Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (15/385)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

of negligible value. But with respect to something in which he is not permitted to transact, neither his claim nor his denial is valid. So who brings a claim on his behalf, and who denies on his behalf?

The answer is: his guardian is the one who brings a claim against anyone who owes a right to this minor; and his guardian is likewise the one who undertakes the denial if a claim is brought against him.

The opposite of one who is sane is the insane person. No claim or denial is valid from an insane person; however, a claim on his behalf is valid, just as it is for a minor, and his guardian undertakes this.

The opposite of a free person is an enslaved person. No claim or denial is valid from him with respect to matters in which he is not permitted to transact. As for matters in which he may transact—such as divorcing his wife—a claim and denial from him are valid. But in financial matters, no claim or denial from him is valid, because an enslaved person owns nothing, and the property in his possession belongs to his master. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever sells a slave who possesses property, his property belongs to his seller, unless the buyer stipulates otherwise.” (1) Thus, since the property in his possession does not belong to him but rather to his guardian, neither his claim nor his denial is valid, because he does not own that property.

In this context, a financially mature person is one who manages his wealth soundly. The opposite is the spendthrift, who expends his wealth on what is unlawful or on what brings no benefit. An example of the unlawful is tobacco; and, as an example of what brings no benefit, the scholars mentioned someone buying oil and setting it alight. Such a person is not financially mature, because he expends his wealth on something of no benefit. The Prophet ﷺ prohibited the wasting of wealth (2), and wasting wealth means spending it on what is unlawful or on what brings no benefit.

(1) Narrated by al-Bukhari in al-Musaqah, “Chapter: A man who has a right of passage or watering in a garden or palm grove” (2379), and by Muslim in al-Buyu, “Chapter: One who sells palm trees bearing dates” (1543 [80]), on the authority of Ibn Umar. (2) Narrated by al-Bukhari in al-Zakah, “Chapter: The saying of Allah: ‘They do not ask people persistently’” (1477), and by Muslim in al-Aqdiyah, “Chapter: The prohibition of excessive questioning” (1715), on the authority of al-Mughirah ibn Shubah.

اليسير، لكن الشيء الذي لا يصح تصرفه فيه لا تصح الدعوى منه، ولا الإنكار، فمن يدعي عنه ومن ينكر؟ الجواب: وليه هو الذي يقيم الدعوى على من عليه حق لهذا الصغير، ووليه ـ أيضاً ـ هو الذي يتولى الإنكار فيما لو ادعي عليه. والعاقل ضده المجنون، فالمجنون لا يصح منه دعوى ولا إنكار، لكن الدعوى منه تصح كالصغير، ويتولى ذلك وليه. والحر ضده العبد الرقيق، فلا تصح منه دعوى ولا إنكار فيما لا يصح تصرفه فيه، أما ما يصح تصرفه فيه كطلاق امرأته مثلاً، فتصح الدعوى منه والإنكار، لكن الأمور المالية لا يصح منه دعوى ولا إنكار؛ لأن العبد لا يملك، والمال الذي بيده لسيده، قال النبي ﷺ: «من باع عبداً له مال فماله لبائعه إلا أن يشترطه المبتاع» (١) فإذا كان المال الذي بيده ليس له، وإنما هو لوليه فإنه لا يصح منه دعوى ولا إنكار؛ لأنه لا يملك هذا المال. والرشيد في هذا الموضع هو الذي يحسن التصرف في ماله، وضده السفيه الذي يبذل ماله في المحرم، أو في غير فائدة، فالمحرم كالدخان، وفي غير فائدة مثَّل له العلماء بأن يشتري نفطاً ويشعله، فهذا ليس برشيد؛ لأنه يبذل ماله فيما لا فائدة فيه، والنبي ﵊ نهى عن إضاعة المال (٢)، وإضاعة المال صرفه في محرم، أو فيما لا فائدة فيه.

(١) أخرجه البخاري في المساقاة/ باب الرجل يكون له ممر أو شرب في حائط أو في نخل (٢٣٧٩)، ومسلم في البيوع/ باب من باع نخلاً عليها تمر (١٥٤٣) (٨٠) عن ابن عمر ﵄. (٢) أخرجه البخاري في الزكاة/ باب قول الله ﷿: ﴿لَا يَسْأَلُونَ النَّاسَ إِلْحَافًا﴾ (١٤٧٧)، ومسلم في الأقضية/ باب النهي عن كثرة المسائل (١٧١٥) عن المغيرة بن شعبة ﵁.