معاوية

“About the case of a woman who makes a will to set free a slave, pay charity and al-Hajj but there is not enough, he (the Imam) (a.s.), said that first is al-Hajj because it is obligatory and if anything remains extra then spend something on charity and something for setting free a slave.’”

“About the case of an al-Sarura (one who performs al-Hajj for the first time) who dies without performing Hajjahta al-Islam and has an asset, abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘An al- Sarura (one who performs al-Hajj for the first time) who does not have any asset performs al-Hajj on his behalf.’”

I asked Imam (as) about a man who died and had instructed that Hajj be performed on his behalf. Imam (as) replied: "If he had never performed Hajj (was a ṣarurah), then Hajj should be performed on his behalf from the middle of his wealth. But if he was not a ṣarurah, then it should be performed from one-third of his wealth."

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about al-Mudabbar. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is like will which one can change in whatever way one likes.’”

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a woman who instructed in her will for her wealth to be used for charity, Hajj, and freeing slaves. Imam (as) said: "Begin with Hajj, for it is obligatory. If anything remains, allocate a portion for charity and a portion for freeing slaves."

“This is about the case of a man who dies but makes a will to perform al-Hajj for him. He (the Imam) (a.s.), has said, ‘If it is his first al-Hajj then al-Hajj is performed from the center of the legacy, but if it is not his first al-Hajj then it is paid for from the one-third of his legacy.’”

I asked Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) about a man who bequeathed a portion of his wealth. Imam (as) replied: "A portion is one-tenth." Allah (swt), the Almighty, said: "Then place on every mountain a portion (juz') of them" (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:260), and the mountains were ten.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who made a will about a part of his legacy. He (the Imam) said, ‘Apart is one-tenth because Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, has said, ‘Place a part on every mountain’ the mountains were ten.’”

“A man died and appointed me and another man or two men as executors for his will. One of them said, ‘I will deal with one-half of the legacy but the other one opposed, and they asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about it. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is for him (to disagree).”’

“If a man in his will says to perform al-Hajj on his behalf, abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If it is his first al-Hajj, it is performed from his entire legacy. It is like debts, but if it is other than his first al-Hajj, then it is performed from one-third of his legacy. If one dies without performing Hajjahta al-Islam, whose legacy is just enough for transportation, and leaves behind heirs, then they are more rightful to have his legacy. If they like they can use it, or if they like they can perform al-Hajj on his behalf.’”

"That rightfully belongs to him."

"Al-Bara' ibn Marur Al-Ansari was in Medina while the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family) was in Mecca. When death approached him (Al-Bara'), and while the Messenger of Allah (swt) (peace be upon him and his family) and the Muslims were still praying towards Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), Al-Bara' ibn Marur instructed that his face be turned towards the direction of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), towards the Kabah. He also bequeathed one-third of his wealth. Thus, this practice became a Sunnah (established tradition)."

“Abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that al-Bara’ ibn Ma’rur al-Ansariy lived in al-Madinah. The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, lived in Makkah, and with his companions performed Salat (prayer) facing the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis. Al-Bara’ made a will that said, ‘His face in grave must be kept toward the direction to which the Holy Prophet performs Salat (prayer) and about one-third of his legacy and thus the Sunnah was established.”’

“A woman of our family made a will about one-third of her legacy and asked to set free a slave, perform al-Hajj and give charity; but the one-third was not sufficient. I asked abu Hanifah about it and he said, ’Make it in three equal parts and spend one part for each cause/ I then visited abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), and said that a woman from our family has died and made a will about one-third of her legacy and has asked to set free a slave, perform al-Hajj and pay charity. I checked it but it is not sufficient. He (the Imam) said, ’You must begin with al-Hajj because it is obligatory of the obligation to Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, and make the remaining into two parts: one for setting free a slave and one for charity.’ I then informed abu Hanifah about the words of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.). He changed his fatwa and accepted the words of abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.).”

I said to Imam (as): "A man appointed me as his executor, and I asked him to appoint a relative of his to share the responsibility with me, and he agreed. The one who appointed me mentioned that the co-executor owed him one hundred and fifty dirhams and that he had a silver cup as collateral for this debt. When the man passed away, the co-executor began to claim that he was owed sacks of wheat instead." Abu Abdullah (as), said: "If he brings proof, then his claim is valid; otherwise, he has no right to anything." I asked: "Is it permissible for him to take anything from what is in his possession?" Imam (as) replied: "It is not permissible for him." I then asked: "What if someone wrongfully took his wealth, and he found the opportunity to take back from that person's wealth the equivalent of what was taken from him - would that be permissible?" Imam (as) replied: "This is not the same as that."

