Distribution of Water

Bukhari :: Book 3 :: Volume 40 :: Hadith 550

Narrated 'Urwa bin Az-Zubair:

An-Ansari man quarrelled with Az-Zubair about a canal in the Harra which was used for irrigating date-palms. Allah's Apostle, ordering Zubair to be moderate, said, "O Zubair! Irrigate (your land) first and then leave the water for your neighbor." The Ansari said, "Is it because he is your aunt's son?" On that the color of the face of Allah's Apostle changed and he said, "O Zubair! Irrigate (your land) and withhold the water till it reaches the walls that are between the pits around the trees." So, Allah's Apostle gave Zubair his full right. Zubair said, "By Allah, the following verse was revealed in that connection": "But no, by your Lord They can have No faith Until they make you judge In all disputes between them." (4.65)

(The sub-narrator,) Ibn Shihab said to Juraij (another sub-narrator), "The Ansar and the other people interpreted the saying of the Prophet, 'Irrigate (your land) and with-hold the water till it reaches the walls between the pits around the trees,' as meaning up to the ankles."