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 عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ جَمِيعاً عَنْ صَفْوَانَ أَوْ قَالَ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِي أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) صَحِيفَةَ كِتَابِ الْفَرَائِضِ الَّتِي هِيَ إِمْلاءُ رَسُولِ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَخَطُّ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بِيَدِهِ فَوَجَدْتُ فِيهَا رَجُلٌ تَرَكَ ابْنَتَهُ وَأُمَّهُ لِلابْنَةِ النِّصْفُ ثَلاثَةُ أَسْهُمٍ وَلِلأمِّ السُّدُسُ سَهْمٌ يُقْسَمُ الْمَالُ عَلَى أَرْبَعَةِ أَسْهُمٍ فَمَا أَصَابَ ثَلاثَةَ أَسْهُمٍ فَلِلابْنَةِ وَمَا أَصَابَ سَهْماً فَهُوَ لِلأمِّ قَالَ وَقَرَأْتُ فِيهَا رَجُلٌ تَرَكَ ابْنَتَهُ وَأَبَاهُ فَلِلابْنَةِ النِّصْفُ ثَلاثَةُ أَسْهُمٍ وَلِلأبِ السُّدُسُ سَهْمٌ يُقْسَمُ الْمَالُ عَلَى أَرْبَعَةِ أَسْهُمٍ فَمَا أَصَابَ ثَلاثَةَ أَسْهُمٍ فَلِلابْنَةِ وَمَا أَصَابَ سَهْماً فَلِلأمِّ قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ وَوَجَدْتُ فِيهَا رَجُلٌ تَرَكَ أَبَوَيْهِ وَابْنَتَهُ فَلِلابْنَةِ النِّصْفُ ثَلاثَةُ أَسْهُمٍ وَلِلأبَوَيْنِ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا السُّدُسُ [لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا سَهْمٌ] يُقْسَمُ الْمَالُ عَلَى خَمْسَةِ أَسْهُمٍ فَمَا أَصَابَ ثَلاثَةً فَلِلابْنَةِ وَمَا أَصَابَ سَهْمَيْنِ فَلِلأبَوَيْنِ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr and Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn ‘Ubayd from Yunus ibn ‘Abd al- Rahman all from Safwan or he said from ‘Umar ibn ’Udhaynah from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has narrated the following: “Once abu Ja‘far (a.s.), made me read the page of the book of ordained shares. It was according to the dictation of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, and with the handwriting of Ali (a.s.). I found in it this, ’If a deceased leaves behind his daughter and mother, the share of the daughter is one- half or three shares and for the mother one-sixth. The legacy is made in four parts, of which three are for the daughter and one is for the mother/” “He (the narrator) has said, I read in it that, “If a deceased leaves behind his daughter and his father, the share of the daughter is one-half: three shares and the share of the father is one-sixth share. The legacy is made in four parts of which three are for the daughter and one is for the father.’” “Muhammad has said, T found in it that if a deceased leaves behind both parents and his daughter; the share of the daughter is one-half, three shares and the shares of parents are one-sixth for each. Such legacy can be made of five portions of which three are for the daughter and two for the parents.’” 

2- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ رِئَابٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ وَجَدْتُ فِي صَحِيفَةِ الْفَرَائِضِ رَجُلٌ مَاتَ وَتَرَكَ ابْنَتَهُ وَأَبَوَيْهِ فَلِلابْنَةِ ثَلاثَةُ أَسْهُمٍ وَلِلأبَوَيْنِ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا سَهْمٌ يُقْسَمُ الْمَالُ عَلَى خَمْسَةِ أَجْزَاءٍ فَمَا أَصَابَ ثَلاثَةَ أَجْزَاءٍ فَلِلابْنَةِ وَمَا أَصَابَ جُزْءَيْنِ فَلِلأبَوَيْنِ.

