Wills and Testaments (Wasaayaa)

Narrated Narrated Az-Zuhri:

`Urwa bin Az-Zubair said that he asked `Aisha about the meaning of the Qur'anic Verse:-- "And if you fear that you will not deal fairly with the orphan girls then marry (other) women of your choice." (4.2-3) Aisha said, "It is about a female orphan under the guardianship of her guardian who is inclined towards her because of her beauty and wealth, and likes to marry her with a Mahr less than what is given to women of her standard. So they (i.e. guardians) were forbidden to marry the orphans unless they paid them a full appropriate Mahr (otherwise) they were ordered to marry other women instead of them. Later on the people asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) about it. So Allah revealed the following Verse:-- "They ask your instruction (O Muhammad!) regarding women. Say: Allah instructs you regarding them..." (4.127) and in this Verse Allah indicated that if the orphan girl was beautiful and wealthy, her guardian would have the desire to marry her without giving her an appropriate Mahr equal to what her peers could get, but if she was undesirable for lack of beauty or wealth, then he would not marry her, but seek to marry some other woman instead of her. So, since he did not marry her when he had no inclination towards her, he had not the right to marry her when he had an interest in her, unless he treated her justly by giving her a full Mahr and securing all her rights.

Narrated Narrated Ibn `Umar:

In the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) , `Umar gave in charity some of his property, a garden of date-palms called Thamgh. `Umar said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I have some property which I prize highly and I want to give it in charity." The Prophet; said, "Give it in charity (i.e. as an endowment) with its land and trees on the condition that the land and trees will neither be sold nor given as a present, nor bequeathed, but the fruits are to be spent in charity." So `Umar gave it in charity, and it was for Allah's Cause, the emancipation of slaves, for the poor, for guests, for travelers, and for kinsmen. The person acting as its administrator could eat from it reasonably and fairly, and could let a friend of his eat from it provided he had no intention of becoming wealthy by its means.

Narrated Narrated `Aisha:

The following Verse:-- "If a guardian is well-off, let him claim no remuneration (i.e. wages), but if he is poor, let him have for himself what is just and reasonable." (4.6) was revealed in connection with the guardian of an orphan, and it means that if he is poor he can have for himself (from the orphan's wealth) what is just and reasonable according to the orphan's share of the inheritance.

Narrated Narrated Abu Huraira:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Avoid the seven great destructive sins." The people enquire, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What are they? "He said, "To join others in worship along with Allah, to practice sorcery, to kill the life which Allah has forbidden except for a just cause, (according to Islamic law), to eat up Riba (usury), to eat up an orphan's wealth, to give back to the enemy and fleeing from the battlefield at the time of fighting, and to accuse, chaste women, who never even think of anything touching chastity and are good believers.

Narrated Nafi' said:

"Ibn 'Umar never refused to be appointed as guardian." The most beloved thing to Ibn Sirin concerning an orphan's wealth was that the orphan's advisor and guardians would assemble to decide what is best for him. When Tawus was asked about something concerning an orphan's affairs, he would recite: '...And Allah knows him who means mischief from him who means good...' (V 2:220). 'Ata said concerning some orphans, "The guardian is to provide for the young and the old orphans according to their needs from their shares."

Narrated Narrated Anas:

When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to Medina; he did not have any servant. Abu Talha (Anas' step-father) took me to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Anas is a wise boy, so let him serve you." So, I served him at home and on journeys. If I did anything, he never asked me why I did it, and if I refrained from doing anything, he never asked me why I refrained from doing it.

Narrated Narrated Anas bin Malik:

Abu Talha had the greatest wealth of date-palms amongst the Ansar in Medina, and he prized above all his wealth (his garden) Bairuha', which was situated opposite the Mosque (of the Prophet (ﷺ) ). The Prophet used to enter It and drink from its fresh water. When the following Divine Verse came:-- "By no means shall you attain piety until you spend of what you love," (3.92) Abu Talha got up saying. "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Allah says, 'You will not attain piety until you spend of what you love,' and I prize above al I my wealth, Bairuha' which I want to give in charity for Allah's Sake, hoping for its reward from Allah. So you can use it as Allah directs you." On that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Bravo! It is a profitable (or perishable) property. (Ibn Maslama is not sure as to which word is right, i.e. profitable or perishable.) I have heard what you have said, and I recommend that you distribute this amongst your relatives." On that Abu Talha said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I will do (as you have suggested)." So, Abu Talha distributed that garden amongst his relatives and cousins.

Narrated Narrated Ibn `Abbas:

A man said to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) , "My mother died, will it benefit her if I give in charity on her behalf?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied in the affirmative. The man said, "I have a garden and I make you a witness that I give it in charity on her behalf."

