محمد بن أبي نصر

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about making a will for the heir. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is permissible.’ He (the Imam) then recited this verse. ‘If he leaves good things the will is for parents and relatives.’”

“I once wrote to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a man who has made a will about a sword for a man and the heirs say that only the iron belongs to him but not the decoration. He (the Imam) wrote the answer that said, ‘The sword and decoration belong to him.’”

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about a man who has said in his will to perform al-Hajj on his behalf; if it is permissible to perform al-Hajj for him from a place other than where he has died. He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful to perform it from any place before Miqat (place for assuming the state of Ihram).”’

I asked him about a man who bequeathed with a part of his property. He said: A seventh of his third.

Abil Hassan (s), “How much of one’s wealth should be used, if one has willed that some of his wealth be spent in a certain way?” The Imam (s) said, “One-seventh of one-third.”

I asked Abu Al-Hasan (as) about a man who was on his deathbed and had slaves solely for himself and others jointly owned with another person. In his will, he stated, "My slaves are free, except for those who are in partnership." Imam (as) wrote in response: "They should be appraised against his estate, and if his wealth can cover it, then they are free."

I copied from a book in the handwriting of Abu Al-Hasan (as): "A certain person, your master, passed away, leaving behind a paternal nephew who also passed away. The nephew left behind an umm walad (a concubine who bore him no children) and bequeathed to her a thousand dirhams. Does the bequest hold validity, and does she receive emancipation? What is her status? May I be your ransom, I seek your opinion on this matter." Imam (as) wrote back: "She is to be freed from one-third (of the estate), and she has the bequest."

“I once asked abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), about a man who dies and says in his will to perform al-Hajj for him. Where from this al-Hajj must be performed? He (the Imam) said, ‘It is according to the amount of asset assigned for it. If it is sufficient from his home, then it must be performed from his home; if it is sufficient from al-Kufah, then it must be performed from al-Kufah if it is not sufficient, then it must be performed from al-Madinah.’”

“I once copied the following from a book with the handwriting of abu al-Hassan (a.s.). It said, ’So and so, your Maxvla’ (friend), has died leaving behind a son of his brother, a mother of his child who does not have a child but he has assigned in his will one thousand for her; if such will is lawful and if freedom applies to her and her condition. It is a request for your opinion, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause.’ He (the Imam) (a.s.), had written on it, ’She is free in one-third and the will belongs to her.”’

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a man who is about to die and sets free all of his slaves. He owns certain slaves and certain others with a partner and about the condition of the ones that he owns with a partner. He (the Imam) said, ‘His slaves of the partnership must be evaluated; if his share covers them, they are all free.’”

I asked him about a man who bequeathed a sword to another man, and the sword was in its sheath and adorned with decorations. The heirs said to him, "Only the blade belongs to you, not the sword (with its accessories)." Imam (as) said: "No, rather the sword with everything it contains belongs to him." I said to Imam (as): "A man bequeathed a box to another man, and there was money inside it. The heirs said: 'Only the box belongs to you, not the money.'" Imam (as) said: "The box with everything it contains belongs to him."

“I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about the case of a man who has made a will for a man about a sword which is in a cover (sword sheathing) with decorations on it. The heirs said that only the sword is for him and not the asset (the valuable decorations). He (the Imam) said, ‘The sword and that in which it is belongs to him.’ I then asked about the case of a man who makes a will about a box for a man. The heirs say that only the box without its contents belongs to him. ‘Not only the box but its contents also belong to him’, said abu al-Hassan (a.s.) .”

“We once asked abu al-Hassan, al-Rida’ (a.s.), about the case of a man who has made a will about a share of his legacy and it is not known how much a share is. He (the Imam) asked, ‘Have you not received anything about it from Ja‘far, or abu Ja‘far, ‘Alayhim al-Salam?’ We replied, ‘We pray to Allah to keep our souls in service for your cause, we have not heard our people mention anything about it from your ancestors.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘A share is one of eight.’ We said, ‘We pray to Allah to keep our souls in service for your cause, how it has become one of eight?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Have you not read the book of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious?’ I said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I read but do not know in which passage it is.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is in the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, “Charity is only for the poor, destitute, Zakat collectors, people inclined to the religion, slaves, debtors, in the way of Allah and for those who deplete their supplies on a journey.” (9:60)’ He (the Imam) then formed eight with his hand and said, ‘This is how the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, distributed in eight shares, thus, a share is one out of eight.’”