Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (9/304)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

Thus, it is preferable to say: the financially incompetent person is one who does not manage his wealth properly—being cheated, deceived, and defrauded, or spending it on something from which he derives no benefit. This includes, as we mentioned, the case of one who lets banknotes fly through the air and watches them, and likewise, if we suppose that a man has become addicted to buying firecrackers, so that he buys firecrackers and sets them off. Such a person is undoubtedly financially incompetent and should be placed under legal interdiction.

If, whenever he is given money, he gives all of it away in charity, is he then financially competent? He is not financially competent. Yes, if he gives away a small amount of the kind customarily given, he is regarded as financially competent. The evidence for this is that the jurists say that a minor’s voluntary gift of any of his wealth is invalid, whereas his bequest of some of his wealth is valid. They explained this by saying that if he makes a bequest of some of his wealth, it does not harm him, because it will only be distributed after his death, unlike the case where he makes a voluntary gift.

His statement: “Nor is it handed over to him until he has been tested before reaching puberty in that which suits him,” means that it is not to be handed over to him until he has been tested before puberty. What is meant by testing here is attaining knowledge of his true condition, for it is derived from experience, and experience is knowledge of the inner realities of matters.

His statement, “before reaching puberty,” means that this must take place before he reaches puberty, so that once he reaches puberty, the wealth may be handed over to him from that point onward. For the basic ruling is that it is unlawful for the wealth to remain in the guardian’s possession. Therefore, we conduct the test before puberty so that we may hand over his wealth to him immediately upon his reaching puberty, once we know that he has sound judgment. Allah says: “Test the orphans until they reach marriageable age; then, if you discern in them …” [al-Nisa: 6].

His statement, “in that which suits him”: if he is the son of a merchant, then what is appropriate for him is

إذاً الأولى أن نقول: السفيه هو الذي لا يحسن التصرف في ماله، بأن يغبن ويغر ويخدع، أو يبذله في شيء لا ينتفع به، كما ذكرنا مسألة الذي يُطَيِّرُ الأوراق النقدية، ويتفرج عليها، ومثله لو فرضنا أن رجلاً، ابتلي بشراء المفرقعات، فصار يشتري مفرقعات ويفرقعها، فهذا سفيه لا شك يحجر عليه. فإذا كان إذا أعطي المال تصدق به كله، فهل هذا رشيد؟ هذا غير رشيد، نعم لو تصدق بالشيء اليسير الذي جرت العادة بمثله فهذا يعتبر رشيداً؛ والدليل على ذلك أن الفقهاء يقولون: إن الصبي لا يصح أن يتبرع بشيء من ماله، لكن يصح أن يوصي بشيء من ماله، وعللوا ذلك أنه إذا أوصى بشيء من ماله، فإنه لا يضره؛ لأنه سوف يدفع بعد موته، بخلاف ما إذا تبرع. قوله: «ولا يدفع إليه حتى يختبر قبل بلوغه بما يليق به» أي: لا يدفع حتى يختبر قبل البلوغ، والمراد بالاختبار هنا الوصول إلى العلم بباطن حاله لأنه من الخبرة، والخبرة هي العلم ببواطن الأمور. وقوله: «قبل بلوغه» يعني لا بد أن يكون قبل بلوغه، لأجل إذا بلغ فمن حين بلوغه يدفع إليه المال؛ لأن الأصل في بقاء المال في يد الولي التحريم، ولهذا نقدم الاختبار قبل البلوغ من أجل أن ندفع إليه ماله فور بلوغه إذا علمنا رشده، قال الله تعالى: ﴿وَابْتَلُوا الْيَتَامَى حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغُوا النِّكَاحَ فَإِنْ آنَسْتُمْ مِنْهُمْ﴾ … ﴾ [النساء: ٦]. وقوله: «بما يليق به» فإذا كان ولدَ تاجرٍ، فالذي يليق به