If, however, one preceded the other, precedence is given to the earlier disposition. A vow that a person undertakes during illness should have the same status as these two dispositions.

Next come a specified slave whose manumission is directed in the will; a slave whom the will directs to be purchased and freed; a slave whose manumission is stipulated in return for payment, if he pays immediately; a slave for whom the will directs a manumission contract to be made, if he pays the contractual sum immediately; and a slave whose manumission is directed to take effect after a month or a similar period. None takes precedence over another; rather, they share proportionately. It has also been said that a slave whose manumission, or purchase for manumission, is directed in the will takes precedence over one whose freedom is deferred for a short period, over one whose manumission is stipulated in return for payment even if he pays immediately, and over one for whom a manumission contract is directed even if he pays the contractual sum immediately. It has also been said that a specified slave whose manumission is directed in the will takes precedence over a slave whom the will directs to be purchased for manumission.

After these five comes a slave whose manumission is directed to take effect after one year. Next come a slave whose manumission is directed to take effect after two years and a slave for whom a manumission contract is directed; neither takes precedence over the other. It has also been said that a slave whose manumission is directed to take effect after one year has the same status as one whose manumission is deferred for several years.

Someone other than Ibn Abī Zayd placed vows next. This is an unlikely view, since it gives precedence to testamentary manumission over a vow: a bequest of manumission may be revoked, whereas a vow is binding and cannot be revoked. Thus, when the deceased directs in his will that a vow be fulfilled, it has greater binding force than testamentary manumission. Ibn Abī Zayd’s view is more sound.

Next come a bequest for manumission without specifying a particular slave, a monetary bequest, and a bequest for Hajj. There is disagreement concerning these. One view holds that they all rank equally and share proportionately; this is one of Mālik’s two views in al-Mudawwana. Another gives precedence to Hajj over manumission. Another gives precedence to manumission over Hajj, while manumission shares proportionately with the monetary bequest; this is his other view in that work.

The reasoning behind this last view is that, in his assessment, manumission has the greatest binding force, followed by the monetary bequest, then Hajj. Manumission therefore shares proportionately with the monetary bequest, neither taking precedence over the other because they are close in binding force. The monetary bequest likewise shares proportionately with Hajj, neither taking precedence over the other because they too are close in binding force. Manumission, however, takes precedence over Hajj because of the greater difference between them, according to the ranking we have set out.

In practice, manumission, the monetary bequest, and Hajj are first assigned proportionate shares. Within the combined allocation for manumission and Hajj, manumission takes precedence, and Hajj receives only what remains after manumission. It has also been said that Hajj takes precedence, after which the monetary bequest and manumission share proportionately. Another view gives precedence to manumission, after which the monetary bequest and Hajj share proportionately.

This applies whether the monetary bequest is a fraction of the estate or a fixed sum. If both occur together—a bequest of a fixed sum and one of a fraction—one view holds that they rank equally and share proportionately; another gives precedence to the fraction; and another gives precedence to the fixed sum. These differing views are reported from Mālik and Ibn al-Qāsim. This discussion concerns someone who has not previously performed Hajj. As for a voluntary Hajj, their views do not differ: manumission takes precedence over both, and Hajj does not take precedence over the monetary bequest.