Hadith 14

Sahih Bukhari

Book 55: Wills and Testaments (Wasaayaa)

Chapter 9

The explanantion of the Statement of Allah Taa'la: "... After payment of legacies that they may have bequeathed or debts..."

بَابُ تَأْوِيلِ قَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصِي بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ}

The Prophet ﷺ is reported to have judged that the debt should be paid before the execution of the will. The Statement of Allah عز وجل: "Verily! Allah commands that you should render back the trusts of those, to whom they are due;…" (V.4:58). So, returning the trust must take precedence over the execution of the voluntary will. The Prophet ﷺ said, "No giving in charity is recommended except if one is wealthy." Ibn Abbas said, "A slave cannot make a will without his master's consent." The Prophet ﷺ said, "A slave is a guardian of the property of his master."
وَيُذْكَرُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَضَى بِالدَّيْنِ قَبْلَ الْوَصِيَّةِ. وَقَوْلِهِ: {إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الأَمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا}، فَأَدَاءُ الأَمَانَةِ أَحَقُّ مِنْ تَطَوُّعِ الْوَصِيَّةِ. وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لاَ صَدَقَةَ إِلاَّ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى». وَقَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ لاَ يُوصِي الْعَبْدُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهِ. وَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «الْعَبْدُ رَاعٍ فِي مَالِ سَيِّدِهِ».
Sahih al-Bukhari 2751
حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ السَّخْتِيَانِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَالِمٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏ كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَمَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ، وَالإِمَامُ رَاعٍ وَمَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ، وَالرَّجُلُ رَاعٍ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَمَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ، وَالْمَرْأَةُ فِي بَيْتِ زَوْجِهَا رَاعِيَةٌ وَمَسْئُولَةٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهَا، وَالْخَادِمُ فِي مَالِ سَيِّدِهِ رَاعٍ وَمَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ وَحَسِبْتُ أَنْ قَدْ قَالَ ‏"‏ وَالرَّجُلُ رَاعٍ فِي مَالِ أَبِيهِ ‏"‏‏.‏
Ibn `Umar:

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "All of you are guardians and responsible for your charges: the Ruler (i.e. Imam) is a guardian and responsible for his subjects; and a man is a guardian of his family and is responsible for his charges; and a lady is a guardian in the house of her husband and is responsible for her charge; and a servant is a guardian of the property of his master and is responsible for his charge." I think he also said, "And a man is a guardian of the property of his father."