Bequest for an heir
Assalamu alaykum,
My husband passed away last month cause of cancer. During his life he told his lawyer that all debts due to him should be given to me. Now that he passed away, will I be entitled to receive all these debts?
Answer
Wa’alaykum as Salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
May Allah forgive your husband and bless him with Jannah al-firdaws…Amin.
There are two possible scenarios;
1) Either the deceased made the bequest before being diagnosed with cancer,
2) The bequest was done after the illness.
In the case where the deceased advised his lawyer that money owing to him should be given to you, if this took place in his death-illness then it will be regarded as Wasiyyah (bequest). Any Wasiyyah made for heir is not permissible. It comes in a narration of Sunan an-Nasaai,
“Amr bin Khaarija mentions that the prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave a khutba and said, ‘Verily Allah has given everyone deserving of rights his due rights, and there is no bequest for an heir.” (Sunan an-Nasaai, 6/247)
Hence the money will be added into the estate.
If the deceased advised his lawyer before his death-illness, then it would have been conditional for you to take possession. In this case, if you gained possession of the debts during his life time, then it will be yours, as this will be regarded as a gift. But if, during his life-time you did not gain possession of the money, and it was only after his demise that the debts were paid and you gained possession of it, then it will regarded as Wasiyyah. Therefore the money will not be yours but it will be added into the estate. However if all the heirs give consent to you taking the money, then it will be permissible for you to take it.
وقال الترمذي: حديث حسن، وهو حديث مشهور تلقته العلماء بالقبول، وقال الأترازي: ونسخ الكتاب بمثله جائز عندنا، وهو حجة على الشافعي حيث يعتقد عدم جواز نسخ الكتاب بالسنة وقد انتسخ بها. )البناية شرح الهداية (13/ 389)
(ومنها) أن لا يكون وارث الموصي وقت موت الموصي، فإن كان لا تصح الوصية لما روي عن أبي قلابة – رضي الله عنه – عن رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – أنه قال «إن الله تبارك وتعالى أعطى كل ذي حق حقه، فلا وصية لوارث» وفي هذا حكاية، وهي ما حكي أن سليمان بن الأعمش – رحمه الله تعالى – كان مريضا، فعاده أبو حنيفة – رضي الله عنه – فوجده يوصي لابنيه، فقال أبو حنيفة: – رضي الله عنه – إن هذا لا يجوز، فقال: ولم يا أبا حنيفة فقال: لأنك رويت لنا أن رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – قال: «لا وصية لوارث» فقال سليمان – رحمه الله -: يا معشر الفقهاء أنتم الأطباء ونحن الصيادلة. فقد نفى الشارع – عليه الصلاة والسلام – أن يكون لوارث وصية نصا. )بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع (7/ 337)