35. Wills and Testimony
٣٥۔ كِتَابُ الْوَصَايَا
On the authority of his father (Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas): When he (Sa'd) fell ill at Mecca (according to the version of Ibn Abi Kkalaf) - then the agreed version has: which brought him near to death - the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to visit him. He said: Messenger of Allah, I have a large amount of property, and my daughter is my only heir. May I give two-thirds (of my property) as a sadaqah (charity)? He said: No. He asked: Then a half ? He replied: No. He asked: Then one-third ? He replied: (You may will away) a third and third is a lot. To leave your heirs rich is better than to leave them poor begging from people. You will not spend anything, seeking thereby to please Allah, without being rewarded for it, even the mouthful you give your wife. I said: Messenger of Allah, shall I be left behind form immigration (to Medina)? He said: If you remain behind after me and do good works seeking the pleasure of Allah, your rank will be raised and degree increased. Perhaps you will not remain behind, and some people will benefit from you and others will be harmed by you. He then said: O Allah, complete the immigration of my Companions and do not turn them back. But miserable was Sa'd b. Khawlah. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ lamented on him as he died at Mecca. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 2864)
جَاءَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يَعُودُنِي عَامَ حِجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ قَالَ وَبِي وَجَعٌ قَدِ اشْتَدَّ بِي فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ قَدْ بَلَغَ مِنِّي الْوَجَعُ مَا تَرَى وَأَنَا ذُو مَالٍ وَلَا يَرِثُنِي إِلَّا ابْنَةٌ أَفَأَتَصَدَّقُ بِثُلُثَيْ مَالِي؟ قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ فَبِالشَّطْرِ؟ قَالَ لَا قَالَ قُلْتُ فَبِالثُّلُثِ؟ قَالَ الثُّلُثُ كَبِيرٌ أَوْ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَدَعْ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَنْ تَدَعَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ وَإِنَّكَ لَنْ تُنْفِقَ نَفَقَةً تَبْتَغِي بِهَا وَجْهَ اللهِ إِلَّا أُجِرْتَ فِيهَا حَتَّى مَا تَجْعَلَ فِي فِي امْرَأَتِكَ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أُخَلَّفُ بَعْدَ أَصْحَابِي؟ فَقَالَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تُخَلَّفَ فَتَعْمَلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا إِلَّا ازْدَدْتَ بِهِ دَرَجَةً وَرِفْعَةً وَلَعَلَّكَ أَنْ تُخَلَّفَ حَتَّى يَنْتَفِعَ بِكَ أَقْوَامٌ وَيُضَرَّ بِكَ آخَرُونَ اللهُمَّ أَمْضِ لِأَصْحَابِي هِجْرَتَهُمْ وَلَا تَرُدَّهُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِهِمْ لَكِنِ الْبَائِسُ سَعْدُ ابْنُ خَوْلَةَ يَرْثِي لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَنْ مَاتَ بِمَكَّةَ لَفْظُ حَدِيثِ الْقَطَّانِ وَفِي رِوَايَةِ ابْنِ وَهْبٍ قُلْتُ فَبِالشَّطْرِ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ؟ قَالَ لَا الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ
In the year of Hajjat-ul-Wadaʿ the Prophet ﷺ visited me when I fell ill and was about to die because of that illness. I said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I am very ill as you see, and I am a rich man and have no heir except my only daughter. Shall I give 2/3 of my property in charity?" He said, "No." I said, "Shall I then give one half of it in charity?" He said, "O Saʿd! Give 1/3 (in charity) and even 1/3 is too much. No doubt, it is better to leave your children rich than to leave them poor, reduced to begging from others. And Allah will reward you for whatever you spend with the intention of gaining Allah's Pleasure even if it were a mouthful of food you put into your wives mouth." I said, "O Allah's Apostle! Am I to be left behind (in Mecca) after my companions have gone?" He said, "If you should be left behind, you will be upgraded and elevated for every deed you will do with a desire to achieve Allah's Pleasure. I hope that you will live long so that some people will benefit by you while others will be harmed. O Allah! Please fulfill the migration of my companions and do not make them turn back on their heels. But (we feel sorry for) the unlucky Saʿd bin Khaulah." Messenger of Allah ﷺ lamented his death in Mecca. (Using translation from Bukhārī 3936)
