Sunan an-Nasa'i, Hadith 3899 ⓘ
It was narrated that Hanzalah bin Qais Al-Ansari said: "I asked Rafi' bin Khadij about leasing land in return for Dinars and silver. He said: 'There is nothing wrong with that. During the time of the Messenger of Allah they used to rent land to one another in return for what grew on the banks of streams and where the springs emerged - some areas of which might give good produce and some might give none at all - and the people did not lease land in any other way. So that was forbidden. But as for leases where the return is known and guaranteed, there is nothing wrong with that.'"
أَخْبَرَنِي الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عِيسَى، - هُوَ ابْنُ يُونُسَ - قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، عَنْ رَبِيعَةَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ حَنْظَلَةَ بْنِ قَيْسٍ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُ رَافِعَ بْنَ خَدِيجٍ عَنْ كِرَاءِ الأَرْضِ، بِالدِّينَارِ وَالْوَرِقِ فَقَالَ لاَ بَأْسَ بِذَلِكَ إِنَّمَا كَانَ النَّاسُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُؤَاجِرُونَ عَلَى الْمَاذِيَانَاتِ وَأَقْبَالِ الْجَدَاوِلِ فَيَسْلَمُ هَذَا وَيَهْلِكُ هَذَا وَيَسْلَمُ هَذَا وَيَهْلِكُ هَذَا فَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِلنَّاسِ كِرَاءٌ إِلاَّ هَذَا فَلِذَلِكَ زُجِرَ عَنْهُ فَأَمَّا شَىْءٌ مَعْلُومٌ مَضْمُونٌ فَلاَ بَأْسَ بِهِ. وَافَقَهُ مَالِكُ بْنُ أَنَسٍ عَلَى إِسْنَادِهِ وَخَالَفَهُ فِي لَفْظِهِ.
also referenced under: Book 35b, Hadith 43 (In-Book) & Volume 4, Book 35, Hadith 3930 (DarusSalam)