Wills and Testaments (Wasaayaa)
كتاب الوصايا
Chapter 31: The foundation of an endowment for building a mosque
When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to Medina, he ordered that a mosque be built. He said, "O Bani An- Najjar! Suggest me a price for the garden of yours." They replied, "By Allah, we will not ask its price except from Allah."
Chapter 32: Animals, property, gold and silver as endowments
Once `Umar gave a horse in charity to be used in holy fighting. It had been given to him by Allah's Apostle . `Umar gave it to another man to ride. Then `Umar was informed that the man put the horse for sale, so he asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) whether he could buy it. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "You should not buy it, for you should not take back what you have given in charity."
Chapter 33: The salary of the administrator of an endowment
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "My heirs will not inherit a Dinar or a Dirham (i.e. money), for whatever I leave (excluding the adequate support of my wives and the wages of my employees) is given in charity."
When `Umar founded an endowment he stipulated that its administrator could eat from it and also feed his friend on the condition that he would not store anything for himself from it.
Chapter 34: If somebody keeps an endowment, or stipulates that he should benefit by it as the other Muslims do
When 'Uthman (ra) was circled (by the rebels), he looked upon them from above and said, "Ias you by Allah, I ask nobody but the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ), dont you know that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Whoever will (buy and) dig the well of Ruma will be granted Paradise,' and I (bought and) dug it? Don't you know that he said. 'Whoever equip the army of 'Usra (i.e., Tabuk's Ghazwa) will be granted Paradise,' and I equipped it ?" They attested whatever he said.When 'Umar founded his endowment he said, "Its administrator can eat from it." The management of the endowment can be taken over by the founder himself or any other person, for both cases are permissible.
Chapter 35: To say: "We will demand its price, from none but Allah."
The Prophet (ﷺ) said (at the time of building the Mosque), "O Ban, An-Najjar! Suggest to me a price for your garden." They replied, "We do not ask its price except from Allah."
Chapter 36: The Statement of Allah aaza' wajal: "When death approaches any of you, and you make a bequest..."
Ibn 'Abbas (ra) said, "A man from the tribe of Bani Sahm went out in the company of Tamim Ad-Dari and 'Adi bin Badda'. The man of Bani Sahm died in a land where there was no Muslim. When Tamim and 'Adi returned conveying the property of the deceased, they claimed that they had lost a silver bowl with gold engraving. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) made them take an oath (to confirm their claim), and then the bowl was found in Makkah with some people who claimed that they had bought it from Tamim and 'Adu, Then two witnesses from the relatives of the deceased got up and swore that their witnesses were more valid than the witnesses of 'Adi and Tamim, and that the bowl belonged to their deceased fellow. So, this verse was revealed in connection with this case ; 'O you who believe! When death approached any of you...'," (V 5
106)
Chapter 37: The payments of the debts of the deceased
My father was martyred on the day (of the Ghazwa) of Uhud and left six daughters and some debts to be paid. When the time of plucking the date-fruits came, I went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Apostle! you know that my father was martyred on Uhud's day and owed much debt, and I wish that the creditors would see you." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Go and collect the various kinds of dates and place them separately in heaps"' I did accordingly and called him. On seeing him, the creditors started claiming their rights pressingly at that time. When the Prophet (ﷺ) saw how they behaved, he went round the biggest heap for three times and sat over it and said, "Call your companions (i.e. the creditors)." Then he kept on measuring and giving them, till Allah cleared all my father's debts. By Allah, it would have pleased me that Allah would clear the debts of my father even though I had not taken a single date to my sisters. But by Allah, all the heaps were complete, (as they were) and I looked at the heap where Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was sitting and noticed as if not a single date had been taken thereof.