12. Inheritance and Wills

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «أَنَا أَوْلَى بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ فَمَنْ مَاتَ وَعَلَيْهِ دَيْنٌ وَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ وَفَاءً فَعَلَيَّ قَضَاؤُهُ. وَمَنْ تَرَكَ مَالًا فَلِوَرَثَتِهِ» . وَفِي رِوَايَة: «من ترك دينا أَو ضيَاعًا فَلْيَأْتِنِي فَأَنَا مَوْلَاهُ» . وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: «مَنْ تَرَكَ مَالًا فَلِوَرَثَتِهِ وَمَنْ تَرَكَ كَلًّا فَإِلَيْنَا»

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet as saying, “I am nearer to the believers than themselves, so if anyone dies leaving a debt without leaving enough to pay it I shall be responsible for paying it, and if anyone leaves property it goes to his heirs.” A version has, “If anyone leaves a debt or children without maintenance let the matter come to me, for I am his guardian.” Another version has, “If anyone leaves property it goes to his heirs and if anyone leaves dependents without resources they come to us.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَلْحِقُوا الْفَرَائِضَ بِأَهْلِهَا فَمَا بَقِيَ فَهُوَ لِأَوْلَى رَجُلٍ ذكر»

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Give the shares to those who are entitled to them, and what remains over goes to the nearest male heir.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أُسَامَةَ بْنِ زَيْدٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا يَرِثُ الْمُسْلِمُ الْكَافِرَ وَلَا الْكَافِرُ الْمُسْلِمَ»

Usama b. Zaid reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A Muslim may not inherit from an infidel or an infidel from a Muslim.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَوْلَى الْقَوْمِ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ» . رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Anas reported the Prophet as saying, “The freedman* of a people is one of them.” * Maula. This word may mean either the one who emancipates or the one who has been emancipated, and therefore the tradition has received two different interpretations according to the meaning of maula. Bukhari transmitted it.

وَعَنْهُ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «ابْنُ أُخْتِ الْقَوْمِ مِنْهُم».

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A sister’s son has blood- relationship to her family.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا يَتَوَارَثُ أَهْلُ مِلَّتَيْنِ شَتَّى» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْن مَاجَه وَرَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ عَن جَابر

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God's Messenger as saying, “People of two different religions may not inherit from one another.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted it from Jabir.

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْقَاتِلُ لَا يَرِثُ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَابْن مَاجَه

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “One who kills a man cannot inherit from him.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ بُرَيْدَةَ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ جَعَلَ لِلْجَدَّةِ السُّدُسَ إِذَا لَمْ تَكُنْ دونهَا أم. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Buraida said that the Prophet appointed a sixth to a grandmother if no mother is left to inherit before her. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «إِذَا اسْتَهَلَّ الصَّبِيُّ صُلِّيَ عَلَيْهِ وَورث» . رَوَاهُ ابْن مَاجَه والدارمي

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When an infant has raised its voice and then dies*, prayer is offered over it and it is treated as an heir.” *"And then dies” does not occur in the text, but is obviously to be understood from the context. The position is that when the heir of someone who has died is expecting a child, the division of the property must not be made till the child is born. If the child lives long enough to raise it voice it is entitled to a share in the inheritance. Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ كَثِيرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَوْلَى الْقَوْمِ مِنْهُمْ وَحَلِيفُ الْقَوْمِ مِنْهُمْ وَابْنُ أُخْتِ الْقَوْمِ مِنْهُمْ» . رَوَاهُ الدَّارمِيّ

