It is ordained that when any one of you nears death, and he owns goods and chattels, he should bequeath them equitably to his parents and next of kin. This is binding on those who are upright and fear God.
It is ordained for you that when death approaches one of you, and he leaves behind wealth, he must bequeath it to parents and near relatives in accordance with tradition; this is a duty upon the pious.
Prescribed for you, when any of you is visited by death, and he leaves behind some goods, is to make testament in favour of his parents and kinsmen honourably -- an obligation on the godfearing.
IT IS ordained for you, when death approaches any of you and he is leaving behind much wealth, to make bequests in favour of his parents and [other] near of kin in accordance with what is fair: I this is binding on all who are conscious of God.
Prescribed unto you, when death is nigh unto one of you, if he leaveth any property, is the making of a bequest for parents and kindred equitably - a duty on the God-fearing.
It is prescribed for you, when death approaches any of you, if he leaves wealth, that he make a bequest to parents and next of kin, according to reasonable manners. (This is) a duty upon Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2).
It is decreed for you: when death approaches one of you, and he leaves wealth, to make a testament in favor of the parents and the relatives, fairly and correctly—a duty upon the righteous.
It has been prescribed for you that when death approaches one of you and he is leaving some property behind him, he should bequeath it equitably for his parents and relatives: it is an obligation on those who fear AIIah.
It is prescribed for you, when death approaches any of you, if he leaves wealth, that he makes a bequest to parents and next of kin, according to reasonable manners. (This is) a duty upon Al-Muttaqin (the pious).
It is prescribed for you, when death approacheth one of you, if he leave wealth, that he bequeath unto parents and near relatives in kindness. (This is) a duty for all those who ward off (evil).
Prescribed for you, when death approaches any of you and he leaves behind any property, is that he make a bequest for his parents and relatives, in an honourable manner—an obligation on the Godwary.
Written for any of you when death arrives, if he leaves behind goods, is the will for his parents and relatives with kindness. This is a duty incumbent on the cautious.
Prescribed for you when death approaches [any] one of you if he leaves wealth [is that he should make] a bequest for the parents and near relatives according to what is acceptable - a duty upon the righteous.
If one of you facing death can leave a legacy, he should bequeath it to his parents and relatives, according to the law. This is the duty of the pious.
Bequest is prescribed for you when death approaches one of you, if he leaves behind wealth for parents and near relatives, according to usage, a duty (incumbent) upon those who guard (against evil).
Kutiba AAalaykum i<u>tha</u> <u>h</u>a<u>d</u>ara a<u>h</u>adakumu almawtu in taraka khayran alwa<u>s</u>iyyatu lilw<u>a</u>lidayni wa<b>a</b>laqrabeena bi<b>a</b>lmaAAroofi <u>h</u>aqqan AAal<u>a</u> almuttaqeen<b>a</b>
It is prescribed that when death approaches any of you and he is leaving behind wealth, he shall make a will in favour of his parents and relatives equitably. This is a duty for all who fear God.
It is prescribed, when death approaches any of you, if he leave any goods that he make a bequest to parents and next of kin, according to reasonable usage; this is due from the Allah-fearing.
كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ ٱلْمَوْتُ إِن تَرَكَ خَيْرًا ٱلْوَصِيَّةُ لِلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ وَٱلْأَقْرَبِينَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ
It has been decreed for you that if one of you is about to die, and they are leaving a large amount of wealth behind, then they should make a will for their parents and close relatives, according to the sacred laws, not exceeding one third of the wealth (the rest of the wealth being distributed according to the laws of inheritance). Making this will is a firm duty on those who are mindful of Allah. This ruling was revealed before the verses about inheritance. When the verses about inheritance were revealed it was made clear who should inherit from the person who has died and how much they should inherit.
It has been decreed for you that if one of you is about to die, and they are leaving a large amount of wealth behind, then they should make a will for their parents and close relatives, according to the sacred laws, not exceeding one third of the wealth (the rest of the wealth being distributed according to the laws of inheritance). Making this will is a firm duty on those who are mindful of Allah. This ruling was revealed before the verses about inheritance. When the verses about inheritance were revealed it was made clear who should inherit from the person who has died and how much they should inherit.
<p>The Qur'anic view of making will وصیّت</p><p>Literally, al-wasiyyah الوَصِیّہ means an order to do something, either in the lifetime of the maker of wasiyyah or after his death. But, in commonly accepted usage, it refers to what must be done after death. It can be translated as the will or bequest.</p><p>Out of the many meanings the word خیر khayr has in Arabic, 'wealth' happens to be one of them, for instance, in the verse وَإِنَّهُ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ‌ لَشَدِيدٌ (Surely he is passionate in his love for good things) where, according to the unanimous agreement of commentators, خیر 'khayr' means 'wealth'.</p><p>In early Islam, when shares in inheritance: were not fixed by the Shari'ah, the rule was that a dying person could make a will within the one third of inheritance, leaving behind in the name of his parents and relatives in whatever proportion he chose. This much was their right; the rest went to children. This injunction appears here in this verse.</p><p>The making of a will made obligatory for one who is leaving behind some wealth has three aspects:</p><p>1.	No shares except those of children are fixed for any other inheritors in what is being left by the dying person. These are to be determined through the will made by him.</p><p>2.	Making a will for such relatives is obligatory on the dying person.</p><p>3.	Making a will for more than one third of the inheritance is not permissible.</p><p>Out of these three injunctions, the first one was abrogated by the 'verse of inheritance' as determined by most of the Companions and their immediate successors. Ibn Kathir has reported from the blessed Companion, ` Abdullahibn ` Abbas that this injunction was abrogated by the 'verse of inheritance' which is as follows:</p><p>لِّلرِّ‌جَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَ‌كَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالْأَقْرَ‌بُونَ وَلِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَ‌كَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالْأَقْرَ‌بُونَ مِمَّا قَلَّ مِنْهُ أَوْ كَثُرَ‌ ۚ نَصِيبًا مَّفْرُ‌وضًا ﴿7﴾</p><p>For men there is a share in what the parents and the nearest</p><p>of kin have left, and for women there is a share in what the parents and the nearest of kin have left, be it is small or large - a determined share. (4:7)</p><p>In another narration of the hadith from him it has been said that the 'verse of inheritance' has abrogated the making of will in the name of those who have a fixed share in the inheritance, while the injunction to make a will in favour of those relatives who do not have a share in the inheritance still holds good. (Jasss, Qurtubi)</p><p>It should, however, be borne in mind that according to the consensus of the Muslim Ummah it is not obligatory on the dying person to necessarily make a will in favour of relatives who have no fixed shares in the inheritance. Therefore, the obligatory character of a wasiyyah in their favour is also abrogated (Jassas, Qurtubi). Now, making a will in favour of such relatives is only a desired (mustahabb) مستحب act, and that, too, is subject to their need.</p><p>Now the second injunction regarding the obligation of making a will also stands abrogated in accordance with the consensus of the Muslim ummah. It was abrogated by that famous hadith (al-hadith al-mutawatir الحدیث المتواتر : the veracity of which stands ensured through an uninterrupted chain of transmitters from many sides who are unlikely to agree on a lie) which was part of the sermon delivered before some one hundred and fifty thousand Companions on the occasion of his last Hajj when he said:</p><p>ان اللہ اعطی کل ذی حق حقہ فلاوصیۃ لوارث (اخرجہ الترمذی وقال حدیث حسن صحیح)</p><p>Allah has Himself given everyone, who has a right, his right. So, there is no will for any inheritor. (Tirmidhi)</p><p>The same hadith, as narrated by Sayyidna ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، has the following additional words:</p><p>لا وصیۃ الوارث الا ان تجیزہ الوارثۃ</p><p>There is no will for any inheritor unless all inheritors permit.</p><p>The essence of the hadith is that Allah Almighty has Himself fixed the shares of the inheritors, therefore, the executor need not make a will anymore, in fact, he does not even have the permission to make a will in favour of an heir; however, should other inheritors allow the enforcement of such a will, it will then be permissible.</p><p>Imam Al-Jassas (رح) says that this hadith has been reported from a group of the blessed Companions and the jurists of the Muslim community have accepted it unanimously, therefore, this is an uninterruptedly ensured hadith which makes the abrogation of the verse of the Qur'an permissible.