Al-Muqaddimāt al-Mumahhidāt - Ibn Rush al-Jadd - (3/114)

Al-Muqaddimāt al-MumahhidātIbn Rush al-Jadd

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According to Mālik and the majority of scholars, making a bequest for acts that draw one nearer to Allah Most High, but are not obligatory during one’s lifetime, is encouraged and recommended, not obligatory. Such a bequest may be made to relatives or non-relatives, though giving to relatives is preferable. The testator should therefore give them priority, for Allah mentions them first in several verses of His Book. He Most High says:

“If relatives, orphans, and the needy are present at the division, give them something out of it.” [al-Nisā’: 8]

And He says:

“And gives wealth, despite his love for it, to relatives, orphans, and the needy.” [al-Baqara: 177]

And He says:

“Be mindful of Allah, in whose Name you appeal to one another, and honour family ties.” [al-Nisā’: 1]

That is, maintain family ties and do not sever them. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to his wife Maymūna, who had freed a slave girl of hers: “Had you given her to some of your maternal uncles to maintain family ties, your reward would have been greater.” He, peace be upon him, also said to Abū Talha concerning the orchard he had given in charity: “I think you should give it to your close relatives.” Abū Talha therefore divided it among his relatives and paternal cousins.

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A bequest to an heir, however, is not permissible unless the other heirs approve it. A number of scholars have understood the Prophet’s statement, “There is no bequest to an heir,” as applying without exception. They therefore do not permit a bequest to an heir even if the other heirs approve it, except in the sense of a gift from them to him, which requires his taking possession of it.

The correct view is that held by Mālik, may Allah have mercy on him, because the prohibition concerns only the heirs’ rights, just as with a bequest exceeding one-third of the estate. If they approve it, it is valid, just as one may agree to accept a defect, waive the right of pre-emption, and so forth. Some reports also give the wording: “There is no bequest to an heir unless the other heirs approve it.”

فصل فالوصية بما يتقرب به إلى الله تعالى مما لا يجب عليه في حياته على مذهب مالك وجمهور أهل العلم، مرغب فيها ومندوب إليها وليست بواجبة، وهي تجوز للقرابة والأجنبيين إلا أن الوصية للقرابة أفضل منها للأجنبيين، فينبغي للموصي أن يبدأ به لأن الله بدأ بهم في غير ما آية من كتابه، فقال تعالى: ﴿وَإِذَا حَضَرَ الْقِسْمَةَ أُولُو الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينُ فَارْزُقُوهُمْ مِنْهُ﴾ [النساء: ٨] وَقَالَ ﴿وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَى حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينَ﴾ [البقرة: ١٧٧] وَقَالَ ﴿وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ الَّذِي تَسَاءَلُونَ بِهِ وَالأَرْحَامَ﴾ [النساء: ١] أي الأرحام أن تصلوها ولا تقطعوها. «وقال ﷺ لميمونة زوجته وقد أعتقت وليدة لها: " لو وصلت بها بعض أخوالك كان أعظم لأجرك». «وقال ﵇ لأبي طلحة في الحائط الذي تصدق به: " إني أرى أن تجعله في الأقربين» فقسمه أبو طلحة في أقاربه وبني عمه. فصل وأما الوصية للوارث فلا تجوز إلا أن يجيزها الورثة. وقد حمل جماعة من أهل العلم قول النبي ﷺ: «لا وصية لوارث» على عمومه فلم يجيزوا له الوصية وإن أجازها له الورثة، معناه إلا على سبيل الهبة منهم له التي تفتقر إلى الحيازة. والصحيح ما ذهب إليه مالك ﵀ لأن المنع إنما تعلق بحق الورثة كالزائد على ثلث المال، فإذا أجازوه جاز، كالرضى بالعيب، وتسليم الشفعة وما أشبه ذلك. وقد روي أيضا في بعض الآثار «لا وصية لوارث إلا أن يجيزها الورثة».