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 أَبِيهِ وَعِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) إِنَّ الدَّيْنَ قَبْلَ الْوَصِيَّةِ ثُمَّ الْوَصِيَّةَ عَلَى إِثْرِ الدَّيْنِ ثُمَّ الْمِيرَاثَ بَعْدَ الْوَصِيَّةِ فَإِنَّ أَوَّلَ الْقَضَاءِ كِتَابُ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad all from ibn abu Najran ‘Asem ibn Humayd from Muhammad ibn Qays who has narrated the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that ’ Amir al-Mu’minin has said, ‘A debt must be paid before the will, then the will is paid for. Thereafter are the shares of the heirs after the will, because the first judge in the case is the book of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious.’” 

2- الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِهِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ رَجُلٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَوْصَى إِلَى رَجُلٍ وَعَلَيْهِ دَيْنٌ فَقَالَ يَقْضِي الرَّجُلُ مَا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ دَيْنِهِ وَيَقْسِمُ مَا بَقِيَ بَيْنَ الْوَرَثَةِ قُلْتُ فَسُرِقَ مَا كَانَ أَوْصَى بِهِ مِنَ الدَّيْنِ مِمَّنْ يُؤْخَذُ الدَّيْنُ أَمِنَ الْوَرَثَةِ قَالَ لا يُؤْخَذُ مِنَ الْوَرَثَةِ وَلَكِنَّ الْوَصِيَّ ضَامِنٌ لَهَا.

2. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from certain persons of his people from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from a man who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who makes a will and he is indebted. He (the Imam) said, ‘He (executor of the will) pays the debts first, then distributes the legacy among the heirs.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if what is assigned to pay debts is stolen and about who pays for the debt if it is deducted from the shares of the heirs?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘The heirs are not responsible for it but the executor of the will is responsible.’” 

3- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ زَكَرِيَّا بْنِ يَحْيَى الشَّعِيرِيِّ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ بْنِ عُتَيْبَةَ قَالَ كُنَّا عَلَى بَابِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَنَحْنُ جَمَاعَةٌ نَنْتَظِرُ أَنْ يَخْرُجَ إِذْ جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةٌ فَقَالَتْ أَيُّكُمْ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ فَقَالَ لَهَا الْقَوْمُ مَا تُرِيدِينَ مِنْهُ قَالَتْ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَهُ عَنْ مَسْأَلَةٍ فَقَالُوا لَهَا هَذَا فَقِيهُ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ فَسَلِيهِ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّ زَوْجِي مَاتَ وَتَرَكَ أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ وَكَانَ لِي عَلَيْهِ مِنْ صَدَاقِي خَمْسُمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ فَأَخَذْتُ صَدَاقِي وَأَخَذْتُ مِيرَاثِي ثُمَّ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَادَّعَى عَلَيْهِ أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ فَشَهِدْتُ لَهُ قَالَ الْحَكَمُ فَبَيْنَا أَنَا أَحْسُبُ إِذْ خَرَجَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا الَّذِي أَرَاكَ تُحَرِّكُ بِهِ أَصَابِعَكَ يَا حَكَمُ فَقُلْتُ إِنَّ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةَ ذَكَرَتْ أَنَّ زَوْجَهَا مَاتَ وَتَرَكَ أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ وَكَانَ لَهَا عَلَيْهِ مِنْ صَدَاقِهَا خَمْسُمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ فَأَخَذَتْ صَدَاقَهَا وَأَخَذَتْ مِيرَاثَهَا ثُمَّ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ فَادَّعَى عَلَيْهِ أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ فَشَهِدَتْ لَهُ فَقَالَ الْحَكَمُ فَوَ اللهِ مَا أَتْمَمْتُ الْكَلامَ حَتَّى قَالَ أَقَرَّتْ بِثُلُثِ مَا فِي يَدَيْهَا وَلا مِيرَاثَ لَهَا قَالَ الْحَكَمُ فَمَا رَأَيْتُ وَاللهِ أَفْهَمَ مِنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَطُّ. قَالَ ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ وَتَفْسِيرُ ذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ لا مِيرَاثَ لَهَا حَتَّى تَقْضِيَ الدَّيْنَ وَإِنَّمَا تَرَكَ أَلْفَ دِرْهَمٍ وَعَلَيْهِ مِنَ الدَّيْنِ أَلْفٌ وَخَمْسُمِائَةِ دِرْهَمٍ لَهَا وَلِلرَّجُلِ فَلَهَا ثُلُثُ الألْفِ وَلِلرَّجُلِ ثُلُثَاهَا.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father and Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from all from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamil ibn Darraj from Zakariya ibn Yahya al-Shu‘ayriy from al-Hakam ibn ‘Utaybah who has narrated the following: “Once we were with abu Ja‘far (a.s.). We were in a group waiting for him (the Imam) to come out. A woman came and asked, ‘Which one of you is abu Ja‘far?’ The people asked, ‘What for are you asking for him?’ She replied, ‘I want to ask him about an issue.’ They said, ‘This is the jurist of the people of Iraq. You can ask him your question.’ She said, ‘My husband has died and has left one thousand dirham as legacy. He owed me five hundred dirham as my mahr (dower) and my share of inheritance which I took from the legacy; but then a man came and said my husband owed him one thousand dirham and I testified in his favor.’ Al-Hakam has said, ‘I was counting it that abu Ja‘far (a.s.), came out and said, “Why is it that I see you move your fingers, O Hakam?” I replied, “This woman has mentioned that her husband has died. He has left one thousand dirham as legacy. He owed to her five hundred dirham as her dower. She took her dower and the share of her inheritance, but then a man came and said that her husband owed him one thousand dirham and she testified in his favor.’” Hakam has said, ‘By Allah I had not completed my words that he (the Imam) said, “She has confessed to give back one-third of what she has in her hand and she does not have anything as her share of inheritance.’” Hakam has said, ‘I had never seen, by Allah, anyone more intelligent than abu Ja‘far (a.s.).”’ 

4- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي رَجُلٍ بَاعَ مَتَاعاً مِنْ رَجُلٍ فَقَبَضَ الْمُشْتَرِي الْمَتَاعَ وَلَمْ يَدْفَعِ الثَّمَنَ ثُمَّ مَاتَ الْمُشْتَرِي وَالْمَتَاعُ قَائِمٌ بِعَيْنِهِ قَالَ إِذَا كَانَ الْمَتَاعُ قَائِماً بِعَيْنِهِ رُدَّ إِلَى صَاحِبِ الْمَتَاعِ وَقَالَ لَيْسَ لِلْغُرَمَاءِ أَنْ يُخَاصِمُوهُ.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamil from certain persons of our people who has narrated the following: “This is about the case of a man who sells something to a man and the buyer takes possession of the goods but does not pay for it. Then the buyer dies and the goods exist as they were. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If the goods exist as they were, they must be returned to its owner and other creditors do not have any right to dispute him.’” 

5- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللهِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي الرَّجُلِ يَمُوتُ وَعَلَيْهِ دَيْنٌ فَيَضْمَنُهُ ضَامِنٌ لِلْغُرَمَاءِ قَالَ إِذَا رَضِيَ الْغُرَمَاءُ فَقَدْ بَرِئَتْ ذِمَّةُ الْمَيِّتِ.

5. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan who has narrated the following: “About the case of a man who dies with debts on him and a guarantor takes responsibility to pay the creditors, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If the creditors agree, the deceased becomes free from responsibility.”’ 

6- أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ يَحْيَى الأزْرَقِ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي الرَّجُلِ قُتِلَ وَعَلَيْهِ دَيْنٌ وَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ مَالا فَأَخَذَ أَهْلُهُ الدِّيَةَ مِنْ قَاتِلِهِ عَلَيْهِمْ يَقْضُونَ دَيْنَهُ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْتُ وَهُوَ لَمْ يَتْرُكْ شَيْئاً قَالَ إِنَّمَا أَخَذُوا الدِّيَةَ فَعَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ يَقْضُوا دَيْنَهُ.

6. Abu Ali a l-Ash ‘ariy has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan ibn Yahya from Yahya al-Azraq who has narrated the following: “About the case of a man who is killed and who owed debs, but has not left any legacy but his heirs received blood money (wergild) from his killer; if they must pay his debts, abu al-Hassan (a.s.), has said, ‘Yes, they must pay his debts.’ I then said, ‘He has not left any legacy.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is because they have received blood money, thus, they must pay his debts.’” 

7- مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ الْجَهْمِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنْ رَجُلٍ مَاتَ وَلَهُ عَلَيَّ دَيْنٌ وَخَلَّفَ وُلْداً رِجَالا وَنِسَاءً وَصِبْيَاناً فَجَاءَ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ أَنْتَ فِي حِلٍّ مِمَّا لأبِي عَلَيْكَ مِنْ حِصَّتِي وَأَنْتَ فِي حِلٍّ مِمَّا لإخْوَتِي وَأَخَوَاتِي وَأَنَا ضَامِنٌ لِرِضَاهُمْ عَنْكَ قَالَ تَكُونُ فِي سَعَةٍ مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَحِلٍّ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ لَمْ يُعْطِهِمْ قَالَ كَانَ ذَلِكَ فِي عُنُقِهِ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ رَجَعَ الْوَرَثَةُ عَلَيَّ فَقَالُوا أَعْطِنَا حَقَّنَا فَقَالَ لَهُمْ ذَلِكَ فِي الْحُكْمِ الظَّاهِرِ فَأَمَّا بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَ اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فَأَنْتَ مِنْهَا فِي حِلٍّ إِذَا كَانَ الرَّجُلُ الَّذِي أَحَلَّ لَكَ يَضْمَنُ لَكَ عَنْهُمْ رِضَاهُمْ فَيَحْتَمِلُ الضَّامِنُ لَكَ قُلْتُ فَمَا تَقُولُ فِي الصَّبِيِّ لأمِّهِ أَنْ تُحَلِّلَ قَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا كَانَ لَهَا مَا تُرْضِيهِ أَوْ تُعْطِيهِ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهَا قَالَ فَلا قُلْتُ فَقَدْ سَمِعْتُكَ تَقُولُ إِنَّهُ يَجُوزُ تَحْلِيلُهَا فَقَالَ إِنَّمَا أَعْنِي بِذَلِكَ إِذَا كَانَ لَهَا مَالٌ قُلْتُ فَالأبُ يَجُوزُ تَحْلِيلُهُ عَلَى ابْنِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَا كَانَ لَنَا مَعَ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) أَمْرٌ يَفْعَلُ فِي ذَلِكَ مَا شَاءَ قُلْتُ فَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ ضَمِنَ لِي عَنْ ذَلِكَ الصَّبِيِّ وَأَنَا مِنْ حِصَّتِهِ فِي حِلٍّ فَإِنْ مَاتَ الرَّجُلُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَبْلُغَ الصَّبِيُّ فَلا شَيْ‏ءَ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ الأمْرُ جَائِزٌ عَلَى مَا شَرَطَ لَكَ. 

7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from al-Hassan ibn al-Jahm who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a man who dies and I owe him a certain amount of money. He has left behind children, male, female, and smaller children. One of them once came to me and said, ‘You are free of the responsibility of what you owed to my father as much as my share is concerned and you are also free about the shares of my brothers and sister. I take the responsibility to obtain their agreement in your favor. He (the Imam) said, ‘You are relieved and you are free of responsibility.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if he did not give them?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is his responsibility.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if the heirs come to me and ask for payment of their rights?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘According to the way the case appears they can do so but between you and Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, you are free from all responsibility toward them, when the man who has taken upon himself to obtain their agreement to what he has done, and he carries the responsibility for you.’ I then asked if a mother can take such responsibility for her child.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it can happen if she has something with which she can make him agree.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if she does not have anything? He (the Imam) said, ‘It then is negative.’ I then said, ‘I have heard you saying that her waving is permissible.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘What I meant thereby is that if she has assets.’ I then asked, ‘Can a father take such responsibility for his son?’ He (the Imam) said to him, ‘We had no difficulty with abu al-Hassan (a.s.). He (the Imam) would do whatever he wanted.’ I then said, ‘The man has taken the responsibility for me about the right of the child and about his share. Am I free from responsibility if the man dies before the child becomes mature and he does not owe anything?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is permissible according to the condition he has undertaken for you.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 7

Book 1, Chapter 18