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- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ النِّسَاءُ لا يَرِثْنَ مِنَ الأرْضِ وَلا مِنَ الْعَقَارِ شَيْئاً.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from Muhammad ibn Humran from Zurarah from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has narrated the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Women do not inherit from land and real property anything.’” 

2- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَحُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ سَمَاعَةَ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ لا تَرِثُ مِمَّا تَرَكَ زَوْجُهَا مِنَ الْقُرَى وَالدُّورِ وَالسِّلاحِ وَالدَّوَابِّ شَيْئاً وَ تَرِثُ مِنَ الْمَالِ وَالْفُرُشِ وَالثِّيَابِ وَمَتَاعِ الْبَيْتِ مِمَّا تَرَكَ وَيُقَوَّمُ النِّقْضُ وَالأبْوَابُ وَالْجُذُوعُ وَالْقَصَبُ فَتُعْطَى حَقَّهَا مِنْهُ.

2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad and Humayd ibn Ziyad from ibn Sama‘ah, all from ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn Ri’ab from Zurarah who has narrated the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘A woman does not inherit anything of the towns, houses, arms and stumper that her husband leaves behind; but she inherits from assets, furnishings, clothes, household items which he has left and the broken homes, doors, branches and reeds must be appraised to pay her right thereof.’” 

3- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ وَبُكَيْرٍ وَفُضَيْلٍ وَبُرَيْدٍ وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ وَأَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) مِنْهُمْ مَنْ رَوَاهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ رَوَاهُ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا (عَلَيْهِما السَّلام) أَنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ لا تَرِثُ مِنْ تَرِكَةِ زَوْجِهَا مِنْ تُرْبَةِ دَارٍ أَوْ أَرْضٍ إِلا أَنْ يُقَوَّمَ الطُّوبُ وَالْخَشَبُ قِيمَةً فَتُعْطَى رُبُعَهَا أَوْ ثُمُنَهَا إِنْ كَانَ لَهَا وَلَدٌ مِنْ قِيمَةِ الطُّوبِ وَالْجُذُوعِ وَالْخَشَبِ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ibn ’Udhaynah from Zurarah, Bukayr, Fudayl, Burayd and Muhammad ibn Muslim from abu Ja‘far and abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, and certain ones of them has narrated from abu ‘ Abd Allah, and others have narrated who has narrated the following: “One of the two Imam, (abu Ja‘far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said, ‘A woman does not inherit from the legacy of her husband in the form of land of his house or land. However, she can inherit from bricks and wood which must be appraised from the value of which one-fourth must be given to her or one-eighth, if she has children, of the value of bricks, branches and wood.’” 

4- عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لا تَرِثُ النِّسَاءُ مِنْ عَقَارِ الأرْضِ شَيْئاً.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamil from Zurarah and Muhammad ibn Muslim who has narrated the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Women do not inherit from the real property or land anything.’” 

5- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) تَرِثُ الْمَرْأَةُ مِنَ الطُّوبِ وَلا تَرِثُ مِنَ الرِّبَاعِ شَيْئاً قَالَ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ تَرِثُ مِنَ الْفَرْعِ وَلا تَرِثُ مِنَ الأصْلِ شَيْئاً فَقَالَ لِي لَيْسَ لَهَا مِنْهُمْ نَسَبٌ تَرِثُ بِهِ وَإِنَّمَا هِيَ دَخِيلٌ عَلَيْهِمْ فَتَرِثُ مِنَ الْفَرْعِ وَلا تَرِثُ مِنَ الأصْلِ وَلا يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْهِمْ دَاخِلٌ بِسَبَبِهَا.

5. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from al-‘Ala’ from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A woman inherits from bricks but does not inherit from residence anything.’ I then asked, ‘How is it that she inherits from branches but not from the roots?’ He (the Imam) said to me, ‘She does not have lineage because of which she can inherit. She is an addition to them thus she inherits from branches and not from the roots and no addition is made to them because of her.’” 

6- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ [أَ] و مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لا تَرِثُ النِّسَاءُ مِنْ عَقَارِ الدُّورِ شَيْئاً وَلَكِنْ يُقَوَّمُ الْبِنَاءُ وَالطُّوبُ وَتُعْطَى ثُمُنَهَا أَوْ رُبُعَهَا قَالَ وَإِنَّمَا ذَاكَ لِئَلا يَتَزَوَّجْنَ النِّسَاءُ فَيُفْسِدْنَ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْمَوَارِيثِ مَوَارِيثَهُمْ.

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hammad ibn ‘Uthman from Zurarah [or] and Muhammad ibn Muslim who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Women do not inherit from real property or houses anything but the building and bricks must be appraised to give one-eighth or one-fourth thereof to her.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘This is because women may get married and thus spoil the legacy for the heirs.’” 

7- الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ لِلْمَرْأَةِ قِيمَةُ الْخَشَبِ وَالطُّوبِ كَيْلا يَتَزَوَّجْنَ فَيَدْخُلَ عَلَيْهِمْ يَعْنِي أَهْلَ الْمَوَارِيثِ مَنْ يُفْسِدُ مَوَارِيثَهُمْ.

