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- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) عَنِ الْقَوْمِ يَغْرَقُونَ فِي السَّفِينَةِ أَوْ يَقَعُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْبَيْتُ فَيَمُوتُونَ فَلا يُعْلَمُ أَيُّهُمْ مَاتَ قَبْلَ صَاحِبِهِ فَقَالَ يُوَرَّثُ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ كَذَلِكَ هُوَ فِي كِتَابِ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام). عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ مِثْلَهُ إِلا أَنَّهُ قَالَ كَذَلِكَ وَجَدْنَاهُ فِي كِتَابِ عَلِيٍّ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام).

1. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad and Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad all from ibn Mahbub from ‘ Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a people who drown with a ship or a house falls on them and they die; and it is not known who has died first. He (the Imam) said, ‘They inherit each other and that is how it is in the book of Ali (a.s.).”’ Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al- Hajjaj a similar Hadith except that he has said, ‘This is how we found in the book of Ali (a.s.).’ 

2- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ شَاذَانَ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ بَيْتٍ وَقَعَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مُجْتَمِعِينَ فَلا يُدْرَى أَيُّهُمْ مَاتَ قَبْلُ قَالَ فَقَالَ يُوَرَّثُ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ قُلْتُ فَإِنَّ أَبَا حَنِيفَةَ أَدْخَلَ فِيهَا شَيْئاً قَالَ وَمَا أَدْخَلَ قُلْتُ رَجُلَيْنِ أَخَوَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا مَوْلايَ وَالآخَرُ مَوْلًى لِرَجُلٍ لأحَدِهِمَا مِائَةُ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ وَالآخَرُ لَيْسَ لَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ رَكِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ فَغَرِقَا فَلَمْ يُدْرَ أَيُّهُمَا مَاتَ أَوَّلا كَانَ الْمَالُ لِوَرَثَةِ الَّذِي لَيْسَ لَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِوَرَثَةِ الَّذِي لَهُ الْمَالُ شَيْ‏ءٌ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَقَدْ سَمِعَهَا وَهُوَ هَكَذَا.

2. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from and Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il has narrated from al-Fadl ibn Shadhan from all Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, about a people on whom a house falls and they all die. It is not known who has died first. He (the Imam) said, ‘They all inherit each other.’ I then said, ‘Abu Hanifah has introduced something in it.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What has he introduced?’ I said, ‘Two men who were brothers, one of them was my Mawla’ (slave) and the other was a Mawla’ of another man. One of them had one hundred thousand dirham and the other did not have anything. They embarked on a ship but they drowned and it is not known which one died first, the legacy belongs to the heirs of the one who had nothing and the heirs of the one who had the asset does not receive anything.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, said, ‘He (abu Hanifah) has heard it (the answer) and that is the way it is.’” 

3- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ وَحُمَيْدُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ عَنِ ابْنِ سَمَاعَةَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قُلْتُ لَهُ رَجُلٌ وَامْرَأَةٌ سَقَطَ عَلَيْهِمَا الْبَيْتُ فَمَاتَا قَالَ يُوَرَّثُ الرَّجُلُ مِنَ الْمَرْأَةِ وَالْمَرْأَةُ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَإِنَّ أَبَا حَنِيفَةَ قَدْ أَدْخَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي هَذَا شَيْئاً قَالَ وَأَيَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ أَدْخَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ قُلْتُ رَجُلَيْنِ أَخَوَيْنِ أَعْجَمِيَّيْنِ لَيْسَ لَهُمَا وَارِثٌ إِلا مَوَالِيهِمَا أَحَدُهُمَا لَهُ مِائَةُ أَلْفِ دِرْهَمٍ مَعْرُوفَةٍ وَالآخَرُ لَيْسَ لَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ رَكِبَا فِي سَفِينَةٍ فَغَرِقَا فَأُخْرِجَتِ الْمِائَةُ أَلْفٍ كَيْفَ يُصْنَعُ بِهَا قَالَ تُدْفَعُ إِلَى مَوَالِي الَّذِي لَيْسَ لَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ قَالَ فَقَالَ مَا أُنْكِرُ مَا أَدْخَلَ فِيهَا صَدَقَ وَهُوَ هَكَذَا ثُمَّ قَالَ يُدْفَعُ الْمَالُ إِلَى مَوَالِي الَّذِي لَيْسَ لَهُ شَيْ‏ءٌ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لِلآخَرِ مَالٌ يَرِثُهُ مَوَالِي الآخَرِ فَلا شَيْ‏ءَ لِوَرَثَتِهِ.

3. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj and Humayd ibn Ziyad from ibn Sama‘ah from Muhammad ibn abu from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hajjaj who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a man and a woman on whom a wall falls and they die. He (the Imam) said, ‘The man inherits from the woman and the woman inherits from the man.’ I then said that abu Hanifah has introduced something in it.’ He (the Imam) asked, ‘What has he introduced in it?’ I said that in the case of two non- Arab men who were brothers and had no heirs except their Mawla’ (Master) of whom one had one hundred thousand dirham, which was well known, and the other did not have anything. They embarked on a ship and they were drowned. The one hundred thousand dirham was taken out for distribution. He said that it all must be given to the Mawali of the one who had nothing. He (the Imam) said, ‘I do not deny what he has introduced; it is true and that is how it is.’ He (the Imam) then said, ‘The asset must be given to the Mawali of the one who did not anything . The other brother did not have anything so that the Mawali of the other could inherit anything.’” 

4- عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ أَحَدِهِمَا (عَلَيْهِما السَّلام) قَالَ قَضَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بِالْيَمَنِ فِي قَوْمٍ انْهَدَمَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ دَارٌ لَهُمْ فَبَقِيَ مِنْهُمْ صَبِيَّانِ أَحَدُهُمَا مَمْلُوكٌ وَالآخَرُ حُرٌّ فَأَسْهَمَ بَيْنَهُمَا فَخَرَجَ السَّهْمُ عَلَى أَحَدِهِمَا فَجَعَلَ الْمَالَ لَهُ وَأَعْتَقَ الآخَرَ.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from Hariz who has narrated the following: “One of the two Imam, (abu Ja‘far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said that Amir al- Mu’minin issued a judgment in Yemen about a people on whom a house had collapsed and only two children were left, of whom one was owned and the other was free. He (the Imam) by means of raffle gave the assets to the one whose name came out and set the other one free.’” 

5- عَلِيٌّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ يُونُسَ عَنِ الْعَلاءِ بْنِ رَزِينٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي الرَّجُلِ يَسْقُطُ عَلَيْهِ وَعَلَى امْرَأَتِهِ بَيْتٌ قَالَ تُوَرَّثُ الْمَرْأَةُ مِنَ الرَّجُلِ وَالرَّجُلُ مِنَ الْمَرْأَةِ مَعْنَاهُ يُوَرَّثُ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ مِنْ صُلْبِ أَمْوَالِهِمْ لا يَرِثُونَ مِمَّا يُورَثُ بَعْضُهُمْ مِنْ بَعْضٍ شَيْئاً.

5. Ali has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Yunus from al-‘Ala’ ibn Razin from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has narrated the following: “About the case of a man and a woman on whom a house falls, abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘The woman inherits from the man and the man inherits from the woman, which means that they inherit from the original of each other’s assets and not from what they inherit from each other.’” 

6- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ رَفَعَهُ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَضَى فِي رَجُلٍ وَامْرَأَةٍ مَاتَا جَمِيعاً فِي الطَّاعُونِ مَاتَا عَلَى فِرَاشٍ وَاحِدٍ وَيَدُ الرَّجُلِ وَرِجْلُهُ عَلَى الْمَرْأَةِ فَجَعَلَ الْمِيرَاثَ لِلرَّجُلِ وَقَالَ إِنَّهُ مَاتَ بَعْدَهَا.

6. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah in a marfu‘ manner from ’Amir al-Mu’minin who has narrated the following: “About the case of a man and a woman who die together because of plague on one bed and the hand and leg of the man are found on the woman, ’ Amir al-Mu’minin issued a judgment that gave the assets to the man because of his death after the woman.’” 

7- عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لأبِي حَنِيفَةَ يَا أَبَا حَنِيفَةَ مَا تَقُولُ فِي بَيْتٍ سَقَطَ عَلَى قَوْمٍ وَبَقِيَ مِنْهُمْ صَبِيَّانِ أَحَدُهُمَا حُرٌّ وَالآخَرُ مَمْلُوكٌ لِصَاحِبِهِ فَلَمْ يُعْرَفِ الْحُرُّ مِنَ الْمَمْلُوكِ فَقَالَ أَبُو حَنِيفَةَ يُعْتَقُ نِصْفُ هَذَا وَيُعْتَقُ نِصْفُ هَذَا وَيُقْسَمُ الْمَالُ بَيْنَهُمَا فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) لَيْسَ كَذَلِكَ وَلَكِنَّهُ يُقْرَعُ بَيْنَهُمَا فَمَنْ أَصَابَتْهُ الْقُرْعَةُ فَهُوَ حُرٌّ وَيُعْتَقُ هَذَا فَيُجْعَلُ مَوْلًى لَهُ. 

7. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn ’Isma‘il from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from al- Husayn ibn al-Mukhtar who has narrated the following: “Once abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said to abu Hanifah, ‘O abu Hanifah, what do you say about the case of a people who all die because of the fall of a house? Only two children remain, of whom one is free and the other is a slave of his companion but it is not known which is which’ Abu Hanifah said, ‘One-half of this and one-half of this is set free and the asset must be divided between the two.’ Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), said, ‘It is not as that. By means of raffle whoever ’s name comes out is free and this one is set free to become the Mawla ’ (master) for him.’” 

Al-Kāfi - Volume 7

Book 2, Chapter 34