</p><p>Imam Al-Qurtubi (رح) has said that the scholars of the Muslim community unanimously agree that an injunction which comes to us through the Holy Prophet ﷺ and we know about it with full certitude, as is the case with mutawatir متواتر and mashhur مشھور reports, it will be at par with the injunction of the Holy Qur'an and will have to be taken as the command of Allah Almighty. Therefore, the abrogation of some verse of the Holy Qur'an from a hadith of this kind is no case for doubt. Although the hadith which invalidates a will in favour of an heir is a solitary report, (Al-Khabar al-Wahid), however, the fact that this hadith comes from the sermon of the last Hajj of the Holy Prophet g when he openly proclaimed this before the largest ever gathering of the blessed Companions, and then their consensus and the consensus of the Muslim community make it clear that this hadith is, according to them, absolutely proven, otherwise in the presence of the slightest doubt, they would have never abandoned the verse of the Qur'an and agreed to this abrogating command through the hadith.</p><p>The third injunction stills holds good with the unanimous approval of the Muslim ummah in which it is not permissible to bequeath more than one-third of what one leaves behind. However, should the inheritors allow the bequest of more than one third, even the whole of what one leaves behind, it shall be permissible.</p><p>Rulings</p><p>1.	As stated earlier, now making a will is not necessary to cover relatives whose shares have been fixed by the Holy Qur'an. In fact, this is not permissible without the permission of other inheritors. However, relatives who do not hold a legal share in the inheritance can be bequeathed upto one third of the total.</p><p>2.	In this verse a particular will was mentioned which was to be made by a dying person about what he left behind. This stands abrogated. But, making a will is still necessary, specially for a person who owes to others or holds something in trust. He should make sure that these are taken care of in his will. The Holy Prophet ﷺ has said in a hadith that a person who has some rights of other people due against him, then, he should not let three nights pass on him by which he does not have his written will with him.</p><p>3. As for the right to make a will covering the one-third of his property, one has the right to make some change in this will or cancel it totally during his life time.</p>
The Qur'anic view of making will وصیّتLiterally, al-wasiyyah الوَصِیّہ means an order to do something, either in the lifetime of the maker of wasiyyah or after his death. But, in commonly accepted usage, it refers to what must be done after death. It can be translated as the will or bequest.Out of the many meanings the word خیر khayr has in Arabic, 'wealth' happens to be one of them, for instance, in the verse وَإِنَّهُ لِحُبِّ الْخَيْرِ‌ لَشَدِيدٌ (Surely he is passionate in his love for good things) where, according to the unanimous agreement of commentators, خیر 'khayr' means 'wealth'.In early Islam, when shares in inheritance: were not fixed by the Shari'ah, the rule was that a dying person could make a will within the one third of inheritance, leaving behind in the name of his parents and relatives in whatever proportion he chose. This much was their right; the rest went to children. This injunction appears here in this verse.The making of a will made obligatory for one who is leaving behind some wealth has three aspects:1.	No shares except those of children are fixed for any other inheritors in what is being left by the dying person. These are to be determined through the will made by him.2.	Making a will for such relatives is obligatory on the dying person.3.	Making a will for more than one third of the inheritance is not permissible.Out of these three injunctions, the first one was abrogated by the 'verse of inheritance' as determined by most of the Companions and their immediate successors. Ibn Kathir has reported from the blessed Companion, ` Abdullahibn ` Abbas that this injunction was abrogated by the 'verse of inheritance' which is as follows:لِّلرِّ‌جَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَ‌كَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالْأَقْرَ‌بُونَ وَلِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَ‌كَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالْأَقْرَ‌بُونَ مِمَّا قَلَّ مِنْهُ أَوْ كَثُرَ‌ ۚ نَصِيبًا مَّفْرُ‌وضًا ﴿7﴾For men there is a share in what the parents and the nearestof kin have left, and for women there is a share in what the parents and the nearest of kin have left, be it is small or large - a determined