Al-Muqaddimāt al-Mumahhidāt - Ibn Rush al-Jadd - (3/117)

Al-Muqaddimāt al-MumahhidātIbn Rush al-Jadd

Hanīfa, who holds that he may bequeath all his wealth if he has no heir. If a man bequeaths more than one-third of his wealth, the excess is not valid unless the heirs approve it. Their approval may be given while he is in good health, during the illness from which he dies, or after his death.

If they give him permission while he is in good health, it is unanimously agreed that this is not binding upon them.

If they give him permission during the illness from which he dies, Mālik holds that it is binding upon them if they have full legal capacity and live independently of him. This is contrary to the views of Abū Hanīfa and al-Shāfi‘ī, and to what some of Mālik’s statements imply. It is said that this applies when he has sought their permission, as indicated by the discussion in al-Mudawwana.

If he has not sought their permission, however, their approval is binding upon them, even if they do not live independently of him, provided they have full legal capacity. It is also said that no distinction is made between his seeking their permission and not doing so, for they may say: “We hastened to approve it to put his mind at ease, because we feared that, unless we did so, he would resent us and withhold his support.”

If they approve it after his death, it is unanimously agreed that their approval is binding upon them. There are, however, two opinions within the school as to whether this is like a gift that requires the recipient to take possession.

We hold that a bequest exceeding one-third is not permissible because the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said to Sa‘d ibn Abī Waqqās:

“One-third, and one-third is much. It is better for you to leave your heirs well provided for than to leave them destitute, begging from people.”

A number of scholars have recommended that a man bequeath less than one-third, because the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “And one-third is much.” It is related that Ibn ‘Abbās, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “If only people would reduce it from one-third to one-quarter, for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: ‘And one-third is much.’”

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, may Allah be pleased with him, bequeathed one-quarter of his wealth, while Abū Bakr al-Siddīq bequeathed one-fifth of his wealth, saying: “For my own bequest, I am content with the share Allah has chosen for Himself from the spoils of war.” He then recited:

حنيفة في قوله إنه يجوز له أن يوصي بجميع ماله إن لم يكن له وارث. فإذا أوصى الرجل بأكثر من ثلث ماله لم يجز إلا أن يجيز ذلك الورثة، وإجازتهم لا يخلو من أن تكون في صحته أو في مرضه الذي مات منه. أو بعد موته. فأما إذا كان إذنهم له في صحته فلا يلزمهم ذلك باتفاق. وأما إن أذنوا له في مرضه الذي مات منه فيلزمهم عند مالك إن كانوا مالكين لأمرهم بائنين عنه بأنفسهم، خلافا لأبي حنيفة والشافعي ولما يدل عليه بعض أقاويل مالك. قيل إذا استأذنهم بدليل ما في المدونة. وأما إذا لم يستأذنهم فيلزمهم وإن لم يكونوا بائنين عنه إذا كانوا مالكين لأمر أنفسهم. وقيل سواء استأذنهم أو لم يستأذنهم لأنهم يقولون بادرنا إلى الإجازة لتطيب نفسه، لأنا خشينا إن لم نبادر بها أن يحقد بذلك علينا فيمنعنا رفده. وأما إن أجازوا بعد موته فذلك لازم لهم باتفاق. واختلف هل يكون ذلك كالهبة التي تفتقر إلى حيازة أم لا على قولين في المذهب. وإنما قلنا إن الوصية بأكثر من الثلث لا تجوز لقول رسول الله ﷺ لسعد بن أبي وقاص: «الثلث، والثلث كثير إنك أن تذر ورثتك أغنياء خير من أن تذرهم عالة يتكففون الناس». وقد استحب جماعة من العلماء أن لا يوصي الرجل إلا بأقل من الثلث لقول رسول الله ﷺ: «والثلث كثير». وروي عن ابن عباس ﵁ أنه قال: لو غض الناس من الثلث إلى الربع لأن رسول الله ﷺ قال: «والثلث كثير» وأوصى عمر بن الخطاب ﵁ بربع ماله، وأبو بكر الصديق بخمس ماله وقال: رضيت لنفسي في وصيتي بما رضي الله لنفسه من الغنيمة، وتلا: