Under Islamic law, all land ultimately belongs to God. However, individuals can privately own land if they follow certain conditions. Man is considered a trustee (khalifah) of God over land and must utilize it fully according to Shariah law for the benefit of society. There are two main methods of acquiring land - the state can grant land (iqta') or individuals can develop unused land (ihya al-mawat). Private land ownership is recognized but not absolute, as the land must be continuously cultivated and cannot be left idle or used for unlawful purposes.

1. LAND OWNERSHIP IN
ISLAM

2. Concept of land ownership
1. Land vests solely in Allah
• All properties belong to Allah
• Allah as the true owner, the Creator.
• Land, as a free and universal gift from Allah, must be
utilised to the fullest.
• "All that is in the heavens and on the earth belong to Allah
s.w.t."(S-An-Nisa (4):126 & 134)

3. • "To him belongs whatever is in the heavens and on earth."
(Surah An-Nahl (16): 52)
• "His is the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth and all
that lies between them." (Surah al-Zukhruf(43): 85; Surah
AI-Maidah (5) : 120)

4. 2. Man as trustee (khalifah)
• "It is He who has made the earth manageable for you so
traverse you through its tracts and enjoy of the
sustenance which he furnishes, but unto Him is the
resurrection" (Surah al-Mulk (67): 15)

5. • "And He it is Who has made you vicegerents (to inherit
the earth), and has raised some of you by degree above
others, so that He might try you by means of what He has
bestowed upon you. Verily your sustainer is swift in
retribution; Yet, behold He is indeed much forgiving, a
dispenser of grace." (Surah An-An'am (6): 165).

6. • The system of land ownership as viewed in Islam is
founded in the concept of trust.
• Man has been delegated with the authority and power to
utilize the resources amply provided for him. He has to
discharge that responsibility in his capacity as an agent or
viceroy on earth.
• He must ensure that while exercising that power it would
not result to the destruction to the segment of the society.

7. • In Surah Yunus, the role of man as a representative of
Allah s.w.t. on earth is stipulated. It states that: "Then we
made you vicegerents in the land after them to see how
you would act”.
• "And spend of that whereof He has made you His
vicegerents." (Surah Al Hadid (57) : 7).

8. 3. Must be utilised to the fullest according to the Shariah.
• For the common use and general welfare of the society.
• Man must strive to fulfill the role as trustee with utmost
care and in the manner outlined by the Shariah.
• Not to leave land idle.
• Not to harm your neighbour.
• Not to use land for haram purposes.

9. Private ownership of land
1. Recognition of private ownership
• Ownership of property is a right recognized in Islam and
ought to be enjoyed by every sector of the society.
• Islam along with the security of life guarantees security of
ownership of property to every human being
• Private ownership or individual ownership of land
therefore, is encouraged and allowed in Islam provided, it
does not injure, impede or jeopardize the interests of the
greater segment of the community.
• Exclusive possession

10. 2. Protection of ownership
• "0 you who believe! Eat not up your property among
yourselves in vanities; but let there be amongst you traffic
and trade by mutual goodwill." (Surah An-Nisaa (4): 29).

11. • "As to thief, male or female, cut off his or her hands: A
punishment by way of example, from Allah for their crime."
(Surah AI-Maidah (5): 38).
• "And withhold not the goods of the people, and do not
cause mischief on earth." (Surah As-Shu'ara (26) : 183).
• Hadith: "No person's property is lawful to be taken except
by his consent”

12. • However, the State reserves the right to acquire land from
should the need arise or if it is for the benefit of the
society (maslahah).
• Thus, property in Islam has a social function apart from
fulfilling the needs of the proprietor.

13. 3. Must be according to the shariah
• A person is not free to own in any method he designs or
chooses. He is not free to use his possession or deal with
it or transfer it as he wishes or according to his fancy and
whims. There are limits and conditions attached to
ownership as well as methods on how to utilize and
transfer it.

14. 4. Ownership is subject to utilisation and continuous
cultivation of the land.
• Upon failure to cultivate/develop land within 3 years, the
land shall revert to the State and the State may alienate
the land to others.
• The practice of Saidina Umar: Saidina Umar
repossessed the land granted to Bilal bin Wadi Aqiq.