عَادَنِي رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فِي حِجَّةِ الْوَدَاعِ مِنْ وَجَعٍ أَشْفَيْتُ مِنْهُ عَلَى الْمَوْتِ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّهُ بَلَغَ بِي مَا تَرَى مِنَ الْوَجَعِ وَأَنَا ذُو مَالٍ وَلَا يَرِثُنِي إِلَّا ابْنَةٌ لِي وَاحِدَةٌ أَفَأَتَصَدَّقُ بِثُلُثَيْ مَالِي؟ قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ أَفَأَتَصَدَّقُ بِشَطْرِهِ؟ قَالَ لَا الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَذَرْ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَنْ تَذَرَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ وَلَسْتَ تُنْفِقُ نَفَقَةً تَبْتَغِي بِهَا وَجْهَ اللهِ إِلَّا أُجِرْتَ بِهَا حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةَ تَجْعَلُهَا فِي فِي امْرَأَتِكَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أُخَلَّفُ بَعْدَ أَصْحَابِي؟ قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تُخَلَّفَ فَتَعْمَلَ عَمَلًا صَالِحًا تَبْتَغِي بِهِ وَجْهَ اللهِ إِلَّا ازْدَدْتَ بِهِ دَرَجَةً وَرِفْعَةً وَلَعَلَّكَ تُخَلَّفُ حَتَّى يَنْتَفِعَ بِكَ أَقْوَامٌ وَيُضَرَّ بِكَ آخَرُونَ اللهُمُ أَمْضِ لِأَصْحَابِي هِجْرَتَهُمْ وَلَا تَرُدَّهُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِهِمْ لَكِنِ الْبَائِسُ سَعْدُ ابْنُ خَوْلَةَ يَرْثِي لَهُ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ أَنْ تُوُفِّيَ بِمَكَّةَ لَفْظُ حَدِيثِهِمَا وَاحِدٌ
[Machine] He said, "I fell ill in the year of the conquest, and I recovered from it. Then the Prophet ﷺ came to visit me, so I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I have a lot of wealth and no one will inherit it except for my daughter. Should I bequeath all my wealth?' He said, 'No.' I said, 'Then should I bequeath half of it?' He said, 'No.' I said, 'Then should I bequeath one third of it?' He said, 'One third, and one third is still a lot. Indeed, if you leave your heirs wealthy, it is better than leaving them dependent on others for their needs. Perhaps you will be rewarded for all your expenses, even the morsel of food that you raise to feed your wife.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I fear dying in a land that I have migrated from.' He said, 'Perhaps you will remain alive so that a group of people will benefit from you, while others will be harmed by you. O Allah, complete the migration of my companions, and do not return them in a state of humiliation. But the unfortunate one is Saad ibn Khawla, who mourned that he died in Makkah in the year 12568.' Abu Al-Husayn Ibn Bishran informed us that Isma'il ibn Muhammad Al-Saffar narrated to him from Zakariya ibn Yahya ibn Rashid, who narrated it from Sufyan, and he mentioned it in a similar manner, except that he said, 'Indeed, whenever you spend something, you will be rewarded for it, even the morsel of food that you raise to feed your wife.' I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, will I be left behind in my migration?' He said, 'You will not be left behind after me as long as you do deeds seeking Paradise. Rather, you will increase in ranks and status. Perhaps you will be left behind so that some people will benefit from you, while others will be harmed by you.' Then he mentioned the rest in a similar manner."
