He was also asked—may Allah have mercy on him:

A man died leaving some wealth, which his children divided among themselves, giving their mother her settlement and her one-eighth share. Shortly afterward, the children found that their mother had wealth amounting to one-third of the estate. They asked, “Where did you get this money?”

She replied, “When your father was ill, I asked him for something, and he gave me one-third of his wealth.”

They took the money from their mother, saying, “Our father gave you nothing.” Must the money be returned to her?

He answered:

Whatever a person gives to an heir during his final illness does not take effect without the other heirs’ approval. Thus, whatever the sick man gave his wife is treated like the rest of his estate, unless the remaining heirs approve the gift. The children ought to let their mother keep it and approve the gift to her, but they cannot be compelled to do so. Rather, the entire estate is to be divided. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“No bequest is to be made to an heir.”