2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from Ali ibn Ri’ab from Zurarah who has narrated the following: “I found in the book of ordained shares that if a deceased leaves behind his daughter and both parents, the share of the daughter are three shares and the parents each receives one share. The legacy is made in five parts of which three are for the daughter and two for the parents, one share each.’” 

3- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ وَمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ عَنْ يُونُسَ جَمِيعاً عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ الْجَدِّ فَقَالَ مَا أَجِدُ أَحَداً قَالَ فِيهِ إِلا بِرَأْيِهِ إِلا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللهُ فَمَا قَالَ فِيهِ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا كَانَ غَداً فَالْقَنِي حَتَّى أُقْرِئَكَهُ فِي كِتَابٍ قُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللهُ حَدِّثْنِي فَإِنَّ حَدِيثَكَ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ تُقْرِئَنِيهِ فِي كِتَابٍ فَقَالَ لِيَ الثَّانِيَةَ اسْمَعْ مَا أَقُولُ لَكَ إِذَا كَانَ غَداً فَالْقَنِي حَتَّى أُقْرِئَكَهُ فِي كِتَابٍ فَأَتَيْتُهُ مِنَ الْغَدِ بَعْدَ الظُّهْرِ وَكَانَتْ سَاعَتِيَ الَّتِي كُنْتُ أَخْلُو بِهِ فِيهَا بَيْنَ الظُّهْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ وَكُنْتُ أَكْرَهُ أَنْ أَسْأَلَهُ إِلا خَالِياً خَشْيَةَ أَنْ يُفْتِيَنِي مِنْ أَجْلِ مَنْ يَحْضُرُهُ بِالتَّقِيَّةِ فَلَمَّا دَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ أَقْبَلَ عَلَى ابْنِهِ جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ لَهُ أَقْرِئْ زُرَارَةَ صَحِيفَةَ الْفَرَائِضِ ثُمَّ قَامَ لِيَنَامَ فَبَقِيتُ أَنَا وَجَعْفَرٌ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي الْبَيْتِ فَقَامَ فَأَخْرَجَ إِلَيَّ صَحِيفَةً مِثْلَ فَخِذِ الْبَعِيرِ فَقَالَ لَسْتُ أُقْرِئُكَهَا حَتَّى تَجْعَلَ لِي عَلَيْكَ اللهَ أَنْ لا تُحَدِّثَ بِمَا تَقْرَأُ فِيهَا أَحَداً أَبَداً حَتَّى آذَنَ لَكَ وَلَمْ يَقُلْ حَتَّى يَأْذَنَ لَكَ أَبِي فَقُلْتُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللهُ وَلِمَ تُضَيِّقُ عَلَيَّ وَلَمْ يَأْمُرْكَ أَبُوكَ بِذَلِكَ فَقَالَ لِي مَا أَنْتَ بِنَاظِرٍ فِيهَا إِلا عَلَى مَا قُلْتُ لَكَ فَقُلْتُ فَذَاكَ لَكَ وَكُنْتُ رَجُلا عَالِماً بِالْفَرَائِضِ وَالْوَصَايَا بَصِيراً بِهَا حَاسِباً لَهَا أَلْبَثُ الزَّمَانَ أَطْلُبُ شَيْئاً يُلْقَى عَلَيَّ مِنَ الْفَرَائِضِ وَالْوَصَايَا لا أَعْلَمُهُ فَلا أَقْدِرُ عَلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا أَلْقَى إِلَيَّ طَرَفَ الصَّحِيفَةِ إِذَا كِتَابٌ غَلِيظٌ يُعْرَفُ أَنَّهُ مِنْ كُتُبِ الأوَّلِينَ فَنَظَرْتُ فِيهَا فَإِذَا فِيهَا خِلافُ مَا بِأَيْدِي النَّاسِ مِنَ الصِّلَةِ وَالأمْرِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ الَّذِي لَيْسَ فِيهِ اخْتِلافٌ وَإِذَا عَامَّتُهُ كَذَلِكَ فَقَرَأْتُهُ حَتَّى أَتَيْتُ عَلَى آخِرِهِ بِخُبْثِ نَفْسٍ وَقِلَّةِ تَحَفُّظٍ وَسَقَامِ رَأْيٍ وَقُلْتُ وَأَنَا أَقْرَؤُهُ بَاطِلٌ حَتَّى أَتَيْتُ عَلَى آخِرِهِ ثُمَّ أَدْرَجْتُهَا وَدَفَعْتُهَا إِلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْتُ لَقِيتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ لِي أَقَرَأْتَ صَحِيفَةَ الْفَرَائِضِ فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ رَأَيْتَ مَا قَرَأْتَ قَالَ قُلْتُ بَاطِلٌ لَيْسَ بِشَيْ‏ءٍ هُوَ خِلافُ مَا النَّاسُ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ فَإِنَّ الَّذِي رَأَيْتَ وَاللهِ يَا زُرَارَةُ هُوَ الْحَقُّ الَّذِي رَأَيْتَ إِمْلاءُ رَسُولِ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَخَطُّ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بِيَدِهِ فَأَتَانِي الشَّيْطَانُ فَوَسْوَسَ فِي صَدْرِي فَقَالَ وَمَا يُدْرِيهِ أَنَّهُ إِمْلاءُ رَسُولِ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَخَطُّ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بِيَدِهِ فَقَالَ لِي قَبْلَ أَنْ أَنْطِقَ يَا زُرَارَةُ لا تَشُكَّنَّ وَدَّ الشَّيْطَانُ وَاللهِ إِنَّكَ شَكَكْتَ وَكَيْفَ لا أَدْرِي أَنَّهُ إِمْلاءُ رَسُولِ اللهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِه) وَخَطُّ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بِيَدِهِ وَقَدْ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي عَنْ جَدِّي أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) حَدَّثَهُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ قُلْتُ لا كَيْفَ جَعَلَنِيَ اللهُ فِدَاكَ وَنَدِمْتُ عَلَى مَا فَاتَنِي مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَلَوْ كُنْتُ قَرَأْتُهُ وَأَنَا أَعْرِفُهُ لَرَجَوْتُ أَنْ لا يَفُوتَنِي مِنْهُ حَرْفٌ قَالَ عُمَرُ بْنُ أُذَيْنَةَ قُلْتُ لِزُرَارَةَ فَإِنَّ أُنَاساً حَدَّثُونِي عَنْهُ وَعَنْ أَبِيهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بِأَشْيَاءَ فِي الْفَرَائِضِ فَأَعْرِضُهَا عَلَيْكَ فَمَا كَانَ مِنْهَا بَاطِلا فَقُلْ هَذَا بَاطِلٌ وَمَا كَانَ مِنْهَا حَقّاً فَقُلْ هَذَا حَقٌّ وَلا تَرْوِهِ وَاسْكُتْ فَحَدَّثْتُهُ بِمَا حَدَّثَنِي بِهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي الابْنَةِ وَالأبِ وَالابْنَةِ وَالأمِّ وَالابْنَةِ وَالأبَوَيْنِ فَقَالَ هُوَ وَاللهِ الْحَقُّ. وَقَالَ الْفَضْلُ بْنُ شَاذَانَ فِي ابْنَةٍ وَأَبٍ لِلابْنَةِ النِّصْفُ وَلِلأبِ السُّدُسُ وَمَا بَقِيَ رُدَّ عَلَيْهِمَا عَلَى قَدْرِ أَنْصِبَائِهِمَا وَكَذَلِكَ إِنْ تَرَكَ ابْنَةً وَأُمّاً فَلِلابْنَةِ النِّصْفُ وَلِلأمِّ السُّدُسُ وَمَا بَقِيَ رُدَّ عَلَيْهِمَا عَلَى قَدْرِ أَنْصِبَائِهِمَا وَقَدْ قَالَ بَعْضُ النَّاسِ وَمَا بَقِيَ فَلِلابْنَةِ لأنَّهَا أَقْرَبُ مِنَ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَغَلِطَ فِي ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ لأنَّ الأبَوَيْنِ يَتَقَرَّبَانِ بِأَنْفُسِهِمَا كَمَا يَتَقَرَّبُ الْوَلَدُ وَلَيْسُوا بِأَقْرَبَ مِنَ الأبَوَيْنِ وَالصَّوَابُ أَنْ يُرَدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ مَا بَقِيَ عَلَى قَدْرِ أَنْصِبَائِهِمْ لأنَّهُمُ اسْتَكْمَلُوا سِهَامَهُمْ فَكَانُوا أَقْرَبَ الأرْحَامِ فَكَانَ مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الْمَالِ لَهُمْ بِقَرَابَةِ الأرْحَامِ فَيُقْسَمُ ذَلِكَ بَيْنَهُمْ عَلَى قَدْرِ مَنَازِلِهِمْ فَيَكُونُ حُكْمُ مَا بَقِيَ مِنَ الْمَالِ حُكْمَ مَا قَسَمَهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بَيْنَهُمْ لا يُخَالَفُ اللهُ فِي حُكْمِهِ وَلا يَتَغَيَّرُ قِسْمَتُهُ وَإِنْ تَرَكَ بِنْتاً وَأَبَوَيْنِ فَلِلابْنَةِ النِّصْفُ وَلِلأبَوَيْنِ السُّدُسَانِ وَمَا بَقِيَ رُدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ عَلَى قَدْرِ أَنْصِبَائِهِمْ لأنَّ اللهَ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ لَمْ يَرُدَّ عَلَى أَحَدٍ دُونَ الآخَرِ وَجَعَلَ لِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيباً كَمَا جَعَلَ لِلرِّجَالِ نَصِيباً وَسَوَّى فِي هَذِهِ الْفَرِيضَةِ بَيْنَ الأبِ وَالأمِّ وَإِنْ تَرَكَ ابْنَتَيْنِ وَأَبَوَيْنِ فَلِلابْنَتَيْنِ الثُّلُثَانِ وَلِلأبَوَيْنِ السُّدُسَانِ وَإِنْ تَرَكَ ثَلاثَ بَنَاتٍ أَوْ أَكْثَرَ فَلِلأبَوَيْنِ السُّدُسَانِ وَلِلْبَنَاتِ الثُّلُثَانِ وَإِنْ تَرَكَ أَبَوَيْنِ وَابْناً وَبِنْتاً فَلِلأبَوَيْنِ السُّدُسَانِ وَمَا بَقِيَ فَبَيْنَ الابْنِ وَالابْنَةِ لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الأنْثَيَيْنِ. 

