāh forgive Rāfiʿ ibn Khadīj! By Allāh, I am more knowledgeable about the ḥadīth than him; it was only that two men fought, and the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) said: "If this is your situation, then do not lease the fields." He said: So Rāfiʿ heard his statement: "Do not lease the fields." It was recorded by Aḥmad (5/182 and 187), and its isnād is ḥasan. I said: This narration provides us with an important benefit, which is that the prohibition of (al-mukhābarah) is not for its own sake, but rather because of the disputes that may arise between the landowner and the tenant, which occur due to conditions imposed by one of the parties that are not legitimate, leading to disputes. This is what is conveyed by the collection of narrations of the ḥadīth of Rāfiʿ ibn Khadīj, as I have verified in "Irwāʾ al-Ghalīl" (5/297-302), and among the clearest of them is a narration by Muslim and others from the path of Ḥanẓalah ibn Qays who said: I asked Rāfiʿ ibn Khadīj about leasing land for gold and silver? He said: There is no harm in it; people used to lease during the time of the Prophet (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) for the produce of the water channels and the fronts of the streams, and some crops, so this would perish, and that would remain, and that would remain, and this would perish, and people had no leasing except this, so it was prohibited for that reason. As for something guaranteed, there is no harm in it. *