Fath al-Rabbani

Narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever possesses wealth and wishes to make a will regarding it, it is not appropriate for him to let two nights pass except that his will should be written and kept with him.

Narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is not right for a Muslim who has wealth and wants to make a will, that three nights should pass without his will being written and kept with him." Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) says: "Since I heard this hadith, I have not let even one night pass without my will being written and kept with me."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: "Which charity is the best?" He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Certainly, certainly, you shall be informed. Its form is that when you give charity, you are healthy, desirous, hopeful of life, and fearful of poverty and hardship. And do not delay in this matter so much that when the soul reaches the throat, you begin to say: 'Give this much to so-and-so, give that much to so-and-so.' Beware, by then that wealth has already become the property of so-and-so and so-and-so."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: A man acts like the righteous people for seventy years, but when he makes a will and commits injustice in it, his end is upon the worst of deeds, because of which he enters Hell. And a man acts like the evil people for seventy years, but when he makes a will and acts justly in it, his end is upon the best of deeds, because of which he enters Paradise. Then Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, said: If you wish, recite this verse: {تِلْکَ حُدُوْدُ اللّٰہِ وَمَنْ یُّطِعِ اللّٰہَ وَرَسُوْلَہ ٗیُدْخِلْہُ جَنّٰتٍ تَجْرِیْ مِنْ تَحْتِھَا الْاَنْھَارُ خَالِدِیْنَ فِیْھَا وَذَالِکَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِیْمُ۔ وَمَنْ یَّعْصِ اللّٰہَ وَرَسُوْلَہٗ وَیَتَعَدَّ حُدُوْدَہٗ یُدْخِلْہُ نَارًا خَالِدًا فِیْھَا وَلَہُ عَذَابٌ مُہِیْنٌ۔} These are the limits set by Allah, and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, He will admit him to gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide therein forever, and that is the great success. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His limits, He will admit him to the Fire, to abide therein forever, and for such there is a humiliating punishment. (Surah An-Nisa: 13, 14)

Abu Habibah Tai narrates: He says, my brother made a will to give some wealth in charity. I met Sayyiduna Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him, "My brother made a will for me to give some wealth in charity; now to whom should I give it—to the poor, to the fighters in the cause of Allah, or to the needy?" Sayyiduna Abu Darda (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "If this wealth were mine, I would not consider anyone equal to the fighters in the cause of Allah. I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: Whoever, when death approaches him, frees a slave or gives charity, it is like a person who first satisfies himself and then gives to others." Abu Habibah said: "I also received something from that wealth."

Sayyiduna Qais bin Asim (may Allah be pleased with him) advised his sons near his death: Remain fearful of Allah, and appoint the eldest among you as your leader. Indeed, when people appoint the eldest as their leader, he becomes the successor of his father. And when I die, do not wail over me, because wailing was not done over the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).