Tafsir

Including Parents and Relatives in the Will was later abrogated

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 ﷺ 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 Inheritors

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 ﷺ 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 ﷺ , 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 Justice

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 ﷺ! 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 ﷺ 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, thenفَإِنَّمَآ 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 ﷺ 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)

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.

اشتملت هذه الآية الكريمة على الأمر بالوصية للوالدين والأقربين . وقد كان ذلك واجبا على أصح القولين قبل نزول آية المواريث ، فلما نزلت آية الفرائض نسخت هذه ، وصارت المواريث المقدرة فريضة من الله ، يأخذها أهلوها حتما من غير وصية ولا تحمل منة الموصي ، ولهذا جاء الحديث في السنن وغيرها عن عمرو بن خارجة قال : سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يخطب وهو يقول : " إن الله قد أعطى كل ذي حق حقه ، فلا وصية لوارث " .وقال الإمام أحمد : حدثنا إسماعيل بن إبراهيم بن علية ، عن يونس بن عبيد ، عن محمد بن سيرين ، قال : جلس ابن عباس فقرأ سورة البقرة حتى أتى [ على ] هذه الآية : ( إن ترك خيرا الوصية للوالدين والأقربين ) فقال : نسخت هذه الآية .وكذا رواه سعيد بن منصور ، عن هشيم ، عن يونس ، به .

ورواه الحاكم في مستدركه وقال : صحيح على شرطهما .وقال علي بن أبي طلحة ، عن ابن عباس في قوله : ( الوصية للوالدين والأقربين ) قال : كان لا يرث مع الوالدين غيرهما إلا وصية للأقربين ، فأنزل الله آية الميراث فبين ميراث الوالدين ، وأقر وصية الأقربين في ثلث مال الميت .وقال ابن أبي حاتم : حدثنا الحسن بن محمد بن الصباح ، حدثنا حجاج بن محمد ، أخبرنا ابن جريج ، وعثمان بن عطاء ، عن عطاء ، عن ابن عباس ، في قوله : ( الوصية للوالدين والأقربين ) نسختها هذه الآية : ( للرجال نصيب مما ترك الوالدان والأقربون وللنساء نصيب مما ترك الوالدان والأقربون مما قل منه أو كثر نصيبا مفروضا ) [ النساء : 7 ] .ثم قال ابن أبي حاتم : وروي عن ابن عمر وأبي موسى ، وسعيد بن المسيب ، والحسن ، ومجاهد ، وعطاء ، وسعيد بن جبير ، ومحمد بن سيرين ، وعكرمة ، وزيد بن أسلم ، والربيع بن أنس ، وقتادة ، والسدي ، ومقاتل بن حيان ، وطاوس ، وإبراهيم النخعي ، وشريح ، والضحاك ، والزهري : أن هذه الآية منسوخة نسختها آية الميراث .والعجب من أبي عبد الله محمد بن عمر الرازي رحمه الله كيف حكى في تفسيره الكبير عن أبي مسلم الأصفهاني أن هذه الآية غير منسوخة ، وإنما هي مفسرة بآية المواريث ، ومعناه : كتب عليكم ما أوصى الله به من توريث الوالدين والأقربين .

من قوله : ( يوصيكم الله في أولادكم ) [ النساء : 11 ] قال : وهو قول أكثر المفسرين والمعتبرين من الفقهاء . قال : ومنهم من قال : إنها منسوخة فيمن يرث ، ثابتة فيمن لا يرث ، وهو مذهب ابن عباس ، والحسن ، ومسروق ، وطاوس ، والضحاك ، ومسلم بن يسار ، والعلاء بن زياد .قلت : وبه قال أيضا سعيد بن جبير ، والربيع بن أنس ، وقتادة ، ومقاتل بن حيان . ولكن على قول هؤلاء لا يسمى هذا نسخا في اصطلاحنا المتأخر ; لأن آية الميراث إنما رفعت حكم بعض أفراد ما دل عليه عموم آية الوصاية ، لأن " الأقربين " أعم ممن يرث ومن لا يرث ، فرفع حكم من يرث بما عين له ، وبقي الآخر على ما دلت عليه الآية الأولى . وهذا إنما يتأتى على قول بعضهم : أن الوصاية في ابتداء الإسلام إنما كانت ندبا حتى نسخت . فأما من يقول : إنها كانت واجبة وهو الظاهر من سياق الآية فيتعين أن تكون منسوخة بآية الميراث ، كما قاله أكثر المفسرين والمعتبرين من الفقهاء ; فإن وجوب الوصية للوالدين والأقربين [ الوارثين ] منسوخ بالإجماع . بل منهي عنه للحديث المتقدم : " إن الله قد أعطى كل ذي حق حقه فلا وصية لوارث " . فآية الميراث حكم مستقل ، ووجوب من عند الله لأهل الفروض وللعصبات ، رفع بها حكم هذه بالكلية .

