33. Will and Testiment
٣٣۔ كِتَابُ الْوَصَايَا
A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Which charity is the most superior in reward?" He replied, "The charity which you practice while you are healthy, niggardly and afraid of poverty and wish to become wealthy. Do not delay it to the time of approaching death and then say, 'Give so much to such and such, and so much to such and such.' And it has already belonged to such and such (as it is too late)." (Using translation from Bukhārī 1419)
جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَيُّ الصَّدَقَةِ أَعْظَمُ أَجْرًا قَالَ «تَصَدَّقْ وَأَنْتَ صَحِيحٌ شَحِيحٌ تَخْشَى الْفَقْرَ وَتَأْمُلُ الْبَقَاءَ وَلَا تُمْهِلْ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَ» قُلْتَ لِفُلَانٍ كَذَا وَقَدْ كَانَ لِفُلَانٍ
"The Messenger of Allah said: 'For whom among you is the wealth of his heirs dearer to him than his own wealth?' They said: 'O Messenger of Allah, there is no one among us for whom his own wealth is not dearer to him than the wealth of his heirs.' The Messenger of Allah said: 'Know that there is no one among you for whom the wealth of his heirs is not dearer than his own wealth. Your wealth is that which you have sent on ahead, and the wealth of your heirs is that which you have kept.'" (Using translation from Nasāʾī 3612)
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «أَيُّكُمْ مَالُ وَارِثِهِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ مَالِهِ؟» قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ مَا مِنَّا مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا مَالُهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ مَالِ وَارِثِهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «اعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنْكُمْ مِنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا مَالُ وَارِثِهِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ مَالِهِ مَالُكَ مَا قَدَّمْتَ وَمَالُ وَارِثِكَ مَا أَخَّرْتَ»
"The mutual rivalry (for piling up of worldly things) diverts you, 'Until you visit the graves (i.e. till you die).' The son of Adam says: 'My wealth, my wealth,' but your wealth is what you eat and consume, or what you wear and it wears out, or what you give in charity and send on ahead (for the Hereafter).'" (Using translation from Nasāʾī 3613)
عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ {أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ} [التكاثر 2] قَالَ يَقُولُ ابْنُ آدَمَ مَالِي مَالِي وَإِنَّمَا لَكَ مِنْ مَالِكَ مَا أَكَلْتَ فَأَفْنَيْتَ أَوْ لَبِسْتَ فَأَبْلَيْتَ أَوْ تَصَدَّقْتَ فَأَمْضَيْتَ
"A man made a will leaving some Dinars (to be spent) in the cause of Allah. Abu Ad-Darda' was asked about that, and he narrated that the Prophet said: 'The likeness of the one who frees a slave or gives some charity when he is dying, is that of a man who gives a gift after he has eaten his fill.'" (Using translation from Nasāʾī 3614)
أَوْصَى رَجُلٌ بِدَنَانِيرَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ فَسُئِلَ أَبُو الدَّرْدَاءِ فَحَدَّثَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ قَالَ «مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَعْتِقُ أَوْ يَتَصَدَّقُ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ مَثَلُ الَّذِي يُهْدِي بَعْدَ مَا يَشْبَعُ»
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "It is not permissible for any Muslim who has something to will to stay for two nights without having his last will and testament written and kept ready with him." (Using translation from Bukhārī 2738)
قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ لَهُ شَيْءٌ يُوصَى فِيهِ أَنْ يَبِيتَ لَيْلَتَيْنِ إِلَّا وَوَصِيَّتُهُ مَكْتُوبَةٌ عِنْدَهُ»
[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "No Muslim person has any rights in which he spends two nights without having written his will." Muhammad ibn Hatim ibn Nuaim al-Marwazi informed us, Hibban informed us, Abdullaah ibn 'Awn narrated to me from Nafi' from Ibn 'Umar, saying.
أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ لَهُ شَيْءٌ يُوصَى فِيهِ يَبِيتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ إِلَّا وَوَصِيَّتُهُ مَكْتُوبَةُ عِنْدَهُ» 6411 أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمِ بْنِ نُعَيْمٍ الْمَرْوَزِيُّ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا حِبَّانُ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَوْنٍ عَنْ نَافِعٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ قَوْلَهُ
"It is not befitting for a Muslim to abide for three nights without having his will with him." 'Abdullah bin 'Umar said: "Since I heard this from the Messenger of Allah, I have always had my will with me." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 3618)
أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ قَالَ «مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَمُرُّ عَلَيْهِ ثَلَاثُ لَيَالٍ إِلَّا وَعِنْدَهُ وَصِيَّتُهُ» قَالَ عَبْدُ اللهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ مَا مَرَّتْ عَلَيَّ لَيْلَةٌ مُنْذُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ ذَلِكَ إِلَّا وَعِنْدِي وَصِيَّتِي
"It is not right for a Muslim who has anything concerning which a will should be made, to abide for more than three nights without having a written will with him." (Using translation from Nasāʾī 3619)
عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ لَهُ شَيْءٌ يُوصَى فِيهِ يَبِيتُ ثَلَاثَ لَيَالٍ إِلَّا وَوَصِيَّتُهُ عِنْدَهُ مَكْتُوبَةٌ»