share. (4:7)In another narration of the hadith from him it has been said that the 'verse of inheritance' has abrogated the making of will in the name of those who have a fixed share in the inheritance, while the injunction to make a will in favour of those relatives who do not have a share in the inheritance still holds good. (Jasss, Qurtubi)It should, however, be borne in mind that according to the consensus of the Muslim Ummah it is not obligatory on the dying person to necessarily make a will in favour of relatives who have no fixed shares in the inheritance. Therefore, the obligatory character of a wasiyyah in their favour is also abrogated (Jassas, Qurtubi). Now, making a will in favour of such relatives is only a desired (mustahabb) مستحب act, and that, too, is subject to their need.Now the second injunction regarding the obligation of making a will also stands abrogated in accordance with the consensus of the Muslim ummah. It was abrogated by that famous hadith (al-hadith al-mutawatir الحدیث المتواتر : the veracity of which stands ensured through an uninterrupted chain of transmitters from many sides who are unlikely to agree on a lie) which was part of the sermon delivered before some one hundred and fifty thousand Companions on the occasion of his last Hajj when he said:ان اللہ اعطی کل ذی حق حقہ فلاوصیۃ لوارث (اخرجہ الترمذی وقال حدیث حسن صحیح)Allah has Himself given everyone, who has a right, his right. So, there is no will for any inheritor. (Tirmidhi)The same hadith, as narrated by Sayyidna ibn ` Abbas ؓ ، has the following additional words:لا وصیۃ الوارث الا ان تجیزہ الوارثۃThere is no will for any inheritor unless all inheritors permit.The essence of the hadith is that Allah Almighty has Himself fixed the shares of the inheritors, therefore, the executor need not make a will anymore, in fact, he does not even have the permission to make a will in favour of an heir; however, should other inheritors allow the enforcement of such a will, it will then be permissible.Imam Al-Jassas (رح) says that this hadith has been reported from a group of the blessed Companions and the jurists of the Muslim community have accepted it unanimously, therefore, this is an uninterruptedly ensured hadith which makes the abrogation of the verse of the Qur'an permissible.Imam Al-Qurtubi (رح) has said that the scholars of the Muslim community unanimously agree that an injunction which comes to us through the Holy Prophet ﷺ and we know about it with full certitude, as is the case with mutawatir متواتر and mashhur مشھور reports, it will be at par with the injunction of the Holy Qur'an and will have to be taken as the command of Allah Almighty. Therefore, the abrogation of some verse of the Holy Qur'an from a hadith of this kind is no case for doubt. Although the hadith which invalidates a will in favour of an heir is a solitary report, (Al-Khabar al-Wahid), however, the fact that this hadith comes from the sermon of the last Hajj of the Holy Prophet g when he openly proclaimed this before the largest ever gathering of the blessed Companions, and then their consensus and the consensus of the Muslim community make it clear that this hadith is, according to them, absolutely proven, otherwise in the presence of the slightest doubt, they would have never abandoned the verse of the Qur'an and agreed to this abrogating command through the hadith.The third injunction stills holds good with the unanimous approval of the Muslim ummah in which it is not permissible to bequeath more than one-third of what one leaves behind. However, should the inheritors allow the bequest of more than one third, even the whole of what one leaves behind, it shall be permissible.Rulings1.	As stated earlier, now making a will is not necessary to cover relatives whose shares have been fixed by the Holy Qur'an. In fact, this is not permissible without the permission of other inheritors. However, relatives who do not hold a legal share in the inheritance can be bequeathed upto one third of the total.2.	In this verse a particular will was mentioned which was to be made by a dying person about what he left behind. This stands abrogated. But, making a will is still necessary, specially for a person who owes to others or holds something in trust. He should make sure that these are taken care of in his will. The Holy Prophet ﷺ has said in a hadith that a person who has some rights of other people due against him, then, he should not let three nights pass on him by which he does not have his written will with him.3. As for the right to make a will covering the one-third of his property, one has the right to make some change in this will or cancel it totally during his life time.
