Where is the clear cut evidence in the Qur'an that in the time of Salih (peace be on all God's prophets), the question was that of monopolizing of grazing grounds?
Actually it does not require much intelligence to know the problem of monopolizing of grazing grounds was the issue. Just the following single verse 26:155 is sufficient to prove this point. Prophet Salih suggested fixing up the turns of the animals irrespective of the animal belonging to whom which the monopolists objected and went even to the extent of killing the camel.
[Mohamed Asad] Replied he: "This she-camel shall have a share of water, and you shall have a share of water, on the days appointed [therefor].
[Yousuf Ali] He said: "Here is a she-camel: she has a right of watering, and ye have a right of watering, (severally) on a day appointed.
Cultivated land is what is generally held as private property. Who in the world, has ever prohibited this?
No wonder you mentioned “generally held as private property”. You have to remove from your mind all pre-conceived notions to understand Quranic points.
According to the Quran, whatever in the heavens and on earth belong to Allah alone. The earth is the medium for the production of all means of subsistence, which are provided freely for the benefit of humanity. Wind, water, light, heat and the earth, all of which exist for our sustenance and are freely given by Allah, should actually be left equally open for all human being.
[Muhammed Asad] For He [it is who, after creating the earth,] placed firm mountains on it, [towering] above its surface, and bestowed [so many] blessings on it,
and equitably apportioned its means of subsistence to all who would seek it: [and all this He created] in four aeons. (41:10)
And the earth – We have spread it out wide, and placed on it mountains firm, and caused [life] of every kind to grow on it in a balanced manner,
and provided thereon means of livelihood for you [O men] as well as for all [living beings] whose sustenance does not depend on you (15:19-20)
And the earth has
He spread out for all living beings (55:10)
Weigh, therefore, [every decision and act] with equity, and cut not the measure short!(55:9)
From the above, it should be clear that all natural resources are God given, and their purpose is to sustain the whole of humanity. For this no one has the right to create artificial barriers and divisions and declare ownership of these resources.
All [of them] – these as well as those – do We freely endow with some of thy Sustainer's gifts, since thy Sustainer's giving is never confined [to one kind of man] (17:20)
In our times especially, there is more prominence for mining, quarrying, power production, protected wild life sanctuaries, etc; outside cultivated fields.
In our times, even things like mining, quarrying and power productions are privately owned and these evil forces even control governments in countries like India
Regards,
Optimist