Sahih al-Bukhari · Book 55

كِتَاب الْوَصَايَا

The Book of Wasaya (Wills and Testaments)

41 hadith · 31 chapters

The chapter divisions

Chapters in this book

11- بَابُ الْوَصَايَا:(1) Chapter. Al-Wasaya (The Wills).22- بَابُ أَنْ يَتْرُكَ وَرَثَتَهُ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ يَتَكَفَّفُوا النَّاسَ:(2) Chapter. One would rather leave one’s inheritors wealthy than leave them (poor) begging others.33- بَابُ الْوَصِيَّةِ بِالثُّلُثِ:(3) Chapter. To will one-third of one’s property.44- بَابُ قَوْلِ الْمُوصِي لِوَصِيِّهِ تَعَاهَدْ وَلَدِي. وَمَا يَجُوزُ لِلْوَصِيِّ مِنَ الدَّعْوَى:(4) Chapter. The saying of a testator to the executor, “Look after my son,” and what is permissible for the executor to claim.55- بَابُ إِذَا أَوْمَأَ الْمَرِيضُ بِرَأْسِهِ إِشَارَةً بَيِّنَةً جَازَتْ:(5) Chapter. If a patient gives an evident clear sign by nodding, (is that sign to be taken as a valid evidence?).66- بَابُ لاَ وَصِيَّةَ لِوَارِثٍ:(6) Chapter. A legal heir has no right to inherit through a will.77- بَابُ الصَّدَقَةِ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ:(7) Chapter. Giving in charity at the time of death.88- بَابُ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصِي بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ}:(8) Chapter. The Statement of Allah: “... After the payment of legacies he may have bequeathed or debts...” (V.4:11)99- بَابُ تَأْوِيلِ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصِي بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ}:(9) Chapter. The explanation of the Statement of Allah: “… After payment of legacies that they may have bequeathed or debts..." (V.4:12)1010- بَابُ إِذَا وَقَفَ أَوْ أَوْصَى لأَقَارِبِهِ وَمَنِ الأَقَارِبُ:(10) Chapter. If somebody founds an endowment (or bequeathes) his relatives by a will (is it permissible?). And who are considered as relatives.1111- بَابُ هَلْ يَدْخُلُ النِّسَاءُ وَالْوَلَدُ فِي الأَقَارِبِ:(11) Chapter. Are children and women included under the term of relatives (concerning wills)?1212- بَابُ هَلْ يَنْتَفِعُ الْوَاقِفُ بِوَقْفِهِ:(12) Chapter. Can the founder of an endowment have the benefit of his endowment?1315- بَابُ إِذَا قَالَ أَرْضِي أَوْ بُسْتَانِي صَدَقَةٌ عَنْ أُمِّي. فَهُوَ جَائِزٌ، وَإِنْ لَمْ يُبَيِّنْ لِمَنْ ذَلِكَ:(15) Chapter. If someone says, “My land or my garden is Sadaqa for Allah’s sake on my mother’s behalf," his Sadaqa is valid even if he did not specify to whom it is to be given.1416- بَابُ إِذَا تَصَدَّقَ أَوْ أَوْقَفَ بَعْضَ مَالِهِ، أَوْ بَعْضَ رَقِيقِهِ أَوْ دَوَابِّهِ، فَهُوَ جَائِزٌ:(16) Chapter. It is permissible for one to give part of his wealth or some slaves of his slaves or animals in charity or as an endowment.1518- بَابُ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {وَإِذَا حَضَرَ الْقِسْمَةَ أُولُو الْقُرْبَى وَالْيَتَامَى وَالْمَسَاكِينُ فَارْزُقُوهُمْ مِنْهُ}:(18) Chapter. The Statement of Allah: “And when the relatives and the orphans and Al-Masakin (the poor) are present at the time of division, give them out of the property...” (V.4:8)1619- بَابُ مَا يُسْتَحَبُّ لِمَنْ يُتَوَفَّى فَجْأَةً أَنْ يَتَصَدَّقُوا عَنْهُ، وَقَضَاءِ النُّذُورِ عَنِ الْمَيِّتِ:(19) Chapter. It is recommended that something should be given in charity on behalf of a person who dies suddenly. And the execution of the vows of the deceased.1720- بَابُ الإِشْهَادِ فِي الْوَقْفِ وَالصَّدَقَةِ:(20) Chapter. The witnesses in the foundation of an endowment or in giving in charity.1821- بَابُ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {وَآتُوا الْيَتَامَى أَمْوَالَهُمْ وَلاَ تَتَبَدَّلُوا الْخَبِيثَ بِالطَّيِّبِ وَلاَ تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَهُمْ إِلَى أَمْوَالِكُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حُوبًا كَبِيرًا وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَنْ لاَ تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَى فَانْكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُمْ مِنَ النِّسَاءِ}:(21) Chapter. The Statement of Allah: “And give unto orphans their property, and do not exchange (your) bad things for (their) good ones; and devour not their substance (by adding it) to your substance. Surely, this is