بقي الأقارب الذين لا ميراث لهم ، يستحب له أن يوصى لهم من الثلث ، استئناسا بآية الوصية وشمولها ، ولما ثبت في الصحيحين ، عن ابن عمر ، قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " ما حق امرئ مسلم له شيء يوصي فيه ، يبيت ليلتين إلا ووصيته مكتوبة عنده " . قال ابن عمر ما مرت علي ليلة منذ سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول ذلك إلا وعندي وصيتي .والآيات والأحاديث بالأمر ببر الأقارب والإحسان إليهم ، كثيرة جدا .وقال عبد بن حميد في مسنده : أخبرنا عبيد الله ، عن مبارك بن حسان ، عن نافع قال : قال عبد الله : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : " يقول الله تعالى : يا ابن آدم ، ثنتان لم يكن لك واحدة منهما : جعلت لك نصيبا في مالك حين أخذت بكظمك ; لأطهرك به وأزكيك ، وصلاة عبادي عليك بعد انقضاء أجلك " .وقوله : ( إن ترك خيرا ) أي : مالا .

قاله ابن عباس ، ومجاهد ، وعطاء ، وسعيد بن جبير ، وأبو العالية ، وعطية العوفي ، والضحاك ، والسدي ، والربيع بن أنس ، ومقاتل بن حيان ، وقتادة ، وغيرهم .ثم منهم من قال : الوصية مشروعة سواء قل المال أو كثر كالوراثة ومنهم من قال : إنما يوصي إذا ترك مالا جزيلا ثم اختلفوا في مقداره ، فقال ابن أبي حاتم :حدثنا محمد بن عبد الله بن يزيد المقري ، أخبرنا سفيان ، عن هشام بن عروة ، عن أبيه ، قال : قيل لعلي ، رضي الله عنه : إن رجلا من قريش قد مات ، وترك ثلاثمائة دينار أو أربعمائة ولم يوص . قال : ليس بشيء ، إنما قال الله : ( إن ترك خيرا ) .قال : وحدثنا هارون بن إسحاق الهمداني ، حدثنا عبدة يعني ابن سليمان عن هشام بن عروة ، عن أبيه : أن عليا دخل على رجل من قومه يعوده ، فقال له : أوصي ؟ فقال له علي : إنما قال الله تعالى : ( إن ترك خيرا الوصية ) إنما تركت شيئا يسيرا ، فاتركه لولدك .وقال الحكم بن أبان : حدثني عن عكرمة ، عن ابن عباس : ( إن ترك خيرا ) قال ابن عباس : من لم يترك ستين دينارا لم يترك خيرا ، قال الحكم : قال طاوس : لم يترك خيرا من لم يترك ثمانين دينارا .

وقال قتادة : كان يقال : ألفا فما فوقها .وقوله : ( بالمعروف ) أي : بالرفق والإحسان ، كما قال ابن أبي حاتم :حدثنا الحسن بن أحمد ، حدثنا إبراهيم بن عبد الله بن يسار ، حدثني سرور بن المغيرة عن عباد بن منصور ، عن الحسن ، قوله : ( كتب عليكم إذا حضر أحدكم الموت ) فقال : نعم ، الوصية حق ، على كل مسلم أن يوصي إذا حضره الموت بالمعروف غير المنكر .والمراد بالمعروف : أن يوصي لأقربيه وصية لا تجحف بورثته ، من غير إسراف ولا تقتير ، كما ثبت في الصحيحين أن سعدا قال : يا رسول الله ، إن لي مالا ولا يرثني إلا ابنة لي ، أفأوصي بثلثي مالي ؟ قال : " لا " قال : فبالشطر ؟ قال : " لا " قال : فالثلث ؟ قال : " الثلث ، والثلث كثير ; إنك أن تذر ورثتك أغنياء خير من أن تذرهم عالة يتكففون الناس " .وفي صحيح البخاري : أن ابن عباس قال : لو أن الناس غضوا من الثلث إلى الربع فإن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : " الثلث ، والثلث كثير " .وروى الإمام أحمد ، عن أبي سعيد مولى بني هاشم ، عن ذيال بن عبيد بن حنظلة ، سمعت حنظلة بن حذيم بن حنيفة : أن جده حنيفة أوصى ليتيم في حجره بمائة من الإبل ، فشق ذلك على بنيه ، فارتفعوا إلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم . فقال حنيفة : إني أوصيت ليتيم لي بمائة من الإبل ، كنا نسميها المطيبة .

فقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم ، " لا لا لا . الصدقة : خمس ، وإلا فعشر ، وإلا فخمس عشرة ، وإلا فعشرون ، وإلا فخمس وعشرون ، وإلا فثلاثون ، وإلا فخمس وثلاثون ، فإن أكثرت فأربعون " .وذكر الحديث بطوله .