month, whether he digs a little or a lot. It is necessary to know the land in which he is digging. Some of our companions said: It is not necessary to know it, because the purpose does not vary with that. The first view is more appropriate, if Allah the Almighty wills, because the ground might be hard, making the digging arduous for him, or it might be soft, making it easy for him. If he stipulates it by the work, it is necessary to know the site by observation, because locations vary in terms of softness and hardness, and this cannot be captured by description. He must know the circumference of the well, its depth, and the length, depth, and width of the river, because the work varies according to these. Once he has dug the well, it is incumbent upon him to remove the soil, for he cannot dig without that, so the contract has included it. If soil collapses from its sides or a beast falls into it [or the like], he is not obligated to remove it; it falls upon the owner of the well, for it fell in from his property, and the hiring contract did not include its removal. If he reaches a rock or solid object that prevents digging, he is not obligated to dig through it, because that differs from what he observed of the ground. The observation of the ground was considered only because it varies; so if something appears that contradicts what was observed, he has the choice to cancel. If he cancels, he is entitled to the wage in proportion to what he has accomplished. Thus, the wage is prorated based on what remains and what has been done, by asking: What is the wage for what has been done? And what is the wage for what remains? The specified wage is then prorated between them. It is not permissible to prorate it based on the number of cubits, because the upper part of the well allows for easy removal of soil, while the lower part makes it difficult. If water springs up that prevents him from digging, it is equivalent to the rock, according to what we have mentioned.
Section: It is permissible to hire for making mud bricks, for the reasons we have mentioned, and it may be for a duration or a task. If he stipulates it by the task, he needs to specify the number, mention the mold, and the location of the making, because the wage varies according to that due to the fact that the soil is easier in some places and water is closer. If
(10) In M: "until". (11) Perhaps the correct reading is: "the location". (12) Omitted from the original. (13) Omitted from the original. (14) In the original: "prevents it".
الشَّهْر، قَلِيلًا حَفَرَ (١٠) أو كَثِيرًا. ويَحْتاجُ إلى مَعْرِفةِ الأرْضِ التي يَحْفِرُ فيها. وقال بعضُ أصْحابِنا: لا يَحْتَاجُ إلى مَعْرِفَتِها؛ لأنَّ الغَرَضَ لا يَخْتَلِفُ بذلك. والأَولُ أَوْلَى إن شاءَ اللهُ تعالى؛ لأنَّ الأرْضَ قد تكونُ صُلْبةً، فيكونُ الحَفْرُ عليه شاقًّا، وقد تكونُ سَهْلةً، فيَسْهُلُ ذلك عليه. وإن قَدَّرَه بالعَمَلِ، فلا بدَّ من مَعْرِفَةِ الوَضْعِ (١١) بالمُشَاهَدةِ؛ لأنَّ المَواضِعَ تَخْتَلِفُ بالسُّهُولةِ والصَّلَابةِ، ولا يَنْضَبِطُ ذلك بالصِّفَةِ ويَعْرِفُ دَوْرَ البِئْرِ، وعُمْقَها، وطُولَ النَّهْرِ، وعُمْقَه، وعَرْضَهُ؛ لأنَّ العَمَلَ يَخْتَلِفُ بذلك. فإذا حَفَرَ بِئْرًا، فعليه شَيْلُ التُّرَابِ (١٢)؛ لأنَّه لا يُمْكِنُه الحَفْرُ إلَّا بذلك، فقد تَضَمَّنَه العَقْدُ. فإن تَهَوَّرَ تُرَابٌ من جانِبَيْها، أو سَقَطَتْ فيه بَهِيمةٌ [أو نحو ذلك] (١٣)، لم يَلْزَمْه شَيْلُه، وكان على صاحِبِ البِئْرِ؛ لأنَّه سَقَطَ فيها من مِلْكِه، ولم يَتَضَمَّنْ عَقدُ الإِجَارةِ رَفْعَه. وإن وَصَلَ إلى صَخْرةٍ أو جَمادٍ يَمْنَعُ الحَفْرَ، لم يَلْزَمْه حَفْرُه؛ لأنَّ ذلك مُخَالِفٌ لما شَاهَدَه من الأرْضِ، وإنَّما اعْتُبِرَتْ مُشَاهَدةُ الأرْضِ لأنَّها تَخْتَلِفُ، فإذا ظَهَرَ فيها ما يُخَالِفُ المُشَاهدَةَ، كان له الخِيَارُ في الفَسْخِ، فإذا فَسَخَ، كان له من الأجْرِ بحِصَّةِ ما عَمِل فيُقَسَّطُ الأجْرُ على ما بَقِىَ وما عَمِلَ، فيقال: كم أجْرُ ما عَمِلَ؟ وكم أجْرُ ما بَقِىَ؟ ! ويُقَسَّطُ الأجْرُ المسَمَّى عليهما. ولا يجوزُ تَقسِيطُه على عَدَدِ الأذْرُعِ؛ لأنَّ أعْلَى البِئْرِ يسْهُلُ نَقْلُ التُّرابِ منه، وأسْفَلَه يَشُقُّ ذلك فيه. وإن نَبَعَ ما يَمْنَعُه (١٤) من الحَفْرِ، فهو بمَنْزِلةِ الصَّخْرةِ، على ما ذَكَرْنا.
فصل: ويجوزُ الاسْتِئْجارُ لِضَرْبِ اللَّبِنِ؛ لما ذَكَرْنا، ويكونُ على مُدَّةٍ أو عَمَلٍ، فإن قَدَّرَه بالعَمَلِ، احْتاجَ إلى تَبْيِينِ عَدَدِه، وذِكْرِ قَالَبِه، ومَوْضِعِ الضَّرْبِ؛ لأنَّ الأجْرَ يَخْتَلِفُ باخْتِلافِه؛ لكَوْنِ التُّرابِ في بعضِ الأماكِن أسْهَلَ، والماءِ أقْربَ. فإن
(١٠) في م: "حتى".(١١) لعل الصواب: "الموضع".(١٢) سقط من الأصل.(١٣) سقط من الأصل.(١٤) في الأصل: "منعه".