a great sin”.1922 م- بَابُ وَمَا لِلْوَصِيِّ أَنْ يَعْمَلَ فِي مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ، وَمَا يَأْكُلُ مِنْهُ بِقَدْرِ عُمَالَتِهِ:(22b) Chapter. How a guardian is to deal with an orphan’s wealth and what he can eat thereof according to his labour.2023- بَابُ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَأْكُلُونَ أَمْوَالَ الْيَتَامَى ظُلْمًا إِنَّمَا يَأْكُلُونَ فِي بُطُونِهِمْ نَارًا وَسَيَصْلَوْنَ سَعِيرًا}:(23) Chapter. The Statement of Allah: “Verily, those who unjustly eat up the property of orphans, they eat up only fire into their bellies, and they will be burnt in the blazing Fire!” (V.4:10)2125- بَابُ اسْتِخْدَامِ الْيَتِيمِ فِي السَّفَرِ وَالْحَضَرِ إِذَا كَانَ صَلاَحًا لَهُ، وَنَظَرِ الأُمِّ وَزَوْجِهَا لِلْيَتِيمِ:(25) Chapter. The employment of an orphan on a journey and at home, provided it is beneficial for him. And (it is obligatory) for the mother and the stepfather of an orphan to look after him (even if they were not his guardians).2226- بَابُ إِذَا وَقَفَ أَرْضًا وَلَمْ يُبَيِّنِ الْحُدُودَ فَهْوَ جَائِزٌ، وَكَذَلِكَ الصَّدَقَةُ:(26) Chapter. If somebody gives a piece of land as an endowment and does not mark its boundaries, the endowment is valid. The same is applied to objects of charity.2327- بَابُ إِذَا أَوْقَفَ جَمَاعَةٌ أَرْضًا مُشَاعًا فَهْوَ جَائِزٌ:(27) Chapter. If a group of person give a jointly-owned piece of land as an endowment, the foundation of the endowment is valid.2428- بَابُ الْوَقْفِ كَيْفَ يُكْتَبُ:(28) Chapter. How to write the endowment?2529- بَابُ الْوَقْفِ لِلْغَنِيِّ وَالْفَقِيرِ وَالضَّيْفِ:(29) Chapter. The usufruct of an endowment may be spent for the wealthy, the poor and the guests.2630- بَابُ وَقْفِ الأَرْضِ لِلْمَسْجِدِ:(30) Chapter. The foundation of an endowment of a piece of land for building a mosque.2731- بَابُ وَقْفِ الدَّوَابِّ وَالْكُرَاعِ وَالْعُرُوضِ وَالصَّامِتِ:(31) Chapter. Giving animals; particularly horses and property and gold and silver as endowments.2832- بَابُ نَفَقَةِ الْقَيِّمِ لِلْوَقْفِ:(32) Chapter. The salary of the administrator of an endowment.2934- بَابُ إِذَا قَالَ الْوَاقِفُ لاَ نَطْلُبُ ثَمَنَهُ إِلاَّ إِلَى اللَّهِ. فَهْوَ جَائِزٌ:(34) Chapter. It is permissible for the founder of an endowment to say, “We will demand its price, from none but Allah.”3035- بَابُ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا شَهَادَةُ بَيْنِكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ حِينَ الْوَصِيَّةِ اثْنَانِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ أَوْ آخَرَانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ إِنْ أَنْتُمْ ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَأَصَابَتْكُمْ مُصِيبَةُ الْمَوْتِ تَحْبِسُونَهُمَا مِنْ بَعْدِ الصَّلاَةِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِاللَّهِ إِنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ لاَ نَشْتَرِي بِهِ ثَمَنًا وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَى وَلاَ نَكْتُمُ شَهَادَةَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا إِذًا لَمِنَ الآثِمِينَ فَإِنْ عُثِرَ عَلَى أَنَّهُمَا اسْتَحَقَّا إِثْمًا فَآخَرَانِ يَقُومَانِ مَقَامَهُمَا مِنَ الَّذِينَ اسْتُحِقَّ عَلَيْهِمُ الأَوْلَيَانِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِاللَّهِ لَشَهَادَتُنَا أَحَقُّ مِنْ شَهَادَتِهِمَا وَمَا اعْتَدَيْنَا إِنَّا إِذًا لَمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ ذَلِكَ أَدْنَى أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِالشَّهَادَةِ عَلَى وَجْهِهَا أَوْ يَخَافُوا أَنْ تُرَدَّ أَيْمَانٌ بَعْدَ أَيْمَانِهِمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَاسْمَعُوا وَاللَّهُ لاَ يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ}:(35) Chapter. The Statement of Allah: "O you who believe! When death approaches any of you, and you make a bequest, (then take) the testimony of two just men of your own folk or two others from outside... (up to)... Allah guides not the people who are Al-Fasiqun (the rebellious and disobedient)." (V.5:106-108)3136- بَابُ قَضَاءِ الْوَصِيِّ دُيُونَ الْمَيِّتِ بِغَيْرِ مَحْضَرٍ مِنَ الْوَرَثَةِ:(36) Chapter. The payments of the debts of the deceased by the executor (of the will) in the absence of other inheritors.