7. Al-Husayn from Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali from Hammad ibn ‘Uthaman who has narrated the following: “Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘The women’s share of legacy is sanctioned to be from the value of wood and brick of the house only, so that she after getting married will not spoil the legacy of the heirs.’” 

8- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ يَحْيَى الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ يَزِيدَ الصَّائِغِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ النِّسَاءِ هَلْ يَرِثْنَ الأرْضَ فَقَالَ لا وَلَكِنْ يَرِثْنَ قِيمَةَ الْبِنَاءِ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَإِنَّ النَّاسَ لا يَرْضَوْنَ بِذَا فَقَالَ إِذَا وُلِّينَا فَلَمْ يَرْضَوْا ضَرَبْنَاهُمْ بِالسَّوْطِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَقِيمُوا ضَرَبْنَاهُمْ بِالسَّيْفِ.

8. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from Yahya af-Halabiy from Shu’ayb from Yazid af-Sa’igh who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of women if they inherit from land. He (the Imam) said, ‘No, but they inherit from the value of the building.’ I then said, ‘People do not agree with it.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When we become in authority, if they did not agree, we will whip them and if they did not become straight we will use sword against them.’” 

9- حُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ عَمِّهِ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ مُثَنًّى عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا (عَلَيْهِما السَّلام) قَالَ لَيْسَ لِلنِّسَاءِ مِنَ الدُّورِ وَالْعَقَارِ شَيْ‏ءٌ.

9. Humayd ibn Ziyad has narrated from al-Hassan ibn Muhammad ibn Sama‘ah from his uncle Ja‘far ibn Sama‘ah from Muthanna’ from ‘Abd al-Malik ibn ‘A’yan who has narrated the following: “One of the two Imam, (abu Ja‘far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said, ‘Women do not receive anything from houses and real property.’” 

10- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ حُكَيْمٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ رِبَاطٍ عَنْ مُثَنًّى عَنْ يَزِيدَ الصَّائِغِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ النِّسَاءَ لا يَرِثْنَ مِنْ رِبَاعِ الأرْضِ شَيْئاً وَلَكِنْ لَهُنَّ قِيمَةُ الطُّوبِ وَالْخَشَبِ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّ النَّاسَ لا يَأْخُذُونَ بِهَذَا فَقَالَ إِذَا وُلِّينَاهُمْ ضَرَبْنَاهُمْ بِالسَّوْطِ فَإِنِ انْتَهَوْا وَإِلا ضَرَبْنَاهُمْ عَلَيْهِ بِالسَّيْفِ.

10. Muhammad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah has narrated from Mu‘awiyah ibn al-Hakim from Ali ibn al-Hassan ibn Ribat from Muthanna’ from Yazid al-Sa’igh who has narrated the following: “I once heard abu Ja‘far (a.s.), saying, ‘Women do not inherit from the land or the house anything, however, they can have their share from the value of bricks and wood.’ He (the narrator) has said that I said to him (the Imam), ‘People do not follow it.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When we become in authority, we will whip them, and if they will not desist we will use sword against them.’” 

11- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانٍ الأحْمَرِ قَالَ لا أَعْلَمُهُ إِلا عَنْ مُيَسِّرٍ بَيَّاعِ الزُّطِّيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ النِّسَاءِ مَا لَهُنَّ مِنَ الْمِيرَاثِ قَالَ لَهُنَّ قِيمَةُ الطُّوبِ وَالْبِنَاءِ وَالْخَشَبِ وَالْقَصَبِ وَأَمَّا الأرْضُ وَالْعَقَارَاتُ فَلا مِيرَاثَ لَهُنَّ فِيهَا قَالَ قُلْتُ فَالثِّيَابُ قَالَ الثِّيَابُ لَهُنَّ نَصِيبُهُنَّ قَالَ قُلْتُ كَيْفَ صَارَ ذَا وَلِهَذِهِ الثُّمُنُ وَلِهَذِهِ الرُّبُعُ مُسَمًّى قَالَ لأنَّ الْمَرْأَةَ لَيْسَ لَهَا نَسَبٌ تَرِثُ بِهِ وَإِنَّمَا هِيَ دَخِيلٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَإِنَّمَا صَارَ هَذَا كَذَا كَيْلا تَتَزَوَّجَ الْمَرْأَةُ فَيَجِي‏ءَ زَوْجُهَا أَوْ وَلَدُهَا مِنْ قَوْمٍ آخَرِينَ فَيُزَاحِمَ قَوْماً فِي عَقَارِهِمْ. 

11. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban al-Ahmar who has said that I do not know it except from Muyassir Bayya’ al-Zuttiy who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of women and their share of inheritance. He (the Imam) said, ‘They can have their share from the value of bricks, building, wood and reeds, but they cannot inherit land and real property.’ I asked about clothes. He (the Imam) said, ‘They can inherit from clothes.’ I then asked, ‘How is it that for this is the value and for this is the defined land?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is because women do not have their lineage whereby they can inherit. She is an addition on them. It is also because when she gets married and brings her husband or children from another people, it can cause trouble for the heirs.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 7

Book 2, Chapter 27