The Will and What it Must Consist of

The Witness for the Will

A Man Makes a Will and Appoints an Executor but he Refuses to Accept it

The Owner is more Rightful to his Property as Long as he is Living

Making a Will for the Heir

The Matters for which one can Make a Will and what is Preferable in the Issue

Another Chapter

A Man Makes a Will, then Cancels it

If the Beneficiary of a Will dies before the Death of the Testator or before Taking Possession

Executing the Will as it Requires

A Will for Setting free Slaves, Charity or al-Hajj

The Executor of the Will must Correct the Possible Violation of the Law in the Will

An Executor of the Will is held Responsible for Changing a Lawful Will

Al-Mudabbar (the Slave for whose Freedom Death of the Master is a Condition) is from One Third of the Legacy

First the Shroud, then Debts, then Will is paid for from the Legacy

The Will and Debts

One Who Sets Free a Slave and He is Indebted

The Will about a Contracted Slave

The Will of Immature Boys and Girls, the Lawful and Unlawful Matters in it

Will in Favor of Mothers of Children

The Matters Permissible in Endowment, Charity, Gift, Present, Providing Conditional Housing and Matters Permissible or otherwise for a Child and others

The Will for a Part of One’s Assets

The Will about Something of One’s Legacy

The Will about a Share of One’s Legacy

One in His Illness Confesses His Indebtedness to One of his Heirs

When certain ones of the Heirs Confirm Freeing of a Slave or Debts

The Case of One Who Leaves very Little Legacy with a Larger Amount of Debt and Dependents

The Adults whose Will is not Acceptable

Distribution of What is Bequeathed To Relatives

The Case of one who Makes a Bequest for an Adult with whom a Child must Share

The Case of One’s Appointing Two Executors for the Will, Each of whom Deals with a Certain Portion of the Legacy

Charities of the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, Fatimah and ‘A’immah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam

Things that Reach a Deceased after his Death

The Rare Ahadith

The Case of One who Dies without a Will, Leaves behind Small Heirs and it is Sold upon Him

The Executor of the Will Hands over the Assets of Children who were Small, now Adults, but they Refuse to Take Charge, the Children who Become Adults but are not Found to be of Proper Understanding, the Limit of Adulthood

The Ordained Shares

The Legacy Comes from the Share of the One Nearest in Relationship to Him and that the Owner of Ordained Share is more Deserving than those who do not have any Ordained Share

Obligations are not Fulfilled without the Sword

Invalidity of Deficiency (in the Ordained Shares)

Another Chapter on Invalidity of al-‘Awl (deficiency or excess) and the Ordained Shares are not more than Six

Knowing to Avoid Deficiency

With the Existence of a Child and Parents no one Else Inherits Except a Husband and Wife

The Reason Why Ordained Shares are not more than Six

The Reason Why a Male’s Share is Twice the Share of a Female

The Legacy is Just for the Eldest Son

The Share of Children from the Legacy

The Share of Grandchildren in the legacy

Inheritance of Parents

Inheritance of Parents with Brothers and Sisters from the Father and Brothers and Sisters from the Mother

The Inheritance of a Son with both Parents

Inheritance of the Son, with Husband and Woman and Both Parents

Inheritance of Parents with Husband and Wife

AI-Kalalah (Burdensome one’s in Inheritance)

Inheritance of Brothers and Sisters with Children

Inheritance of the Grandfather

Brothers from a Mother with the Grandfather

Son of a Brother with a Grandfather

Inheritance of Relatives

A Woman Leaves Behind Just her Husband

A Deceased Leaves behind Just his Wife

Women do not Inherit Anything from Real Property

Dispute of Man and Woman over Household Items

Inheritance of a Boy and a Girl who are not yet Mature

The Inheritance of a Married and Mature Female before going to Bed

Inheritance of Women Divorced during Illness or without Illness

Inheritance of Relatives with Mawali

Inheritance of People Drowned and because of the Collapse of a Structure on them

Inheritance of People Killed, those who Inherit and those who do not Inherit from the Wergild

The Inheritance of a Killer

Inheritance of People of other Religions

Another Chapter on Inheritance of People of other Religions

The Inheritance of the People of Religion among them according to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Holy Prophet

If a Deceased Leaves Behind Muslim and non-Muslim Heirs

Inheritance of Slaves

The Free and Slaves do not Inherit each other

Deceased leaves Behind One Free and One Owned Heir

The Inheritance Due to Special Contract

Inheritance of an Apostate

Inheritance of One who is Lost

Inheritance of the Crying Newborn Child

Inheritance of Hermaphrodite

Inheritance of the Child of Parents who Condemn Each other (al -Mula‘anah (condemnation))

