—then it is so that the reward may reach him sooner. A bequest is either obligatory or voluntary.

The scholars have said: It should therefore be carried out before he is buried. Glory be to Allah! When you read this statement and see what some unjust heirs do—delaying the repayment of the deceased’s debts for their own private interests—you may find that the deceased has debts and has left behind real estate, yet they say: “We will not sell it; rather, we will repay him from the rental income, even if that takes ten years.” Or they say: “The land, for example, is depressed in value now, so we will wait until its price rises.” Its price may rise, or it may fall. This is wrongdoing—and we seek Allah’s protection. Those heirs may even be among the deceased’s own descendants, and thus this involves a degree of undutifulness to parents that is plain to everyone. For the deceased is affected by the debt he owes, if the hadith is authentic: “The soul of the believer is held in suspense by his debt until it is paid on his behalf” (1). Even if it is not authentic, the soul must still be affected by the debt owed. Thus, where the bequest concerns an obligation, it must be carried out without delay; and where it concerns a voluntary act, this is recommended. Yet promptness in doing so is required, whether it is obligatory or recommended, before the funeral prayer is offered over him and he is buried. This is the sunnah.

His statement: “It is obligatory to hasten the repayment of his debt,” meaning the debt of the deceased, whether that debt is owed to Allah or to another person.

A debt owed to Allah includes zakah, expiation, a vow, and the like.

A debt owed to another person includes a loan, the price of a sale, wages, and liability for damages