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr and Muhammad ibn ‘Isa ibn ‘Ubayd from Yunus all from ‘Umar ibn ’Udhaynah from Zurarah who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the grandfather. He (the Imam) said, ‘I do not find anyone who has spoken about it but that they have spoken out of their opinion except ’ Amir al- Mu’minin (a.s.). I then asked, T pray to Allah to keep you well, what has ’ Amir al- Mu’minin said about it?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Tomorrow meet me so I can make you read it in a book.’ I then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep you well, speak to me about it; I like your speaking more than making me read in a book.’ He (the Imam) said again, ‘Listen to what I say. Tomorrow meet me, so I will make you read in a book.’ The next day I went to see him (the Imam) after al-Zuhr (noontime) and it was the hour that I would meet him between al-Zuhr and al-‘Asr (afternoon time) and I did not like to ask him in the presence of people for fear of his answering in taqiyah (caution because of fear). When I met him (the Imam) his son Ja‘far (a.s.), came to me and he (the Imam) said to him, ‘Make Zurarah to read the book of ordained shares.’ He (the Imam) left for his siesta. Ja‘far (a.s.), and I were left in the house. He stood up and brought for me a book (which looked) like the thigh of a camel. He (Ja‘far (a.s.) ) said, ‘I will not allow you to read it until you promise before Allah that you will never tell anyone about what you will read in it until I will give permission’, and he did not say, ‘until my father gives you permission.’ I then said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep you well, why do you restrict me when your father has not commanded you to do so?’ He said, ‘You must not look in it on what is other than what I will tell you to read.’ I said, ‘That is up to you.’ I was a knowledgeable man in ordained shares of inheritance and wills and well aware of them and in calculating them. I waited for quite a long time to find something about ordained shares and wills that I did not know and can deal with. When he placed a side of the book before me, it was a thick book and one can notice that it was of the books of earlier generations. I looked in it and I found it to be different from what is commonly accepted among people, such as matters of compensation and urging others to do good things, in which there is not any difference. I found the majority of it like that until the end of it, with a filthy soul, very little memorization and defective opinion; and I said, ‘Do I (need) to read this?’ It is false. I reached its end. I closed it and returned it to him (Ja‘far (a.s.) ). The next day I met abu Ja‘far (a.s.), and he asked me, ‘Did you read the book of ordained shares?’ I replied, ‘Yes, I read it.’ He (the Imam) then asked, ‘How did you find what you read?’ He (the narrator) has said that he said, ‘It is false and it does not have any valid effect. It is against what people say and do.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘What you saw O Zurarah, by Allah, is the truth. What you saw is the dictation of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, in the handwriting of Ali (a.s.).’ Satan came to me with temptation in my chest and said, ‘He does not know if it is the dictation of the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, and the handwriting of Ali (a.s.). He (the Imam) said to me before I spoke, ‘O Zurarah, do not doubt. Satan loved to make you doubt. How it is possible that I remain ignorant of its not being the dictation of the Messenger of Allah and the handwriting of Ali (a.s.), when my father narrated to me from my grandfather ’ Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), who narrated to him about it.’ He (the narrator) has said that I said, ‘No, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause. I regretted for not reading what I did not read of the book. Had I read it and I had known it I would hope not to miss anything thereof; not even a single letter.’ “‘Umar ibn ’Udhaynah has said, ‘I said to Zurarah that people have spoken to me from him (the Imam) and from his father, ‘Alayhim al-Salam, about certain things on ordained shares. Can I present them before you so you can tell me what is false and what is true and do not narrate so I remain quiet? I narrated to him what Muhammad ibn Muslim had narrated from abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the daughter and father and about a daughter and both parents. He said that it is true. “Al-Fadl ibn Shadhan about a daughter and father has said, that the daughter receives one-half and the father receives one-sixth and the remaining is returned to them proportionate to their shares. “So also is the case if a deceased leaves behind a daughter and mother. One-half belongs to the daughter, the mother receives one-sixth, and the remaining is returned to them proportionate to their shares. Certain people have said that the remaining belongs to the daughter because she is closer than both parents are. It is a mistake totally; the parents are close by themselves as the children are, but children are not closer than parents are. The correct thing is to return the remaining to all of them proportionate to their shares. They have received their shares and as nearest relatives the remaining asset belongs to them as relatives, thus it is divided among them according to the distribution of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, among them. Allah does not cause difference in His rule and His division does not change.’ “If a deceased leaves behind one daughter and both parents then one-half belongs to the daughter and the parents receive one-sixth. The remaining is returned to them proportionate to their shares because Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has not returned to one and not to the other one. He has made a share for women just as He has made a share for men. It is equal in this obligation between mother and father. If a deceased leaves behind two daughters and both parents, the share of daughters is two- thirds and parents receive two-sixths. If a deceased leaves behind three daughters or more then the share of parents is two-sixths and the daughters receive two-thirds. If a deceased leaves behind parents and one son and one daughter, the parents receive two-sixths and the remaining is distributed among the son and daughter where the son receives twice as much as the share of the daughter.”’ 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 7

Book 2, Chapter 16