Chapter on Judgment Regarding the Flood of the Mahzur Valley

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 3|Book 1|Chapter 39

Chapter on Judgment Regarding the Flood of the Mahzur Valley

2 hadiths · 1 commentary

رَوَى غِيَاثُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ آبَائِهِ عَنْ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "قَضَى رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فِي سَيْلِ وَادِي مَهْزُورٍ أَنْ يُحْبَسَ اَلْأَعْلَى عَلَى اَلْأَسْفَلِ اَلْمَاءُ لِلزَّرْعِ إِلَى اَلشِّرَاكِ وَ لِلنَّخْلِ إِلَى اَلْكَعْبِ ثُمَّ يُرْسَلَ اَلْمَاءُ إِلَى اَلْأَسْفَلِ مِنْ ذَلِكَ".

Ghiyath bin Ibrahim narrated from Abu Abdullah , from his forefathers, from Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib : The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) ruled regarding the floodwaters of the Valley of Mahzur that the upper part should hold the water for irrigation until it reaches the level of the sandal strap for crops and the level of the ankle for palm trees. Then the water should be released to the lower areas from that point.

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 195

Hadith #2

وَ فِي خَبَرٍ آخَرَ: "لِلزَّرْعِ إِلَى اَلشِّرَاكَيْنِ وَ لِلنَّخْلِ إِلَى اَلسَّاقَيْنِ".

In another narration: "For crops, the water should reach up to the two sandal straps, and for palm trees, up to the two shins."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Commentary #1

وَ هَذَا عَلَى حَسَبِ قُوَّةِ الْوَادِي وَ ضَعْفِهِ قَالَ مُصَنِّفُ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ سَمِعْتُ مَنْ أَثِقُ بِهِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ أَنَّهُ وَادِي مَهْزُورٍ وَ مَسْمُوعِي مِنْ شَيْخِنَا مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ- وَادِي مَهْرُوزٍ بِتَقْدِيمِ الرَّاءِ غَيْرِ الْمُعْجَمَةِ عَلَى الزَّاءِ الْمُعْجَمَةِ وَ ذَكَرَ أَنَّهَا كَلِمَةٌ فَارِسِيَّةٌ وَ هُوَ مِنْ هَرْزِ الْمَاءِ وَ الْمَاءُ الْهَرْزُ بِالْفَارِسِيَّةِ الزَّائِدُ عَلَى الْمِقْدَارِ الَّذِي يُحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهِ.

The ruling depends on the strength or weakness of the wadi (valley)." The compiler of this book, may Allah have mercy on him, said: I heard from someone I trust among the people of Medina that it is called Wadi Mahzur. I also heard from our teacher, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him), that he said it is Wadi Mahruz, with the placement of the unpointed "ra" before the pointed "zay." He mentioned that it is a Persian word derived from "harz al-maa," meaning water that exceeds the required amount in Persian.