Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (11/187)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

falls short in his religion cannot be trusted not to fall short in carrying out his duties. As for moral integrity, it means that he does not do what people would criticize him for; if he does what people would criticize him for, then he is not upright.

If one appoints a sinful person as executor, the established position is that the appointment is invalid, because he is not trustworthy. Allah, Exalted is He, says:

“O you who believe, if a sinful person comes to you with some news, verify it.” [Al-Hujurat: 6]

Thus, the report of a sinful person is not accepted, nor are his actions approved. However, it should be said that this is based on the matter of testimony: if we accept the testimony of a sinful person whose testimony is deemed acceptable, then we accept his appointment as executor. For there may be a sinful person who is nevertheless trustworthy with regard to financial matters. Suppose, for example, that he smokes tobacco; smoking tobacco is persistence in a minor sin, so he is sinful. Yet if this smoker is a sensible, judicious, trustworthy, and responsible man, and we say that it is not valid to appoint him as executor, this is undoubtedly open to question. Therefore, we say that making uprightness a condition requires further detail: if the lack of uprightness undermines his management, then it is a condition; but if it does not undermine his management, and he manages matters fully and without any problem whatsoever, then it is not a condition. This is the correct understanding of his statement, “upright.”

His statement, “responsible,” means one who manages properly what has been entrusted to him. Allah, Most High, says concerning orphans:

“Then, if you perceive in them sound judgment, deliver to them their wealth.” [Al-Nisa’: 6]

Sound judgment is indispensable, but the required sound judgment varies according to the matter at hand. A person responsible in financial matters is one who conducts buying, selling, renting, and leasing properly, without suffering an unfair loss beyond what is customary.

And a person responsible in the guardianship of marriage—according to the view that appointing an executor for it is valid—

فرط في دينه فإنه لا يؤمن أن يفرط في عمله، وأما المروءة فإنه لا يفعل ما ينتقده الناس، فإن فعل ما ينتقده الناس عليه فليس بعدل. فإن أوصى إلى فاسق، فالمذهب أنه لا تصح الوصية إليه؛ لأنه غير مأمون، وقد قال الله ﵎: ﴿يَاأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنْ جَاءَكُمْ فَاسِقٌ بِنَبَإٍ فَتَبَيَّنُوا﴾ [الحجرات: ٦]، فالفاسق لا يقبل خبره ولا يرضى تصرفه، ولكن ينبغي أن يقال: إن هذا مبني على الشهادة، فإذا قبلنا شهادة الفاسق المرضي في شهادته قبلنا الوصية إليه؛ لأنه قد يوجد فاسق لكنه أمين من جهة المال، ولنفرض أنه يشرب الدخان، وشرب الدخان إصرار على صغيرة، إذاً هو فاسق، فإذا كان هذا الشارب للدخان رجلاً عاقلاً حصيفاً أميناً رشيداً، ونقول: لا تصح الوصية إليه، في هذا نظر لا شك، ولهذا نقول: إن اشتراط العدالة فيه تفصيل، فإن كانت العدالة تخدش في تصرفه فهي شرط، وإن كانت لا تخدش في تصرفه، وأنه يتصرف تصرفاً تاماً ليس فيه أي إشكال، فإنها ليست بشرط، وهذا هو الصحيح في مفهوم قوله: «عدل». وقوله: «رشيد» وهو الذي يحسن التصرف فيما وكل إليه؛ لقول الله تعالى في اليتامى: ﴿فَإِنْ آنَسْتُمْ مِنْهُمْ رُشْدًا فَادْفَعُوا إِلَيْهِمْ أَمْوَالَهُمْ﴾ [النساء: ٦]، فالرشد لا بد منه، ولكن الرشد في كل موضع بحسبه، فالرشيد في المال هو الذي يحسن البيع والشراء والاستئجار والتأجير، بدون أن يغبن غبناً أكثر مما جرت به العادة. والرشيد في ولاية النكاح ـ على القول بصحة الوصية فيها ـ