أَنَّهُ قَالَ مَرِضْتُ عَامَ الْفَتْحِ مَرَضًا أَشْفَيْتُ مِنْهُ فَأَتَانِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَعُودُنِي فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ لِي مَالًا كَثِيرًا وَلَيْسَتْ تَرِثُنِي إِلَّا ابْنَةٌ فَأُوصِي بِمَالِي كُلِّهِ؟ قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ فَبِالشَّطْرِ؟ قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ فَبِالثُّلُثِ؟ قَالَ الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ إِنْ تَتْرُكْ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَدَعَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ إِنَّكَ لَعَلَّكَ أَنْ تُؤْجَرَ عَلَى جَمِيعِ نَفَقَتِكَ حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةَ تَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِي امْرَأَتِكَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنِّي أَرْهَبُ أَنْ أَمُوتَ بِأَرْضٍ هَاجَرْتُ مِنْهَا قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَعَلَّكَ أَنْ تَبْقَى حَتَّى يَنْتَفِعَ بِكَ قَوْمٌ وَيُضَرَّ بِكَ آخَرُونَ اللهُمُ أَمْضِ لِأَصْحَابِي هِجْرَتَهُمْ وَلَا تَرُدَّهُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَابِهِمْ لَكِنِ الْبَائِسُ سَعْدُ ابْنُ خَوْلَةَ يَرْثِي لَهُ أَنْ مَاتَ بِمَكَّةَ 12568 وَأَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو الْحُسَيْنِ بْنُ بِشْرَانَ أنا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الصَّفَّارُ ثنا زَكَرِيَّا بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ رَاشِدٍ ثنا سُفْيَانُ فَذَكَرَهُ بِنَحْوٍ مِنْ مَعْنَاهُ إِلَّا أَنَّهُ قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تُنْفِقَ نَفَقَةً إِلَّا أُجِرْتَ فِيهَا حَتَّى اللُّقْمَةَ تَرْفَعُهَا إِلَى فِي امْرَأَتِكَ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أُخَلَّفُ عَنْ هِجْرَتِي؟ قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تُخَلَّفَ بَعْدِي فَتَعْمَلَ عَمَلًا تُرِيدُ بِهِ الْجَنَّةَ إِلَّا ازْدَدْتَ رِفْعَةً وَدَرَجَةً وَلَعَلَّكَ أَنْ تُخَلَّفَ حَتَّى يَنْتَفِعَ بِكَ أَقْوَامٌ وَيُضَرَّ بِكَ آخَرُونَ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ الْبَاقِيَ بِنَحْوِهِ
I fell sick and the Prophet ﷺ paid me a visit. I said to him, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! I invoke Allah that He may not let me expire in the land whence I migrated (i.e. Mecca)." He said, "May Allah give you health and let the people benefit by you." I said, "I want to will my property, and I have only one daughter and I want to will half of my property (to be given in charity)." He said," Half is too much." I said, "Then I will one third." He said, "One-third, yet even one-third is too much." (The narrator added, "So the people started to will one third of their property and that was Permitted for them.") (Using translation from Bukhārī 2744)
مَرِضْتُ فَعَادَنِي النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ ادْعُ اللهَ أَنْ لَا يَرُدَّنِي عَلَى عَقِبِي قَالَ لَعَلَّ اللهَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَكَ فَيَنْفَعَ بِكَ نَاسًا فَقُلْتُ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُوصِيَ وَإِنَّمَا لِيَ ابْنَةٌ أَفَأُوصِي بِالنِّصْفِ؟ قَالَ النِّصْفُ كَثِيرٌ قَالَ قُلْتُ فَالثُّلُثُ؟ قَالَ الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ أَوْ كَبِيرٌ قَالَ فَأُوصِي بِالثُّلُثِ فَجَازَ ذَلِكَ لَهُ
[Machine] And the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon me while I was sick, so I said, "O Messenger of Allah, should I give away all of my wealth as charity?" He said, "No." I said, "Then should I give away two-thirds of it?" He said, "No." I said, "Should I give away one-third of it?" He remained silent.
وَدَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ عَلَيَّ وَأَنَا مَرِيضٌ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أُوصِي بِمَالِي كُلِّهِ؟ قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ فَبِثُلُثَيْهِ؟ قَالَ لَا قُلْتُ فَبِثُلُثِهِ؟ قَالَ فَسَكَتَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَكَانَ الثُّلُثُ
“Allah (SWT) has been charitable with you over the disposal of one third of your wealth at the time of your death, so that you may be able to add to the record of your good deeds.” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 2709)
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِنَّ اللهَ أَعْطَاكُمْ ثُلُثَ أَمْوَالِكُمْ عِنْدَ وَفَاتِكُمْ زِيَادَةً فِي أَعْمَالِكُمْ
[Machine] The age of thirty is a moderate amount of wealth, with no stinginess or extravagance.
عُمَرُ الثُّلُثُ وَسَطٌ مِنَ الْمَالِ لَا بَخْسَ وَلَا شَطَطَ