How Much Wealth Can Be Bequeathed in a Will?
Source: Fatāwā Amunpūrī by Shaykh Ghulām Muṣṭafā Ẓahīr Amunpūrī
❖ Question
How much of one’s wealth can be given in a will (waṣiyyah)?
❖ Answer
A person who has heirs may bequeath up to one-third (⅓) of his wealth. If he makes a will beyond this limit, the excess is not valid. Also, making a will in favor of an heir is not permissible.
However, during one’s lifetime, a person has complete control over both movable and immovable property and may gift all, half, or one-third to whomever he wishes.
❖ Evidence from Ḥadīth
◈ Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqāṣ (RA) reported:
He said:
((إني رجل ذو مال، وليس يرثني إلا ابنة لي واحدة، أفأتصدق بثلثي مالي؟ قال: لا، قلت: أفأتصدق بنصفه؟ قال: لا، قلت: الثلث؟ قال: الثلث، والثلث كثير، إنك أن تذر ورثتك أغنياء خير من أن تذرهم عالة يتكففون الناس))
“I was very ill in Makkah and near death. The Prophet ﷺ came to visit me. I said: O Messenger of Allah, I have much wealth, and my only heir is a daughter. Shall I give two-thirds in charity? He said: No. I asked: Half? He said: No. I asked: One-third? He said: One-third, and one-third is much. To leave your heirs wealthy is better than to leave them poor, begging from people.”
— Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6373, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1628, al-Muntaqā of Ibn al-Jārūd 947
◈ ʿImrān ibn Ḥuṣayn (RA) reported:
((إن رجلا أعتق عند موته ستة مملوكين له، لم يكن له مال غيرهم، فدعا بهم رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم فجزأهم ثلاثة أجزاء، ثم أقرع بينهم، فأعتق اثنين، وأرق أربعة، وقال فيه قولا شديدا))
“A man, at the time of his death, freed six of his slaves, while he had no wealth besides them. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ divided them into three groups, then drew lots and freed two of them and kept four as slaves. He ﷺ then spoke harshly about that man.”
— Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1668, al-Muntaqā of Ibn al-Jārūd 948
❖ Scholarly Consensus
◈ Imām Ibn al-ʿArabī (d. 543H):
((قد اتفق العلماء على أن من له وارث فليس له أن يوصي بأكثر من ثلثه))
“The scholars are unanimously agreed that whoever has heirs may not bequeath more than one-third of his wealth.”
— al-Masālik fī Sharḥ Muwaṭṭaʾ Mālik 6/482
Conclusion
- Maximum permissible will: one-third (⅓) of the estate.
- It is invalid to make a will exceeding one-third.
- No will is allowed in favor of heirs.
- In lifetime, a person may freely gift his wealth as he wishes.