Narrated Narrated Anas:

When the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered that the mosque be built, he said, "O Bani An-Najjar! Suggest to me a price for this garden of yours." They replied, "By Allah! We will demand its price from none but Allah."

Narrated Narrated Ibn `Umar:

When `Umar got a piece of land in Khaibar, he came to the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "I have got a piece of land, better than which I have never got. So what do you advise me regarding it?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If you wish you can keep it as an endowment to be used for charitable purposes." So, `Umar gave the land in charity (i.e. as an endowments on the condition that the land would neither be sold nor given as a present, nor bequeathed, (and its yield) would be used for the poor, the kinsmen, the emancipation of slaves, Jihad, and for guests and travelers; and its administrator could eat in a reasonable just manner, and he also could feed his friends without intending to be wealthy by its means."

Narrated Narrated Ibn `Umar:

`Umar got some property in Khaibar and he came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and informed him about it. The Prophet said to him, "If you wish you can give it in charity." So `Umar gave it in charity (i.e. as an endowment) the yield of which was to be used for the good of the poor, the needy, the kinsmen and the guests.

Narrated Narrated Anas bin Malik:

When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to Medina, he ordered that a mosque be built. He said, "O Bani An- Najjar! Suggest me a price for the garden of yours." They replied, "By Allah, we will not ask its price except from Allah."

Narrated Narrated Ibn `Umar:

Once `Umar gave a horse in charity to be used in holy fighting. It had been given to him by Allah's Apostle . `Umar gave it to another man to ride. Then `Umar was informed that the man put the horse for sale, so he asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) whether he could buy it. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) replied, "You should not buy it, for you should not take back what you have given in charity."

Narrated Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "My heirs will not inherit a Dinar or a Dirham (i.e. money), for whatever I leave (excluding the adequate support of my wives and the wages of my employees) is given in charity."

Narrated Narrated Ibn `Umar:

When `Umar founded an endowment he stipulated that its administrator could eat from it and also feed his friend on the condition that he would not store anything for himself from it.

Narrated Abu 'Abdur-Rahman narrated:

When 'Uthman (ra) was circled (by the rebels), he looked upon them from above and said, "Ias you by Allah, I ask nobody but the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ), dont you know that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, 'Whoever will (buy and) dig the well of Ruma will be granted Paradise,' and I (bought and) dug it? Don't you know that he said. 'Whoever equip the army of 'Usra (i.e., Tabuk's Ghazwa) will be granted Paradise,' and I equipped it ?" They attested whatever he said. When 'Umar founded his endowment he said, "Its administrator can eat from it." The management of the endowment can be taken over by the founder himself or any other person, for both cases are permissible.

Narrated Narrated Anas:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said (at the time of building the Mosque), "O Ban, An-Najjar! Suggest to me a price for your garden." They replied, "We do not ask its price except from Allah."

Ibn 'Abbas (ra) said, "A man from the tribe of Bani Sahm went out in the company of Tamim Ad-Dari and 'Adi bin Badda'. The man of Bani Sahm died in a land where there was no Muslim. When Tamim and 'Adi returned conveying the property of the deceased, they claimed that they had lost a silver bowl with gold engraving. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) made them take an oath (to confirm their claim), and then the bowl was found in Makkah with some people who claimed that they had bought it from Tamim and 'Adu, Then two witnesses from the relatives of the deceased got up and swore that their witnesses were more valid than the witnesses of 'Adi and Tamim, and that the bowl belonged to their deceased fellow. So, this verse was revealed in connection with this case ; 'O you who believe! When death approached any of you ...'," (V 5:106)

Narrated Narrated Jabir bin `Abdullah Al-Ansari:

My father was martyred on the day (of the Ghazwa) of Uhud and left six daughters and some debts to be paid. When the time of plucking the date-fruits came, I went to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Apostle! you know that my father was martyred on Uhud's day and owed much debt, and I wish that the creditors would see you." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Go and collect the various kinds of dates and place them separately in heaps"' I did accordingly and called him. On seeing him, the creditors started claiming their rights pressingly at that time. When the Prophet (ﷺ) saw how they behaved, he went round the biggest heap for three times and sat over it and said, "Call your companions (i.e. the creditors)." Then he kept on measuring and giving them, till Allah cleared all my father's debts. By Allah, it would have pleased me that Allah would clear the debts of my father even though I had not taken a single date to my sisters. But by Allah, all the heaps were complete, (as they were) and I looked at the heap where Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was sitting and noticed as if not a single date had been taken thereof.