<h2 class="title">Including Parents and Relatives in the Will was later abrogated</h2><p>This Ayah contains the command to include parents and relatives in the will, which was obligatory, according to the most correct view, before the Ayah about inheritance was revealed. When the Ayah of inheritance was revealed, this Ayah was abrogated, so fixed shares of the inheritance for deserving recipients were legislated by Allah. Therefore, deserving inheritors take their fixed inheritance without the need to be included in the will or to be reminded of the favor of the inherited person. For this reason we see the Hadith narrated in the Sunan and other books that `Amr bin Kharijah said: I heard Allah's Messenger saying in a speech: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَعْطَى كُلَّ ذِي حَقَ حَقَّهُ، فَلَا وَصِيَّــةَ لِوَارِث»</div><p>(Allah has given each heir his fixed share. So there is no will for a deserving heir.) </p><p>Imam Ahmad recorded that Muhammad bin Sirin said: Ibn `Abbas recited Surat Al-Baqarah (chapter 2 in the Qur'an) until he reached the Ayah: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِن تَرَكَ خَيْرًا الْوَصِيَّةُ لِلْوَلِدَيْنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبِينَ</div><p>(...if he leaves wealth, that he makes a bequest to parents and next of kin.) </p><p>He then said, "This Ayah was abrogated." This was recorded by Sa`id bin Mansur and Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak Al-Hakim Said, "It is Sahih according to their criteria (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)". Ibn Abu Hatim reported that Ibn `Abbas said that Allah's statement: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">الْوَصِيَّةُ لِلْوَلِدَيْنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبِينَ</div><p>(a bequest to parents and next of kin) </p><p>was abrogated by the Ayah: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصيِبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَلِدَنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبُونَ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَلِدَنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبُونَ مِمَّا قَلَّ مِنْهُ أَوْ كَثُرَ نَصِيباً مَّفْرُوضاً </div><p>(There is a share for men and a share for women from what is left by parents and those nearest related, whether the property be small or large ـ a legal share.) (4:7) </p><p>Ibn Abu Hatim then said, "It was reported from Ibn `Umar, Abu Musa, Sa`id bin Musayyib, Al-Hasan, Mujahid, `Ata' Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muhammad bin Sirin, `Ikrimah, Zayd bin Aslam and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Qatadah, As-Suddi, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Tawus, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Shurayh, Ad-Dahhak and Az-Zuhri said that this Ayah (2:180 above) was abrogated by the Ayah about the inheritors (4:7)." </p><h2 class="title">The Will for the Relatives that do not qualify as Inheritors</h2><p>It is recommended that the remaining relatives who do not have a designated fixed share of the inheritance, be willed up to a third, due to the general meaning of the Ayah about the will. It is recorded in the Sahihayn that Ibn `Umar said that Allah's Messenger said: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«مَا حَقُّ امْرِىءٍ مُسْلِمٍ لَهُ شَيْءٌ يُوصِي فِيه يَبِيتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ إلَّا وَوَصِيَّتُهُ مَكْتُوبَةٌ عِنْدَه»</div><p>(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.) </p><p>Ibn `Umar commented, "Ever since I heard this statement from Allah's Messenger , no night has passed, but my will is kept ready with me." There are many other Ayat and Ahadith ordering kindness and generosity to one's relatives. </p><h2 class="title">The Will should observe Justice</h2><p>The will should be fair, in that one designates a part of the inheritance to his relatives without committing injustice against his qualified inheritors and without extravagance or stinginess. It is recorded in the Sahihayn that Sa`d bin Abu Waqqas said, "O Allah's Messenger! I have some money and only a daughter inherits from me, should I will all my remaining property (to others)" He said, "No." Sa`d said, "Then may I will half of it" He said, "No." Sa`d said, "One-third" He said, "Yes, one-third, yet even one-third is too much. It is better for you to leave your inheritors wealthy than to leave them poor, begging from others." Al-Bukhari mentioned in his Sahih that Ibn `Abbas said, "I recommend that people reduce the proportion of what they bequeath by will to a fourth (of the whole legacy) rather than a third, for Allah's Messenger said: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِير»</div><p>(One-third, yet even one-third is too much.)" </p><p>Allah's statement: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَمَن بَدَّلَهُ بَعْدَمَا سَمِعَهُ فَإِنَّمَآ إِثْمُهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يُبَدِّلُونَهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ </div><p>(Then whoever changes it after hearing it, the sin shall be on those who make the change. Truly, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) means, whoever changed