Chapter on Bequests of a Portion of Wealth, a Share, a Part, or a Large Amount

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 4|Book 1|Chapter 99

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

Volume 4, Book 1, Chapter 99

Chapter on Bequests of a Portion of Wealth, a Share, a Part, or a Large Amount
5 hadiths · 2 commentaries
Hadith 1

رَوَى أَبَانُ بْنُ تَغْلِبَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِمَا اَلسَّلاَمُ: أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَوْصَى بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ مَالِهِ فَقَالَ "اَلشَّيْءُ فِي كِتَابِ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ وَاحِدٌ مِنْ سِتَّةٍ".

Aban ibn Taghlib narrated from Imam Ali ibn Al-Hussain (a.s) that Imam (a.s) was asked about a man who made a bequest (waṣiyyah) of something from his wealth. Imam (a.s) replied: "The portion specified in the Book of (Imam) Ali (a.s) is one out of six parts."

Hadith 2

وَ رَوَى اَلسَّكُونِيُّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ يُوصِي بِسَهْمٍ مِنْ مَالِهِ فَقَالَ "اَلسَّهْمُ وَاحِدٌ مِنْ ثَمَانِيَةٍ لِقَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنَّمَا اَلصَّدَقٰاتُ لِلْفُقَرٰاءِ وَ اَلْمَسٰاكِينِ وَ اَلْعٰامِلِينَ عَلَيْهٰا وَ اَلْمُؤَلَّفَةِ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَ فِي اَلرِّقٰابِ وَ اَلْغٰارِمِينَ وَ فِي سَبِيلِ اَللّٰهِ وَ اِبْنِ اَلسَّبِيلِ.

Al-Sakuni narrated from Abu Abdullah (a.s) that he was asked about a man who bequeaths a share (sahm) of his wealth. Imam (a.s) replied: "The share is one out of eight parts, based on the saying of Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic: "Indeed, the charities are only for the poor, the needy, those employed to collect them, those whose hearts are to be reconciled, for freeing slaves, for those in debt, in the way of Allah (swt), and for the stranded traveler." (Surah Al-Tawbah, 9:60)

Hadith 3

وَ قَدْ رُوِيَ: "أَنَّ اَلسَّهْمَ وَاحِدٌ مِنْ سِتَّةٍ ".

It has been narrated that "the share is one out of six."

Commentary 1

قَالَ مُصَنِّفُ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ مَتَى أَوْصَى بِسَهْمٍ مِنْ سِهَامِ الزَّكَاةِ كَانَ السَّهْمُ وَاحِداً مِنْ ثَمَانِيَةٍ وَ مَتَى أَوْصَى بِسَهْمٍ مِنْ سِهَامِ الْمَوَارِيثِ فَالسَّهْمُ وَاحِدٌ مِنْ سِتَّةٍ وَ هَذَانِ الْحَدِيثَانِ مُتَّفِقَانِ غَيْرُ مُخْتَلِفَيْنِ فَتُمْضَى الْوَصِيَّةُ عَلَى مَا يَظْهَرُ مِنْ مُرَادِ الْمُوصِي.

The compiler of this book, may Allah (swt) have mercy on him, explained: Whenever a bequest is made for a share from the categories of zakat, the share is one out of eight, corresponding to the eight categories mentioned in the Qur'an. However, if the bequest is for a share from inheritance shares, then the share is one out of six, aligning with the divisions in inheritance. These two narrations are consistent and not contradictory. Therefore, the will should be executed according to what appears to be the intention of the testator.

Hadith 4

وَ رَوَى اَلْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَوْصَى بِجُزْءٍ مِنْ مَالِهِ فَقَالَ "جُزْءٌ مِنْ عَشَرَةٍ قَالَ اَللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ ثُمَّ اِجْعَلْ عَلىٰ كُلِّ جَبَلٍ مِنْهُنَّ جُزْءاً وَ كَانَتِ اَلْجِبَالُ عَشَرَةً.

It is narrated from Al-Hasan ibn Ali ibn Faddal, from Thalabah ibn Maymun, from Muawiyah ibn Ammar, who said: I asked Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) about a man who bequeathed a portion of his wealth. Imam (a.s) replied: "A portion is one-tenth." Allah (swt), the Almighty, said: "Then place on every mountain a portion (juz') of them" (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:260), and the mountains were ten.

Hadith 5

وَ رَوَى اَلْبَزَنْطِيُّ عَنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي اَلْحَسَنِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَوْصَى بِجُزْءٍ مِنْ مَالِهِ قَالَ "سُبُعُ ثُلُثِهِ".

It is narrated by Al-Bazanti from Al-Husayn ibn Khalid, who said: I asked Abu Al-Hasan (a.s) about a man who bequeathed a portion of his wealth. Imam (a.s) replied: "It is one-seventh of his one-third share."

Commentary 2

قَالَ مُصَنِّفُ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ كَانَ أَصْحَابُ الْأَمْوَالِ فِيمَا مَضَى يُجَزِّءُونَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَجْعَلُ أَجْزَاءَ مَالِهِ عَشَرَةً وَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَجْعَلُهَا سَبْعَةً فَعَلَى حَسَبِ رَسْمِ الرَّجُلِ فِي مَالِهِ تُمْضَى وَصِيَّتُهُ وَ مِثْلُ هَذَا لَا يُوصِي بِهِ إِلَّا مَنْ يَعْلَمُ اللُّغَةَ وَ يَفْهَمُ عَنْهُ فَأَمَّا جُمْهُورُ النَّاسِ فَلَا تَقَعُ لَهُمْ الْوَصَايَا إِلَّا بِالْمَعْلُومِ الَّذِي لَا يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى تَفْسِيرِ مَبْلَغِهِ فَإِذَا أَوْصَى رَجُلٌ بِمَالٍ كَثِيرٍ أَوْ نَذَرَ أَنْ يَتَصَدَّقَ بِمَالٍ كَثِيرٍ فَالْكَثِيرُ ثَمَانُونَ وَ مَا زَادَ لِقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى لَقَدْ نَصَرَكُمُ اللَّهُ فِي مَواطِنَ كَثِيرَةٍ وَ كَانَتْ ثَمَانِينَ مَوْطِناً.

The author of this book, may Allah (swt) have mercy on him, explains that in the past, wealthy individuals would divide their wealth into portions. Some would divide their wealth into ten parts, while others would divide it into seven. Therefore, a person's will should be executed according to how they customarily divided their wealth. Such specific forms of bequests are usually made by those well-versed in language and understanding. However, for the majority of people, wills are generally made in clear and specific terms that require no further interpretation. If a person makes a will or vows to give away "a large amount" of wealth, then the interpretation of "a large amount" is considered to be eighty or more, based on the verse of Allah (swt), the Exalted: "Indeed, Allah (swt) has given you victory in many (kathirah) battlefields" (Surah At-Tawbah 9:25), where "many" referred to eighty instances of victory.