Laws of Inheritance (Al-Faraa'id) - Sahih al-Bukhari 6729

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Not even a single Dinar of my property should be distributed (after my death) to my inheritors, but whatever I leave excluding the provision for my wives and my servants, should be spent in charity."

Commentary on the Prophetic Prohibition

This noble hadith establishes that the Prophet (ﷺ) prohibited his inheritance from being distributed according to the usual Islamic inheritance laws. This is a unique ruling specific to the Messenger of Allah, as he is not inherited from like ordinary people.

The wisdom behind this prohibition is that prophets do not leave inheritance as worldly wealth for their descendants. Rather, what they leave behind becomes charity (sadaqah) for the Muslim community. This distinguishes the status of prophethood and prevents any misconception that the Prophet's family has special financial privileges after his death.

Legal Implications and Exceptions

The exclusion mentioned for his wives and servants indicates that ongoing provisions and maintenance for those under his care take precedence. After fulfilling these obligations, the remainder becomes public charity.

This ruling applies exclusively to the Prophet (ﷺ) and does not extend to other Muslims. For the general Muslim community, the detailed inheritance laws in the Quran (Surah An-Nisa) remain obligatory, ensuring fair distribution among legal heirs.

Scholarly Consensus

The classical scholars of all madhahib are unanimous that this prohibition is specific to the Prophet (ﷺ). Imam al-Nawawi states in his commentary on Sahih Muslim that this hadith demonstrates the unique status of the Prophet's property after his death.

This understanding preserves both the sanctity of prophethood and the integrity of Islamic inheritance law for the general Muslim population, maintaining the balance between special Prophetic status and universal legal principles.