is not one who is proficient in buying and selling; rather, he is one who knows a suitable match and understands the interests involved in marriage.
Thus, sound judgment is relative to its particular sphere. A person sound in financial matters is not necessarily sound in the guardianship of marriage, and one sound in matters of marriage is not necessarily sound in financial matters. A man may be sound in the guardianship of marriage because he knows people, recognizes a suitable match, and fears Allah and is mindful of Him; yet in financial matters he may be foolish and inept. A child may come to him with a chicken worth two riyals and sell it to him for ten riyals. Such a person is not financially sound, because he has been cheated by approximately fivefold. Yet in the other respect he may be competent. Therefore, the sound judgment required in each case is according to that particular case.
“Even if he is a slave, provided that he accepts with his master’s permission. If he appoints Zayd as executor and then appoints ‘Amr after him, without dismissing Zayd, they share the executorship, and neither of them may act independently in a matter that has not been assigned to him …”
His statement, “Even if he is a slave, provided that he accepts with his master’s permission”: the word “even” indicates that there is a difference of opinion. That is, appointing a slave as executor is valid, but he must accept with his master’s permission. If we adopt this view, we must say that the master must be upright, sound in judgment, legally adult, sane, and Muslim. Thus, his master must be among those for whom appointment as an executor is valid.
The opposing view, to which the author—may Allah have mercy on him—has alluded, is that appointing a slave as executor is invalid in all cases, because a slave is legally restricted and needs someone to look after his own affairs; so how can he be placed in charge of someone else’s affairs? Therefore, appointing a slave as executor is invalid.
The third view makes a distinction: appointing one’s own slave as executor is permissible, whereas appointing someone else’s slave as executor is not permissible. This is because appointing one’s own slave results from knowing that the slave is trustworthy, sound in judgment, and fully capable of proper management, and that he will be as careful concerning his master’s testament as he is concerning his wealth or