Opening leaves

First narrations

Bukhari · 2738مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ لَهُ شَيْءٌ يُوصِي فِيهِ يَبِيتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ إِلَّا وَوَصِيَّتُهُ مَكْتُوبَةٌ عِنْدَهُAllah's Messenger (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."7 narrators·parallel chainBukhari · 2739مَا تَرَكَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ دِرْهَمًا ، وَلَا دِينَارًا ، وَلَا عَبْدًا ، وَلَا أَمَةً ، وَلَا شَيْئًا إِلَّا بَغْلَتَهُ الْبَيْضَاءَ ، وَسِلَاحَهُ ، وَأَرْضًا جَعَلَهَا ص(The brother of the wife of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). Juwaira bint Al-Harith) When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) died, he did not leave any Dirham or Dinar (i.e. money), a slave or a slave woman or anything else except his white mu5 narratorsBukhari · 2740هَلْ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَوْصَى ؟ فَقَالَ : لَا ، فَقُلْتُ : كَيْفَ كُتِبَ عَلَى النَّاسِ الْوَصِيَّةُ أَوْ أُمِرُوا بِالْوَصِيَّةِ ؟ قَالَ : أَوْصَى بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِI asked `Abdullah bin Abu `Aufa "Did the Prophet (ﷺ) make a will?" He replied, "No," I asked him, "How is it then that the making of a will has been enjoined on people, (or that they are ordered to make a will)?" He repl4 narratorsBukhari · 2741مَتَى أَوْصَى إِلَيْهِ وَقَدْ كُنْتُ مُسْنِدَتَهُ إِلَى صَدْرِي ، أَوْ قَالَتْ : حَجْرِي ، فَدَعَا بِالطَّسْتِ ، فَلَقَدِ انْخَنَثَ فِي حَجْرِي فَمَا شَعَرْتُ أَنَّهُ قَدْ مَاتَ ، فَمَتَى أَوْصَى إِلَيْهِIn the presence of 'Aisha some people mentioned that the Prophet (ﷺ) had appointed 'Ali by will as his successor. 'Aisha said, "When did he appoint him by will? Verily when he died he was resting against my chest (or sai6 narratorsBukhari · 2742جَاءَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَعُودُنِي وَأَنَا بِمَكَّةَ ، وَهُوَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَمُوتَ بِالْأَرْضِ الَّتِي هَاجَرَ مِنْهَا ، قَالَ : يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ ابْنَ عَفْرَاءَ ، قُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِThe Prophet (ﷺ) came visiting me while I was (sick) in Mecca, ('Amir the sub-narrator said, and he disliked to die in the land, whence he had already migrated). He (i.e. the Prophet) said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on 5 narratorsBukhari · 2743لَوْ غَضَّ النَّاسُ إِلَى الرُّبْعِ لِأَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، قَالَ : الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ أَوْ كَبِيرٌI recommend that people reduce the proportion of what they bequeath by will to the fourth (of the whole legacy), for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "One-third, yet even one third is too much."5 narratorsBukhari · 2744مَرِضْتُ ، فَعَادَنِي النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَقُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ، ادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ لَا يَرُدَّنِي عَلَى عَقِبِي ، قَالَ : لَعَلَّ اللَّهَ يَرْفَعُكَ وَيَنْفَعُ بِكَ نَاسًا ، قُلْتُ :I fell sick and the Prophet (ﷺ) paid me a visit. I said to him, "O Allah's Messenger (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 6 narratorsBukhari · 2745كَانَ عُتْبَةُ بْنُ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ عَهِدَ إِلَى أَخِيهِ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ ، أَنَّ ابْنَ وَلِيدَةِ زَمْعَةَ مِنِّي ، فَاقْبِضْهُ إِلَيْكَ ، فَلَمَّا كَانَ عَامُ الْفَتْحِ أَخَذَهُ سَعْدٌ ، فَقَالَ : ابْنُ أَخِي ق(the wife of the Prophet) `Utba bin Abi Waqqas entrusted (his son) to his brother Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas saying, "The son of the slave-girl of Zam`a is my (illegal) son, take him into your custody." So during the year of th5 narratorsBukhari · 2746حَدَّثَنَا حَسَّانُ بْنُ أَبِي عَبَّادٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا هَمَّامٌ ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، أَنَّ يَهُودِيًّا رَضَّ رَأْسَ جَارِيَةٍ بَيْنَ حَجَرَيْنِ ، فَقِيلَ لَهَا : مَنْ فَعَلَ بِكِ أA Jew crushed the head of a girl between two stones. She was asked, "Who has done so to you, soand- so? So-and-so?" Till the name of the Jew was mentioned, whereupon she nodded (in agreement). So the Jew was brought and 4 narratorsBukhari · 2747كَانَ الْمَالُ لِلْوَلَدِ ، وَكَانَتِ الْوَصِيَّةُ لِلْوَالِدَيْنِ ، فَنَسَخَ اللَّهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ مَا أَحَبَّ ، فَجَعَلَ لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلَ حَظِّ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ ، وَجَعَلَ لِلْأَبَوَيْنِ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمَا السُّدُThe custom (in old days) was that the property of the deceased would be inherited by his offspring; as for the parents (of the deceased), they would inherit by the will of the deceased. Then Allah cancelled from that cus5 narratorsBukhari · 2748أَنْ تَصَدَّقَ وَأَنْتَ صَحِيحٌ حَرِيصٌ تَأْمُلُ الْغِنَى وَتَخْشَى الْفَقْرَ ، وَلَا تُمْهِلْ حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَتِ الْحُلْقُومَA man asked the Prophet, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! What kind of charity is the best?" He replied. "To give in charity when you are healthy and greedy hoping to be wealthy and afraid of becoming poor. Don't delay giving i6 narratorsBukhari · 2749آيَةُ الْمُنَافِقِ ثَلَاثٌ إِذَا حَدَّثَ كَذَبَ ، وَإِذَا اؤْتُمِنَ خَانَ ، وَإِذَا وَعَدَ أَخْلَفَThe Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The signs of a hypocrite are three Whenever he speaks he tells a lie; whenever he is entrusted he proves dishonest; whenever he promises he breaks his promise."5 narrators