the will and testament or altered it by addition or deletion, including hiding the will as is obvious, then </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَإِنَّمَآ إِثْمُهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يُبَدِّلُونَهُ</div><p>(the sin shall be on those who make the change. ) </p><p>Ibn `Abbas and others said, "The dead person's reward will be preserved for him by Allah, while the sin is acquired by those who change the will." </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ</div><p>(Truly, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) means, Allah knows what the dead person has bequeathed and what the beneficiaries (or others) have changed in the will. </p><p>Allah's statement: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَمَنْ خَافَ مِن مُّوصٍ جَنَفًا أَوْ إِثْمًا</div><p>(But he who fears from a testator some unjust act or wrongdoing,) </p><p>Ibn `Abbas, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and As-Suddi said, "Error." These errors include such cases as when the inheritor indirectly acquires more than his fair share, such as by being allocated that a certain item mentioned in the legacy be sold to him. Or, the testator might include his daughter's son in the legacy to increase his daughter's share in the inheritance, and so forth. Such errors might occur out of the kindness of the heart without thinking about the consequences of these actions, or by sinful intention. In such cases, the executive of the will and testament is allowed to correct the errors and to replace the unjust items in the will with a better solution, so that both the Islamic law and what the dead person had wished for are respected and observed. This act would not constitute an alteration in the will and this is why Allah mentioned it specifically, so that it is excluded from the prohibition (that prohibits altering the will and testament) mentioned in the previous Ayah. And Allah knows best. </p>  <p>`Abdur-Razzaq reported that Abu Hurayrah said that Allah's Messenger said: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الْخَيْرِ سَبْعِينَ سَنَةً، فَإِذَا أَوْصَى حَافَ فِي وَصِيَّتِهِ، فَيُخْتَمُ لَه بِشَرِّ عَمَلِهِ، فَيَدْخُلُ النَّارَ. وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الشَّرِّ سَبْعِينَ سَنَةً، فَيَعْدِلُ فِي وَصِيَّتِهِ، فَيُخْتَمُ لَهُ بِخَيْرِ عَمَلِهِ، فَيَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّــة»</div><p>(A man might perform the works of righteous people for seventy years, but when he dictates his will, he commits injustice and thus his works end with the worst of his deeds and he enters the Fire. A man might perform the works of evil people for seventy years, but then dictates a just will and thus ends with the best of his deeds and then enters Paradise.) </p><p>Abu Hurayrah then said, "Read if you wish: </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ فَلاَ تَعْتَدُوهَا</div><p>(These are the limits ordained by Allah, so do not transgress them.)" (2:229) </p>
Including Parents and Relatives in the Will was later abrogatedThis Ayah contains the command to include parents and relatives in the will, which was obligatory, according to the most correct view, before the Ayah about inheritance was revealed. When the Ayah of inheritance was revealed, this Ayah was abrogated, so fixed shares of the inheritance for deserving recipients were legislated by Allah. Therefore, deserving inheritors take their fixed inheritance without the need to be included in the will or to be reminded of the favor of the inherited person. For this reason we see the Hadith narrated in the Sunan and other books that `Amr bin Kharijah said: I heard Allah's Messenger saying in a speech: «إِنَّ اللهَ قَدْ أَعْطَى كُلَّ ذِي حَقَ حَقَّهُ، فَلَا وَصِيَّــةَ لِوَارِث»(Allah has given each heir his fixed share. So there is no will for a deserving heir.) Imam Ahmad recorded that Muhammad bin Sirin said: Ibn `Abbas recited Surat Al-Baqarah (chapter 2 in the Qur'an) until he reached the Ayah: إِن تَرَكَ خَيْرًا الْوَصِيَّةُ لِلْوَلِدَيْنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبِينَ(...if he leaves wealth, that he makes a bequest to parents and next of kin.) He then said, "This Ayah was abrogated." This was recorded by Sa`id bin Mansur and Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak Al-Hakim Said, "It is Sahih according to their criteria (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)". Ibn Abu Hatim reported that Ibn `Abbas said that Allah's statement: الْوَصِيَّةُ لِلْوَلِدَيْنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبِينَ(a bequest to parents and next of kin) was abrogated by the Ayah: لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصيِبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَلِدَنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبُونَ وَلِلنِّسَآءِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَلِدَنِ وَالاٌّقْرَبُونَ مِمَّا قَلَّ مِنْهُ أَوْ كَثُرَ نَصِيباً مَّفْرُوضاً (There is a share for men and a share for women from what is left by parents and those nearest related, whether the property be small or large ـ a legal share.) (4:7) Ibn Abu Hatim then said, "It was reported from Ibn `Umar, Abu Musa, Sa`id bin