The Prophet (ﷺ) visited me at Mecca while I was ill. I said (to him), "I have property; May I bequeath all my property in Allah's Cause?" He said, "No." I said, "Half of it?" He said, "No." I said, "One third of it?" He said, "One-third (is alright), yet it is still too much, for you'd better leave your inheritors wealthy than leave them poor, begging of others. Whatever you spend will be considered a Sadaqa for you, even the mouthful of food you put in the mouth of your wife. Anyhow Allah may let you recover, so that some people may benefit by you and others be harmed by you."
Supporting the Family - Sahih al-Bukhari 5354
The Prophet (ﷺ) visited me at Mecca while I was ill. I said (to him), "I have property; May I bequeath all my property in Allah's Cause?" He said, "No." I said, "Half of it?" He said, "No." I said, "One third of it?" He said, "One-third (is alright), yet it is still too much, for you'd better leave your inheritors wealthy than leave them poor, begging of others. Whatever you spend will be considered a Sadaqa for you, even the mouthful of food you put in the mouth of your wife. Anyhow Allah may let you recover, so that some people may benefit by you and others be harmed by you."
Scholarly Commentary
This noble hadith establishes several fundamental principles of Islamic inheritance law and family welfare. The Prophet's progressive limitation from full bequest to one-third demonstrates the divine wisdom in balancing individual piety with familial responsibility.
The prohibition against bequeathing more than one-third protects the rights of legal heirs, ensuring they are not left destitute. The statement "better leave your inheritors wealthy than leave them poor" emphasizes the Islamic virtue of providing for one's family even after death.
Remarkably, the Prophet elevates mundane family expenditures to the status of charity (sadaqa), transforming domestic responsibilities into acts of worship. Feeding one's wife becomes a means of drawing nearer to Allah, sanctifying marital relations.
The final wisdom acknowledges divine decree in life and death while recognizing that a believer's continued life benefits some and tests others, reflecting the comprehensive nature of Allah's plan wherein every circumstance serves a higher purpose.