15. • No land shall be left idle
• If not able to utilise the land, should be returned to the
State
• Land which is not utilised can be acquired by State
without compensation.
• Case of Bilal bin Harith:
• Prophet granted the whole of Wadi Aqiq to Bilal bin Harith.
• Bilal was unable to cultivated a large part of it.
• State took back all the uncultivated portion and let Bilal
keep the parts that had been cultivated.
• No compensation given.

16. 5. Acquisition of land by the State must be with the
proprietor’s consent and with adequate payment of
compensation.
• The Holy Prophet s.a.w. had acquired the property of some of the
people of Madinah for a construction of mosque with their consent
and he paid compensation to the owners in accordance with the
prevailing price although the owners did not demand any price.
• During the time of Caliph Umar where a Syrian cultivator
complained that the army had trampled down his crops. Caliph
Umar ordered that he be paid ten thousand dirhams as
compensation. Muslim jurists ruled that the State could not acquire
the property of its subjects unlawfully.
• Must be for maslahah ammah only. (highest interest of the public)

17. • The amount of compensation envisaged in Islam covers not only
the loss of ownership of property but also to indemnify the owner of
his expenses incurred on the land and the loss of income arising
from the loss of use of the land. The rightful owner must bear in
mind that what he actually has is the right to use the land and what
he owned is the benefit or usufruct from the land. The
compensation is usually based on what he has actually been
deprived of.

18. Methods of acquiring land
• 2 methods:
1. Iqta’ by the State
2. Ihya’ al-Mawat (Revival of dead land)

19. Disposal of land by State
• Iqta’ (
)
• Iqta’ Tamlik:
• State grants land. The proprietor shall enjoy full ownership over the
land.
• Iqta’ Istighlal:
• State grants the land to certain people upon payment of certain fees.
Grantee does not obtain full ownership but the right to exploit or utilise
the land.
• Iqta’ Irfaq:
• Grant of a temporary nature, for a specified purpose

20. Ihya’ al-Mawat
An individual can acquire ownership by way of irrigating or
rehabilitating dead or barren land.
The concept of ihya al mawat:
Whoever irrigates barren land has a right to its
produce.
Hadith:
Whoever irrigates a barren land will own what it produces

22. What is mawat land?
• Land that is left barren, uncultivated.
• Land that can be acquired through ihya al mawat:
• Land that does not belong to anyone
• No sign of development (
) or utilisation (
)
• Hanafi school: emphasises on location.
Mawat land has to be far away from any human
settlement.

23. • Land that cannot be acquired through ihya al mawat:
Reserved land
Land reserved for the public
1.
1.
•
•
2.
•
•
•
•
Land that is reserved for public use
e.g. bridge, public park, market, graveyard
Cannot be developed and cannot be acquired
Land that is reserved for a certain group for specific purposes
Reserved for specific use, specific purposes or specific projects
The land is termed as ‘hima’ (
)
e.g. for rearing livestock, army camps etc.
Cannot be acquired even if vacant.

24. Land that has been granted/alienated
2.
•
Reserved for the grantee
Land that is reserved for the interest of developed land
3.
•
•
•
Termed as ‘hareem’ (
)
Area of land that is necessary for the utilisation of developed
land.
Cannot be acquired.

25. Is consent of the State needed?
• Shafie school & Abu Yusuf: consent of the State is not a
prerequisite for ownership of mawat land.
• Hanafi school: consent is needed.
• Rationale: to avoid future disputes.
• Maliki school: consent of the State is only required if the
land is situated near any human settlement.
• Hanbali school: consent is only required if the land had
been previously owned.

26. Tahjir
• An act undertaken as a preliminary measure towards
reviving mawat land.
• Examples:
• marking the boundary with stones or fences
• clearing the grass, digging a trench
• putting stones, thorns, dead brances to enclose 4 sides of
the land.

27. • Shafie school:
• Tahjir does not create any right of ownership.
• It is merely the beginning or a right, and will become ownership
once the work has been completed within 3 years.
• Hanafi school:
• Tahjir only serves as a notice others.
• Also serves as a point for claiming priority in the event of
conflicting claims.
• All jurists agree that right to ownership ceases upon failure to
cultivate the land within 3 years.

28. Questions
• Under land ownership in Islam, man is said to be a trustee
when he owns land. Briefly explain this concept of
trusteeship with reference to at least one authority from
the Quran or Hadith.
• Briefly explain 2 methods in which the Islamic State may
grant rights over land to an individual.
• What are the essential characteristics of land ownership
in Islam?
• Why is land ownership not absolute in Islam?