Fatwa ID: 08622

 

 

Answered by Mufti Abdoullah Limvoonheek

 

 

Question:

 

 I want to know how should a person write his will if he has wealth or property. Should he include the qadha fast and salah in the will ? How it should be done ?

 

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

 

Answer:

 

Writing a will is extremely important. Mostly living in a non Muslim country. When a person passes away, whatever is left behind can be executed in the light of Shariah if a person had a will in his lifetime.

 

Not having a will can result to the court act according to the law of the land deciding how your estate is to be distributed and will go against the teaching of the Quran and sunnah which will be incorrect. That is why In the hadith we are encourage to write a will:

 

“It is not befitting for a Muslim who has something to make a Will of, to remain for two nights without having one’s last Will and testament written and kept ready with one.”

 

Having said this, a will should be prepare quickly not only for an old person but as soon as a person reach the age of puberty in the presence of 2 witnesses. One must keep in mind that when the will is written doesn’t mean anyone can start distributing the wealth. Only after the passing away then the wealth will be distributed according to shariah.

 

Few points to consider when writing the will:

 

• Declaration of any debt or trust in your possession, unknown heir and Unrecorded assests
• Bequest to pay unfulfilled salah, sawm, zakah, Hajj. Any contribution a person want to give to a non heir or any organization, institute or individuals. Provided that a third or less from the estate is stipulated. One cannot make a bequest for an heir.
• Burial expenses and the balance remaining from the estate will be distributed according to the Shariah

 

Therefore as per the question this is a brief basic elements of a will and it is important that a person includes the salah and the sawn that he missed, so that fidyah can be paid for it. However one must understand during one’s lifetime, you have to work towards compensating the salah and sawm. It will be better you consult a qualified alim or Mufti who can assist you in the procedure

 

 

 

 

Reference:

 

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ “‏ مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ لَهُ شَىْءٌ، يُوصِي فِيهِ يَبِيتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ، إِلاَّ وَوَصِيَّتُهُ مَكْتُوبَةٌ عِنْدَهُ ‏”

Sahih Al-Bukhari hadith 2738

 

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا أُمَامَةَ، سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ “‏ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ أَعْطَى كُلَّ ذِي حَقٍّ حَقَّهُ فَلاَ وَصِيَّةَ لِوَارِثٍ ‏”‏ 

Sunan Abi dawood hadith 2870

 

اعلم بأن الوصية عقد مندوب إليه مرغوب ليس بفرض ولا واجب عند جمهور العلماء

المبسوط لليرخسي ج٢٧ ص١٤٢

 

وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: إنْ كَانَ عَلَيْهِ حَجٌّ، أَوْ زَكَاةٌ، أَوْ كَفَّارَةٌ، أَوْ غَيْرُ ذَلِكَ مِنْ الْوَاجِبَاتِ فَالْوَصِيَّةُ بِذَلِكَ وَاجِبَةٌ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ فَهِيَ غَيْرُ وَاجِبَةٍ بَلْ جَائِزَةٌ وَبِهِ أَخَذَ الْفَقِيهُ أَبُو اللَّيْثِ (وَأَمَّا) الْكَلَامُ فِي الِاسْتِحْبَابِ فَقَدْ قَالُوا: إنْ كَانَ مَالُهُ قَلِيلًا، وَلَهُ وَرَثَةٌ فُقَرَاءُ فَالْأَفْضَلُ أَنْ لَا يُوصِيَ

بدائع الصنائع ج٧ ص٣٣١

 

ثُمَّ الْوَصِيَّةُ تَتَقَدَّرُ بِقَدْرِ الثُّلُثِ مِنْ الْمَالِ وَهِيَ مَأْخُوذَةٌ مِنْ الدَّيْنِ لِحَدِيثِ عَلِيٍّ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ – قَالَ: إنَّكُمْ تَقْرَءُونَ الْوَصِيَّةَ قَبْلَ الدَّيْنِ «وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – يَبْدَأُ بِالدَّيْنِ قَبْلَ الْوَصِيَّةِ»، وَهَكَذَا نُقِلَ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا -،

فَهَذَا مِنْهُمَا إشَارَةٌ إلَى مَعْنَى التَّقْدِيمِ وَالتَّأْخِيرِ فِي الْآيَةِ، ثُمَّ قَضَاءُ الدَّيْنِ مِنْ أُصُولِ حَوَائِجِ الْمَرْءِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ تَفْرُغُ بِهِ ذِمَّتُهُ وَالْوَصِيَّةُ لَيْسَتْ مِنْ أُصُولِ حَوَائِجِهِ وَحَاجَتُهُ مُقَدَّمَةٌ فِي تَرِكَتِهِ.

(أَلَا تَرَى) أَنَّهُ يُقَدَّمُ جِهَازُهُ وَكَفَنُهُ لِحَاجَتِهِ إلَى ذَلِكَ فَكَذَلِكَ قَضَاءُ الدَّيْنِ، ثُمَّ زَعَمَ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا أَنَّ الْوَصِيَّةَ بَعْدَ الدَّيْنِ تُقَدَّمُ عَلَى الْمِيرَاثِ

المبسوط لليرخسي ج٢٧ ص١٤٣

 

وَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُوصِيَ إلَى مَنْ هُوَ أَقْرَبُ إلَيْهِ إذَا كَانَ أَهْلًا لِذَلِكَ كَمَا أَوْصَى عَلِيٌّ إلَى وَلَدِهِ الْحَسَنِ – رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ -: «وَأَوْصَى حَمْزَةُ إلَى زَيْدِ بْنِ حَارِثَةَ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – قَدْ آخَى بَيْنَهُمَا حِينَ قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ»

المبسوط لليرخسي ج٢٧ ص١٤٥

 

 

 

 

 

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Mufti Abdoullah Limvoonheek

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham