Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (10/253)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

His statement, “or seeks to take only part of it, his right is forfeited,” means that the co-owner seeks to take only part.

For example, two partners own a piece of land, each holding one half. One of them sells his share to someone else, and the other partner says, “I cannot afford the price of the entire land; I want to take part of it, and you may have the rest.” In this case, the right of pre-emption is forfeited, because the requirement of immediate action has not been met: he did not assert his claim at once. However, if he first asserts his right of pre-emption and takes the property, then seeks a settlement or partition, there is nothing wrong with that. But when he seeks a settlement or partition before taking it by pre-emption, his right is forfeited.

Thus, these matters that invalidate the right are based on the requirement that he must assert his claim as soon as he learns of the sale. Yet it should be said regarding the implications they mention—namely, that seeking a settlement, seeking only part, or the like indicates that he has acknowledged the sale—that this applies if it is done knowingly. But if it is done by someone ignorant of the ruling, who says, “I want a settlement in order to avoid a dispute and spare his feelings,” or something similar, then the right of pre-emption should not be forfeited. A distinction should therefore be made between one who understands and knows, and one who neither understands nor knows. If he says, “Reach a settlement with me,” or, “Let us divide it equally: you take half and I take half,” out of goodwill and without knowing the ruling, then the right of pre-emption should not be forfeited, because in this case he is excused. Just as they excuse the one who does not assert it immediately for the reasons they have recognized as excuses, this case is similar.

In summary, the right of pre-emption belongs to the pre-emptor and is not forfeited except by something indicating his acceptance. As for its being the pre-emptor’s right, this is established by a Prophetic ruling: “He ruled that the right of pre-emption applies to everything that is divisible.” As for its not being forfeited except with his consent,

قوله: «أو طلب أخذ البعض سقطت» أي: طلب الشريك أخذ البعض. مثاله: شريكان في أرض لكل واحد منهما نصفها، فباع أحد الشريكين نصيبه على شخص، فقال الشريك: أنا لا أتحمل قيمة الأرض كلها، وأريد أن آخذ بعضها ولك البعض، فإن الشفعة تسقط؛ لفوات الفورية؛ لأنه لم يبادر، فلو أنه بادر وأخذ بالشفعة ثم طلب المصالحة أو المقاسمة فلا بأس، لكنه لما طلب المصلحة أو المقاسمة قبل الأخذ بالشفعة سقطت. إذاً هذه المسقطات مبنية على أنه لا بد أن يطالب بها فور علمه، لكن ينبغي أن يقال: إن اللوازم التي ذكروها من أن طلب المصالحة، أو طلب البعض، أو ما أشبه ذلك، تدل على أنه أقر البيع، ينبغي أن يقال: إذا وقع هذا من عالم فنعم، وإن وقع من جاهل لا يدري، وقال: أنا أريد المصالحة دفعاً للمطالبة وكسر قلبه، وما أشبه ذلك، فإنه لا ينبغي أن تسقط الشفعة، فيفرق بين من يفهم ويعلم، وبين من لا يفهم ولا يعلم، فإذا قال: صالحني، أو نجعلها أنصافاً لك النصف ولي النصف، عن سلامة قلب وعدم معرفة، فينبغي أن لا تسقط الشفعة؛ لأنه في هذه الحال معذور، وكما عذروا من لم يطلبها على الفور بما عذروه به، فهذه مثلها. والخلاصة: أن الشفعة حق للشفيع لا تسقط إلا بما يدل على رضاه، أما كونها حقاً للشفيع فهو قضاء نبوي: «قضى بالشفعة في كل ما يقسم»، وأما كونها لا تسقط إلا برضاه؛