Musayyib, Al-Hasan, Mujahid, `Ata' Sa`id bin Jubayr, Muhammad bin Sirin, `Ikrimah, Zayd bin Aslam and Ar-Rabi` bin Anas. Qatadah, As-Suddi, Muqatil bin Hayyan, Tawus, Ibrahim An-Nakha`i, Shurayh, Ad-Dahhak and Az-Zuhri said that this Ayah (2:180 above) was abrogated by the Ayah about the inheritors (4:7)." The Will for the Relatives that do not qualify as InheritorsIt is recommended that the remaining relatives who do not have a designated fixed share of the inheritance, be willed up to a third, due to the general meaning of the Ayah about the will. It is recorded in the Sahihayn that Ibn `Umar said that Allah's Messenger said: «مَا حَقُّ امْرِىءٍ مُسْلِمٍ لَهُ شَيْءٌ يُوصِي فِيه يَبِيتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ إلَّا وَوَصِيَّتُهُ مَكْتُوبَةٌ عِنْدَه»(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.) Ibn `Umar commented, "Ever since I heard this statement from Allah's Messenger , no night has passed, but my will is kept ready with me." There are many other Ayat and Ahadith ordering kindness and generosity to one's relatives. The Will should observe JusticeThe will should be fair, in that one designates a part of the inheritance to his relatives without committing injustice against his qualified inheritors and without extravagance or stinginess. It is recorded in the Sahihayn that Sa`d bin Abu Waqqas said, "O Allah's Messenger! I have some money and only a daughter inherits from me, should I will all my remaining property (to others)" He said, "No." Sa`d said, "Then may I will half of it" He said, "No." Sa`d said, "One-third" He said, "Yes, one-third, yet even one-third is too much. It is better for you to leave your inheritors wealthy than to leave them poor, begging from others." Al-Bukhari mentioned in his Sahih that Ibn `Abbas said, "I recommend that people reduce the proportion of what they bequeath by will to a fourth (of the whole legacy) rather than a third, for Allah's Messenger said: «الثُّلُثُ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِير»(One-third, yet even one-third is too much.)" Allah's statement: فَمَن بَدَّلَهُ بَعْدَمَا سَمِعَهُ فَإِنَّمَآ إِثْمُهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يُبَدِّلُونَهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ (Then whoever changes it after hearing it, the sin shall be on those who make the change. Truly, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) means, whoever changed the will and testament or altered it by addition or deletion, including hiding the will as is obvious, then فَإِنَّمَآ إِثْمُهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ يُبَدِّلُونَهُ(the sin shall be on those who make the change. ) Ibn `Abbas and others said, "The dead person's reward will be preserved for him by Allah, while the sin is acquired by those who change the will." إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ(Truly, Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.) means, Allah knows what the dead person has bequeathed and what the beneficiaries (or others) have changed in the will. Allah's statement: فَمَنْ خَافَ مِن مُّوصٍ جَنَفًا أَوْ إِثْمًا(But he who fears from a testator some unjust act or wrongdoing,) Ibn `Abbas, Abu Al-`Aliyah, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas and As-Suddi said, "Error." These errors include such cases as when the inheritor indirectly acquires more than his fair share, such as by being allocated that a certain item mentioned in the legacy be sold to him. Or, the testator might include his daughter's son in the legacy to increase his daughter's share in the inheritance, and so forth. Such errors might occur out of the kindness of the heart without thinking about the consequences of these actions, or by sinful intention. In such cases, the executive of the will and testament is allowed to correct the errors and to replace the unjust items in the will with a better solution, so that both the Islamic law and what the dead person had wished for are respected and observed. This act would not constitute an alteration in the will and this is why Allah mentioned it specifically, so that it is excluded from the prohibition (that prohibits altering the will and testament) mentioned in the previous Ayah. And Allah knows best.   `Abdur-Razzaq reported that Abu Hurayrah said that Allah's Messenger said: «إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الْخَيْرِ سَبْعِينَ سَنَةً، فَإِذَا أَوْصَى حَافَ فِي وَصِيَّتِهِ، فَيُخْتَمُ لَه بِشَرِّ عَمَلِهِ، فَيَدْخُلُ النَّارَ. وَإِنَّ الرَّجُلَ لَيَعْمَلُ بِعَمَلِ أَهْلِ الشَّرِّ سَبْعِينَ سَنَةً، فَيَعْدِلُ فِي وَصِيَّتِهِ، فَيُخْتَمُ لَهُ بِخَيْرِ عَمَلِهِ، فَيَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّــة»(A man might perform the works of righteous people for seventy years, but when he dictates his will, he commits injustice and thus his works end with the worst of his deeds and he enters the Fire. A man might perform the works of evil people for seventy years, but then dictates a just will and thus ends with the best of his deeds and then enters Paradise.) Abu Hurayrah then said, "Read if you wish: تِلْكَ حُدُودُ اللَّهِ فَلاَ تَعْتَدُوهَا(These are the limits ordained by Allah, so do not transgress them.)" (2:229) 