Executing the Will as it Requires

“I once asked abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who has made a will to spend his assets in the way of Allah. He (the Imam) said, ‘You must give it to the designated beneficiary even if he is a Christian or a Jew; Allah, most Blessed, most High, says, “Whoever intentionally changes the will of a deceased person, he has committed a sin. Allah is All-hearing and All-knowing.” (2:181)’”

“This is about the case of a man who has made a will to spend his asset in the way of Allah. One of the two Imam, (abu Ja‘far or abu ‘Abd Allah), ‘Alayhim al-Salam, has said, ‘You must give it to the designated beneficiary even if he is a Christian or a Jew; Allah, most Blessed, most High, says, “Whoever intentionally changes the will of a deceased person, he has committed a sin. Allah is All- hearing and All-knowing.” (2:181)’”

“Abu Ja‘far, Alayhi al-Salam, wrote to Ja‘far and Musa, this instruction. ‘In the matter of my commanding you to appoint witnesses to so and so issues; it is because it is for your safety and protection in the next world in matters of executing the will, as it requires, that your parents have made to you and your being kind to your parents. You must remain prudent. You must not change their will and alter it from its original condition because they are no more. May Allah be happy with them. It, however, has remained on your shoulder. Allah, most Blessed, most High, has said in His book, “Whoever intentionally changes the will of a deceased person, he has committed a sin. Allah is All-hearing and All-knowing.” (2:181)’”

“A man of Hamadan has said that his father died but he did not know this fact (the Divine Authority of A’immah). He made a will when he was about to die to give something in the way of Allah. He (the man from Hamadan) asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, about it and that he did not know this fact (the Divine Authority of A’immah). He (the Imam) said, ‘If the man had appointed me to execute his will to give to a Jews or Christians, I would have given it to them because Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, says, “Whoever intentionally changes the will of a deceased person, he has committed a sin. Allah is All-hearing and All-knowing.” (2:181) You must see who serves as guards and defenders of the borders; and give it to them.’”

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a man who has made a will to spend in the way of Allah. He (the Imam) said to me to spend it for al-Haj j . I said that he has said to spend it in the way of Allah. He (the Imam) said, ‘Spend for al-Hajj because I do not see anything in His way better than al-Hajj.”’