Chapter

The Book of Wills

كتاب الوصايا

Arabic Text

أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَامِرِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَعُودُهُ وَهُوَ بِمَكَّةَ وَهُوَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يَمُوتَ بِالأَرْضِ الَّتِي هَاجَرَ مِنْهَا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ رَحِمَ اللَّهُ سَعْدَ ابْنَ عَفْرَاءَ أَوْ يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ سَعْدَ ابْنَ عَفْرَاءَ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ إِلاَّ ابْنَةٌ وَاحِدَةٌ قَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُوصِي بِمَالِي كُلِّهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قُلْتُ النِّصْفَ قَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قُلْتُ فَالثُّلُثَ قَالَ ‏"‏ الثُّلُثَ وَالثُّلُثُ كَثِيرٌ إِنَّكَ أَنْ تَدَعَ وَرَثَتَكَ أَغْنِيَاءَ خَيْرٌ مِنْ أَنْ تَدَعَهُمْ عَالَةً يَتَكَفَّفُونَ النَّاسَ مَا فِي أَيْدِيهِمْ ‏"‏‏.‏

English Translation

It was narrated from 'Amir bin Sa'd that his father said:

"The Prophet used to visit him when he was in Makkah, and he did not want to die in the land from which he had emigrated. The Prophet said: 'May Allah have mercy on Sa'd bin 'Afra.' He had only one daughter, and he said: 'O Messenger of Allah, shall I bequeath all my wealth?' He said: 'No.' I said: 'Half?' He said: 'No.' I said: 'One-third?' He said: 'One-third, and one-third is a lot. For you to leave your heirs independent of means is better than if you were to leave them poor, holding out their hands to people.'"