Those drowned together: those who made them heirs of one another

Abu al-Minhal reports that Sayyiduna Iyas bin Abd al-Muzani (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about people upon whom a house collapsed so that they all died. He said that they are heirs of one another.

Qatan bin Abdullah al-Dabbi said: A woman travelled on the Euphrates and her son was with her, and they both drowned, and it was not known which of the two died before the other. We came to Shurayh and informed him of this. He said: Make each of the two the heir of the other, and do not return to either of them anything of the wealth that he inherited from the other.

Amr bin Amr al-Jushami reports that Abdullah bin Utbah, who was a judge in the time of Sayyiduna Ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him), declared those who drowned to be heirs of one another.

Simak reports through a man from Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he made people who had drowned heirs of one another.

Abu Hasin said: Some people drowned from the bridge of the city of "Manbij", and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) made them heirs of one another. Sufyan said: I asked Abu Hasin: Did you hear this from al-Sha'bi? He said: Yes!

Al-Harith reports that the people of a household drowned while travelling in a boat, and Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) made them heirs of one another.

Abidah said: A house collapsed upon some people, or some people died in a plague, and Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) made them heirs of one another.

Al-Hurays al-Bajali reports from his father that a father and son, or two brothers, were killed together in the battle of Siffin, and it could not be known which of them was killed first, so Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) made the two of them heirs of one another.

Qabisah bin Dhu'ayb said: A plague broke out in Syria, and all the members of a household would die. Sayyiduna Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote that the upper one is to be made heir of the lower one, and if that is not the situation, they are to be made heirs of one another.

Sa'id said: Making the upper one heir of the lower one means that one of them would die having placed his hand on another at his side.

Qatadah reports that the same meaning is transmitted from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him).

Mansur reports that Ibrahim says regarding people who die in such a way that it is not known who among them died first, that they are to be made heirs of one another.

Mansur said: There is no harm in beginning with whichever of them you wish when you make them heirs of one another.