Mughal Administration c15.s1.t1.49

c15.s1.t1.49

“Uncultivated desolate lands in conquered countries having no houses on them and not belonging to anybody, are called “dead lands”……Abu Hanifa says, ‘He who vivifies (=reclaims to cultivation) a dead land becomes its proprietor when the Imam(=Khalif) permits it……If he has vivified it without the authority of the Imam, the latter may, at his pleasure, give it on lease, as fief, etc…or do whatever he deems useful,’” (p. 96.)