The Book of Wills

كتاب الوصية

Chapter 3: What Reward Reaches A Man After His Death

Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying

When a man dies, his acts come to an end, but three, recurring charity, or knowledge (by which people) benefit, or a pious son, who prays for him (for the deceased).

Chapter 4: Waqf (Endowment)

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Ibn 'Aun with the same chain of transmitters up to the words

" Or he may feed the friend withoiut hoarding from it" and he made no mention of what follows.

'Umar reported

I acquired land from the lands of Khaibar. I came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said: I have acquired a piece of land. Never have I acquired land more loved by me and more cherished by me than this. The rest of the hadith is the same, but he made no mention of this:" I narrated it to Muhammad" and what follows.

Chapter 1: Bequeathing One-Third

Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with them) said

(I wish) if people would reduce from third to fourth (part for making a will of their property), for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: So far as the third (part) is concerned it is quite substantial. In the hadith transmitted on the authority of Waki (the words are)" large" or" much".

Chapter 2: The Reward For Charity Reaches The Deceased

A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that a man came to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) and said

Allah's Messenger, my mother died all of a sudden without making any will. I think if (she could have the opportunity) to speak she would have made a Sadaqa. Would there be any reward for her if I give charity on her behalf? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Yes.

Chapter 5: Not Making A Will For One Who Has Nothing To Be Bequeathed

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of A'mash with the same chain of transmitters.

Chapter 2: The Reward For Charity Reaches The Deceased

A'isha (Allah be pleased with her) reported that a man said to Allah's Apostle (ﷺ)

My mother died all of a sudden, and I think if she (could have the opportunity) to speak she would have (made a will) regarding Sadaqa'. Will I be entitled to reward if I give charity on her behalf? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Yes.

Chapter 5: Not Making A Will For One Who Has Nothing To Be Bequeathed

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Malik b. Mighwal with the same chain of transmitters but with a slight variation of words. In the hadith related by Waki (the words are)" I said

How the people have been ordered about the will" ; and in the hadith of Ibn Numair (the words are):" How the will has been prescribed for the Muslims, '.

Aswad b. Yazid reported

It was mentioned before A'isha that will had been made (by the Holy Prophet) in favour of 'Ali (as the Prophet's first caliph), whereupon she said: When did he make will in his favour? I had been providing support to him (to the Holy Prophet) with my chest (or with my lap). He asked for a tray, when he fell in my lap (relaxing his body), and I did not realise that he had breathed his last. When did he make any will in his ('Ali's) favour?

Sa'id b. Jubair reported from Ibn Abbas that he said

Thursday, and what about Thursday? Then tears began to flow until I saw them on his cheeks as it they were the strings of pearls. He (the narrator) said that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said: Bring me a shoulder blade and ink-pot (or tablet and inkpot), so that I write for you a document (by following which) you would never go astray. They said: Allah's Messenger (may peace upon him) is in the state of unconsciousness.

Ibn Abbas reported

When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was about to leave this world, there were persons (around him) in his house, 'Umar b. al-Kbattab being one of them. Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) said: Come, I may write for you a document; you would not go astray after that. Thereupon Umar said: Verily Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) is deeply afflicted with pain. You have the Qur'an with you. The Book of Allah is sufficient for us. Those who were present in the house differed. Some of them said: Bring him (the writing material) so that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) may write a document for you and you would never go astray after him And some among them said what 'Umar had (already) said. When they indulged in nonsense and began to dispute in the presence of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), he said: Get up (and go away) 'Ubaidullah said: Ibn Abbas used to say: There was a heavy loss, indeed a heavy loss, that, due to their dispute and noise. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) could not write (or dictate) the document for them.