Kathir b. ‘Abdallah, on his father’s authority, said that his grand-father reported God's Messenger as saying, “The freedman of a people is one of them, the ally* of a people is one of them, and a sister’s son has blood-relationship to her family.” * Or "close friend". Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن الْمِقْدَام قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَنَا أَوْلَى بِكُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ فَمَنْ تَرَكَ دَيْنًا أَوْ ضَيْعَةً فَإِلَيْنَا وَمَنْ تَرَكَ مَالًا فَلِوَرَثَتِهِ وَأَنَا مَوْلَى مَنْ لَا مَوْلَى لَهُ أَرِثُ مَالَهُ وَأَفُكُّ عَانَهُ وَالْخَالُ وَارِثُ مَنْ لَا وَارِثَ لَهُ يَرِثُ مَالَهُ وَيَفُكُّ عَانَهُ» . وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: «وَأَنَا وَارِثُ مَنْ لَا وَارِثَ لَهُ أَعْقِلُ عَنْهُ وَأَرِثُهُ وَالْخَالُ وَارِثُ مَنْ لَا وَارِثَ لَهُ يَعْقِلُ عَنْهُ ويرثه» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد

Al-Miqdam reported God’s Messenger as saying, “I am nearer to every believer than himself, so if anyone leaves a debt or a helpless family I shall be responsible, but if anyone leaves property it goes to his heirs. I am the patron of him who has none, inheriting what he possesses and freeing him from his liabilities. A maternal uncle is heir of him who has none, inheriting his property and freeing him from his liabilities.” A version has, “I am the heir of him who has none, paying blood wit for him and inheriting from him; and a maternal uncle is the heir of him who has none, paying blood wit for him and inheriting from him.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

وَعَن وائلة بْنِ الْأَسْقَعِ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «تَحُوزُ الْمَرْأَةُ ثَلَاثَ مَوَارِيثَ عَتِيقَهَا وَلَقِيطَهَا وَوَلَدَهَا الَّذِي لَاعَنَتْ عَنْهُ» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ وَأَبُو دَاوُد وَابْن مَاجَه

one she has set free, a foundling, and her child about whom she has invoked a curse on herself if she was untrue in declaring he was not born out of wedlock.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ: أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «أَيُّمَا رَجُلٍ عَاهَرَ بِحُرَّةٍ أَوْ أَمَةٍ فَالْوَلَد ولد زنى لَا يَرث وَلَا يُورث» . رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيّ

‘Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father's authority, said his grandfather reported the Prophet as saying, “If a man commits fornication with a freewoman or a slave woman the child is the product of fornication, and neither does he inherit nor may anyone inherit from him." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ: أَنَّ مَوْلًى لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَاتَ وَتَرَكَ شَيْئًا وَلَمْ يَدَعْ حَمِيمًا وَلَا وَلَدًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَعْطُوا مِيرَاثَهُ رَجُلًا مِنْ أَهْلِ قَرْيَتِهِ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ

‘A’isha said that a client of God’s Messenger died leaving some property, but no relative or child, and God’s Messenger said, “Give what he has left to a man belonging to his village." Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

وَعَنْ بُرَيْدَةَ قَالَ: مَاتَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ خُزَاعَةَ فَأُتِيَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِمِيرَاثِهِ فَقَالَ: «الْتَمِسُوا لَهُ وَارِثًا أَوْ ذَا رَحِمٍ» فَلَمْ يَجِدُوا لَهُ وَارِثًا وَلَا ذَا رَحِمٍ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أعْطوا الْكُبْرَ مِنْ خُزَاعَةَ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ لَهُ: قَالَ: «انْظُرُوا أَكْبَرَ رَجُلٍ مِنْ خُزَاعَة»

Buraida said that a man of Khuza'a died and his estate was brought to the Prophet who gave instructions to look for an heir of his or some relative, but they found neither, so God’s Messenger said, “Give it to the leading man* of Khuza'a’ (al-kubr. This may mean the greatest in rank or in age, or, more probably, the nearest in kin to the man's oldest ancestor, the one with fewest intermediate links. Abu Dawud transmitted it. In a version by him he said, “Look for the greatest (akbar. This might mean greatest or oldest, but it is most probably used here in the same sense as al-kubr) man of Khuza'a.'’

وَعَنْ عَلِيٍّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ: إِنَّكُمْ تقرؤون هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ: (مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ تُوصُونَ بِهَا أَو دين) وَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَضَى بِالدّينِ قبل الْوَصِيَّةِ وَأَنَّ أَعْيَانَ بَنِي الْأُمِّ يَتَوَارَثُونَ دُونَ بَنِي الْعَلَّاتِ الرَّجُلُ يَرِثُ أَخَاهُ لِأَبِيهِ وَأُمِّهِ دُونَ أَخِيهِ لِأَبِيهِ ". رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ الدَّارِمِيِّ: قَالَ: «الْإِخْوَةُ مِنَ الْأُمِّ يَتَوَارَثُونَ دُونَ بَنِي الْعَلَّاتِ. . .» إِلَى آخِره

You recite this verse, “After a legacy you bequeathe or a debt (Al-Qur’an 4:12),’’ but God’s Messenger decided that a debt should be discharged before a legacy and that the sons of the same mother inherit from one another, but not the sons of one father by different mothers. A man inherits from his brother who has the same father and mother, but not from his brother who has the same father but a different mother. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it. In a version by Darimi he said, “Brothers who have the same mother inherit from one another but not sons of the same father but of different mothers, etc."

وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: جَاءَتِ امْرَأَةُ سَعْدِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ بِابْنَتَيْهَا مِنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَاتَانِ ابْنَتَا سَعْدِ بْنِ الرَّبِيعِ قُتِلَ أَبُوهُمَا مَعَكَ يَوْمَ أُحُدٍ شَهِيدًا وَإِنَّ عَمَّهُمَا أَخَذَ مَالَهُمَا وَلَمْ يَدَعْ لَهُمَا مَالًا وَلَا تُنْكَحَانِ إِلَّا وَلَهُمَا مَالٌ قَالَ: «يَقْضِي اللَّهُ فِي ذَلِكَ» فَنَزَلَتْ آيَةُ الْمِيرَاثِ فَبَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِلَى عَمِّهِمَا فَقَالَ: «أَعْطِ لِابْنَتَيْ سَعْدٍ الثُّلُثَيْنِ وَأَعْطِ أُمَّهُمَا الثُّمُنَ وَمَا بَقِيَ فَهُوَ لَكَ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَابْنُ مَاجَهْ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ غريبٌ

The wife of Sa'd b. ar-Rabi’ brought to God’s Messenger her two daughters whose father was Sa'd b. ar-Rabi' and said, “Messenger of God, these are the daughters of Sa'd b. ar-Rabi’. Their father was killed as a martyr when he was with you at the battle of Uhud, their paternal uncle has taken their property leaving them nothing, and they cannot be married unless they have some property." He replied that God would decide regarding the matter, and when the verse about inheritance (Al-Qur’an 4:11) was sent down God’s Messenger sent to their paternal uncle and said, “Give Sa'd’s two daughters two-thirds and their mother an eighth, and what remains is yours." Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

وَعَنْ هُزَيْلِ بْنِ شُرَحْبِيلَ قَالَ: سُئِلَ أَبُو مُوسَى عَنِ ابْنَةٍ وَبِنْتِ ابْنٍ وَأُخْتٍ فَقَالَ: للْبِنْت النّصْف وَللْأُخْت النّصْف وائت ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ فَسَيُتَابِعُنِي فَسُئِلَ ابْنُ مَسْعُودٍ وَأُخْبِرَ بقول أبي مُوسَى فَقَالَ: لقد ضللت إِذن وَمَا أَنَا مِنَ الْمُهْتَدِينَ أَقْضِي فِيهَا بِمَا قَضَى النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لِلْبِنْتِ النِّصْفُ وَلِابْنَةِ الِابْنِ السُّدُسُ تَكْمِلَةَ الثُّلُثَيْنِ وَمَا بَقِيَ فَلِلْأُخْتِ» فَأَتَيْنَا أَبَا مُوسَى فَأَخْبَرْنَاهُ بِقَوْلِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ فَقَالَ: لَا تَسْأَلُونِي مَا دَامَ هَذَا الحبر فِيكُم. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Abu Musa was asked about a case where there were a daughter, a son’s daughter and a sister and replied, “The daughter gets half and the sister gets half. Go to Ibn Mas'ud and you will find that he agrees with me.” When Ibn Mas'ud was asked and told what Abu Musa had said he replied, “I would then be in error and not be one of those who are rightly guided. I decide concerning the matter as the Prophet did: The daughter gets half and the son’s daughter a sixth, making two-thirds, and what remains goes to the sister.” We then went to Abu Musa and when we told him what Ibn Mas'ud had said he replied, “Do not question me as long as this learned man is among you.” Bukhari transmitted it. (Here again we find a tradition by Bukhari in Section 2.)

وَعَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ قَالَ: جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: إِن ابْنِي مَاتَ فَمَا لِي مِنْ مِيرَاثِهِ؟ قَالَ: «لَكَ السُّدُسُ» فَلَمَّا وَلَّى دَعَاهُ قَالَ: «لَكَ سُدُسٌ آخَرُ» فَلَمَّا وَلَّى دَعَاهُ قَالَ: «إِنَّ السُّدُسَ الْآخَرَ طُعْمَةٌ» . رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَقَالَ التِّرْمِذِيُّ: هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ

A man came to God’s Messenger and said, “My son’s son has died, so what do I receive from his estate?” He replied, “You receive a sixth;” then when he turned away he called him and said, “You receive another sixth;” and when he turned away he called him and said, “The other sixth is an allowance ,” (It would seem, although it is not explicit, that the grandson had left two daughters who were therefore entitled to two-thirds of the estate. The grandfather was entitled only to a sixth, but was given another sixth, as a favour, presumably because there were no other heirs). Ahmad, Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a hasan sahih tradition.

وَعَنْ قَبِيصَةَ بْنِ ذُؤَيْبٍ قَالَ: جَاءَتِ الْجَدَّةُ إِلَى أَبِي بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ تَسْأَلُهُ مِيرَاثَهَا فَقَالَ لَهَا: مَا لَكِ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ شَيْءٌ وَمَا لَكِ فِي سُنَّةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ شَيْءٌ فَارْجِعِي حَتَّى أَسْأَلَ النَّاسَ فَسَأَلَ فَقَالَ الْمُغِيرَةُ بْنُ شُعْبَةَ: حَضَرْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَعْطَاهَا السُّدُسَ فَقَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ الله عَنهُ هَل مَعَك غَيره؟ فَقَالَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ مِثْلَ مَا قَالَ الْمُغيرَة فأنفذه لَهَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ثُمَّ جَاءَتِ الْجدّة الْأُخْرَى إِلَى عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ تَسْأَلُهُ مِيرَاثَهَا فَقَالَ: هُوَ ذَلِك السُّدس فَإِن اجْتمعَا فَهُوَ بَيْنَكُمَا وَأَيَّتُكُمَا خَلَتْ بِهِ فَهُوَ لَهَا. رَوَاهُ مَالِكٌ وَأَحْمَدُ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالدَّارِمِيُّ وَابْن مَاجَه

Qabisa b. Dhu’aib said that when a grandmother came to Abu Bakr asking him for her share of an estate he told her that nothing was prescribed for her in God’s Book or in the sunna of God's Messenger, but asked her to go home till he had questioned the people. When he did so, al-Mughira b. Shu'ba said he had been present with God's Messenger when he gave her a sixth. Abu Bakr asked if anyone had been with him and Muhammad b. Maslama said the same as al- Mughira had said, so Abu Bakr made it apply to her. Another grand-mother came to ‘Umar asking him for her share of an estate and he said, “It is that sixth. If there are two of you it is shared between you, but whichever is the only one left gets it all.” Malik, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Darimi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.