A woman from my family entrusted me with her wealth and instructed that emancipation (of slaves) be made on her behalf, that Hajj be performed, and that charity be given. However, the amount left was insufficient to cover all that. I consulted Abu Hanifah, and he said: "It should be divided into three parts - one-third for Hajj, one-third for emancipation, and one-third for charity." Then I went to Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) and said to him: "A woman from my family passed away and entrusted me with one-third of her wealth, instructing that Hajj be performed on her behalf, emancipation be made, and charity be given. But the amount was not enough to fulfill all these." Imam (as) said: "Start with Hajj, for it is an obligation from the obligations of Allah (swt), the Exalted. Then divide what remains - part of it for emancipation and part for charity." I informed Abu Hanifah of the statement of Abu Abdullah (as), and he withdrew his previous opinion and accepted the guidance of Abu Abdullah (as).

“I once said to abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), that a man made a will in which he appointed me as executor of the will. I asked him to appoint one more person of his relatives with me and he did. The testator told me that with the other executor of the will he has a bowl of silver, which is worth one hundred fifty dirham as a security item. When he dies the other executor of the will said that the testator owes him several Kur (a certain unit of measurement) of wheat. He (the Imam) said, ‘If he presents testimony he can have it, but not without testimony.’ I then asked, ‘Can he compensate from what is in his hand?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not lawful for him.’ I then said, ‘If one due to animosity takes away one’s assets, then it becomes possible for him to compensate his loss from his assets: if he can do so.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘This is not like that.’”

“The year Musa ibn Ja’far (s) was arrested, we went to see Abdurrahman ibn Aslam in Mecca. We had a letter from Abil Hassan (Imam Kadhim) (s) in his own handwriting. There were instructions in the letter regarding what he needed. We told Abdurrahman ibn Aslam, ‘This way he has issued orders for these affairs. Then if there is anything related to these orders, give it to his son Ali (s) since he is his successor and he is in charge of his affairs.’” Then Ishaq and Ali added, “This conversation took place one day after the movement of the Hajj pilgrims from Mina to Mecca, and nearly fifty days after Abul Hassan (s) was arrested.” Ishaq and Ali, the sons of Abi Abdillah (s) had Al-Hussein ibn Ahmad al-Menqari, Isma’el ibn Umar, Has’san ibn Mo’awiya and Al-Hussein ibn Muhammad Sahib al-Khatm bear witness that Abul Hassan Ali ibn Musa was the Testamentary Trustee of his father (s) and was his successor. Two of them testified to this, and the other two said that he is the successor and his deputy. Then all their testimonies were accepted by the Judge Hafs ibn Ghiyath.

narrated to him Mu‘awiyah ibn ‘Ammar the following: “Mufaddal ibn Ghiyath’s sister died and she had made a will that said, ‘One-third must be given in the way of Allah, one-third to the destitute and one-third for al-Hajj.’ It was not enough for what she had asked. He and I went to ibn abu Layla’ and told him the story. He said, ‘Give one-third to this, one- third to this and one-third to this.’ Then we went to ibn Shubramah. He also said what ibn abu Layla’ had said. We then went to abu Hanifah who also said what the other two had said. We then left for Makkah and he asked me to ask abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), about it - she had not performed al- Hajj. I asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about it and he (the Imam) said, ‘Begin with al-Hajj because it is obligatory from Allah on her, and of the remaining, give something to this and something to that.’ He (the narrator) has said, ‘I moved toward the Masjid and I came face to face with abu Hanifah. I said to him, ‘I asked Ja‘far ibn Muhammad about the issue that I had asked you before and he said, “Begin with al-Hajj because it is obligatory on her from Allah and of the remaining give something to this and something to that.’” He, by Allah, did not say anything to me good or bad. I then went to his circle where this issue was being discussed, and they said, ‘Abu Hanifah says that in such case you must begin with al-Hajj because it is obligatory on her from Allah.’ I then said to them, ‘By Allah this issue was so and so.’ They said, ‘He has told us this.’”