Another Chapter about the Child of Mula‘anah (condemnation)

Inheritance of a Child from Fornication

The Case of a Child Carried away from his Birthplace ( al-Hamil )

Confirming of Certain Heir a Debt

1- حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ حَازِمٍ الْكَلْبِيِّ ابْنِ أُخْتِ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) مَنْ لَمْ يُحْسِنْ وَصِيَّتَهُ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ كَانَ نَقْصاً فِي مُرُوءَتِهِ وَعَقْلِهِ قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ وَكَيْفَ يُوصِي الْمَيِّتُ قَالَ إِذَا حَضَرَتْهُ وَفَاتُهُ وَاجْتَمَعَ النَّاسُ إِلَيْهِ قَالَ اللهُمَّ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأرْضِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ الرَّحْمَنَ الرَّحِيمَ اللهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعْهَدُ إِلَيْكَ فِي دَارِ الدُّنْيَا أَنِّي أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنْتَ وَحْدَكَ لا شَرِيكَ لَكَ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّداً عَبْدُكَ وَرَسُولُكَ وَأَنَّ الْجَنَّةَ حَقٌّ وَأَنَّ النَّارَ حَقٌّ وَأَنَّ الْبَعْثَ حَقٌّ وَأَنَّ الْحِسَابَ حَقٌّ وَالْقَدَرَ وَالْمِيزَانَ حَقٌّ وَأَنَّ الدِّينَ كَمَا وَصَفْتَ وَأَنَّ الإسْلامَ كَمَا شَرَعْتَ وَأَنَّ الْقَوْلَ كَمَا حَدَّثْتَ وَأَنَّ الْقُرْآنَ كَمَا أَنْزَلْتَ وَأَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللهُ الْحَقُّ الْمُبِينُ جَزَى اللهُ مُحَمَّداً (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) خَيْرَ الْجَزَاءِ وَحَيَّا اللهُ مُحَمَّداً وَآلَ مُحَمَّدٍ بِالسَّلامِ اللهُمَّ يَا عُدَّتِي عِنْدَ كُرْبَتِي وَيَا صَاحِبِي عِنْدَ شِدَّتِي وَيَا وَلِيَّ نِعْمَتِي إِلَهِي وَإِلَهَ آبَائِي لا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ أَبَداً فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ تَكِلْنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي طَرْفَةَ عَيْنٍ أَقْرُبْ مِنَ الشَّرِّ وَأَبْعُدْ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ فَ‏آنِسْ فِي الْقَبْرِ وَحْشَتِي وَاجْعَلْ لِي عَهْداً يَوْمَ أَلْقَاكَ مَنْشُوراً ثُمَّ يُوصِي بِحَاجَتِهِ وَتَصْدِيقُ هَذِهِ الْوَصِيَّةِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ فِي السُّورَةِ الَّتِي يَذْكُرُ فِيهَا مَرْيَمَ فِي قَوْلِهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لا يَمْلِكُونَ الشَّفاعَةَ إِلا مَنِ اتَّخَذَ عِنْدَ الرَّحْمنِ عَهْداً فَهَذَا عَهْدُ الْمَيِّتِ وَ الْوَصِيَّةُ حَقٌّ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ أَنْ يَحْفَظَ هَذِهِ الْوَصِيَّةَ وَيُعَلِّمَهَا وَقَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَلَّمَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) عَلَّمَنِيهَا جَبْرَئِيلُ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام).

1. Narrated to us Ali ibn Ibrahim from Ali ibn Ishaq from al-Hassan ibn Hazim al-Kalbiy son of the sister of Hisham ibn Salim from Sulayman ibn Ja‘far who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that the Messenger of Allah has said, ‘A person who does not make a proper will at the time of his death suffers from lack of kindness and proper understanding.’ It was then asked, ‘O messenger of Allah, what kind of will should a dying person make?’ The Messenger of Allah replied, ‘When one is about to die and people gather around him he should say: “O Allah, the Inventor of the heavens and earth, who has the knowledge of the unseen and the present matters, the Beneficent, the Merciful. O Allah, I entrust You, in this world, with my testimony, ‘I testify that no one beside You (O Allah), who is One and has no partners, deserve to be worshipped. I also testify that Muhammad is your servant and Messenger. I testify that Paradise is true, Hellfire is true, Resurrection is true, that Accountability of everyone, on the Day of Judgment, is true, and Measurement and Balance are true. I testify that Religion is as You have described, that Islam is as You have established and the Word is as You have spoken, that the Quran is as You have sent down and that You are Allah, the manifest truth. I pray to Allah to compensate Muhammad (a.s.), with the best of compensations and welcome Muhammad and his family with the (promised) peace. O Allah, You are my means and resource at the time of my living in distress, and You are my companion at the time of my suffering hardships. You are the Benefactor of bounties I have enjoyed. You are my Lord and the Lord of my ancestors. Do not ever leave me to myself; not even for a blinking of an eye, for if You leave me to myself for a blinking of an eye, I become closer to wickedness and move away from goodness. Comfort me in the grave against my fear and make this an open covenant in my favor on the day when I will come into Your presence.’” Thereafter he should make his will about the matters that he may need. Such a will is based on the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, in the Chapter of the Holy Quran where Mary is mentioned. “No one will possess any intercession (Shafa‘ah) except those who have entrusted the Beneficent to bear witness to their testimony.’” “It is a right upon every Muslim to memorize this will and testimony and teach it. Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), has said, ‘The Messenger of Allah taught me this will.’ The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘ Jibril taught me this will.’” 

2- الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ صَبِيحٍ قَالَ صَحِبَنِي مَوْلًى لأبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يُقَالُ لَهُ أَعْيَنُ فَاشْتَكَى أَيَّاماً ثُمَّ بَرَأَ ثُمَّ مَاتَ فَأَخَذْتُ مَتَاعَهُ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُ فَأَتَيْتُ بِهِ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَأَخْبَرْتُهُ أَنَّهُ اشْتَكَى أَيَّاماً ثُمَّ بَرَأَ ثُمَّ مَاتَ قَالَ تِلْكَ رَاحَةُ الْمَوْتِ أَمَا إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْ أَحَدٍ يَمُوتُ حَتَّى يَرُدَّ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْ سَمْعِهِ وَبَصَرِهِ وَعَقْلِهِ لِلْوَصِيَّةِ أَخَذَ أَوْ تَرَكَ.

2. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘afla’ ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali from af-Wafid ibn Sabih who has narrated the following: “Once a Mawla’ of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), accompanied me (on a journey) and complained of illness for several days. Then it seemed as if he had no illness but very shortly, he died. I took his luggage to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and informed him (the Imam) that he complained for several days, then he seemed as if he had no illness at all, but shortly thereafter he died. He (the Imam) said, ‘That was the comfort of death. No one dies before, Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, returns his ears, eyes and reason for making a will, regardless of whether he makes use of that opportunity or not.’” 

3- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ لَهُ رَجُلٌ إِنِّي خَرَجْتُ إِلَى مَكَّةَ فَصَحِبَنِي رَجُلٌ وَكَانَ زَمِيلِي فَلَمَّا أَنْ كَانَ فِي بَعْضِ الطَّرِيقِ مَرِضَ وَثَقُلَ ثِقْلا شَدِيداً فَكُنْتُ أَقُومُ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَفَاقَ حَتَّى لَمْ يَكُنْ عِنْدِي بِهِ بَأْسٌ فَلَمَّا أَنْ كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ أَفَاقَ فَمَاتَ فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مَا مِنْ مَيِّتٍ تَحْضُرُهُ الْوَفَاةُ إِلا رَدَّ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ سَمْعِهِ وَبَصَرِهِ وَعَقْلِهِ لِلْوَصِيَّةِ أَخَذَ الْوَصِيَّةَ أَوْ تَرَكَ وَهِيَ الرَّاحَةُ الَّتِي يُقَالُ لَهَا رَاحَةُ الْمَوْتِ فَهِيَ حَقٌّ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthaman who has narrated the following: “Once, a man said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I once travelled to Makkah and my travel mate, who was a friend, on the way became ill very seriously and I looked after him. He began to feel very well and I thought he is fine. On the day that he died, he became extremely well but on the same day, he died.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘To anyone who is about to die, Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, returns his hearing, seeing and reasoning abilities so that he can make a will, regardless of whether he makes a will or not. It is the comfort that is called the comfort of death and that is the right of every Muslim.’” 

4- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْفُضَيْلِ عَنْ أَبِي الصَّبَّاحِ الْكِنَانِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ الْوَصِيَّةِ فَقَالَ هِيَ حَقٌّ عَلَى كُلِّ مُسْلِمٍ.

4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il from Muhammad ibn af-Fudayf from abu af-Sabbah af-Kinaniy who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the will. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is a right on every Muslim.’” 

5- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) الْوَصِيَّةُ حَقٌّ وَقَدْ أَوْصَى رَسُولُ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) فَيَنْبَغِي لِلْمُسْلِمِ أَنْ يُوصِيَ. 

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad, from ibn Mahbub from al-‘Ala’ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has narrated the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Making a will is a right that requires compliance. The Messenger of Allah (a.s.), made a will, thus it is proper for a Muslim to make a will.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 7

Book 1, Chapter 1