Ownership of a bequeathed asset after the death of the testator and death of beneficiary
The question, as received
The beneficiary of a bequest died before getting the bequeathed asset. What happens to the asset now? Whose estate is it part of [Question published as received.]
The answer
Although the beneficiary died before taking possession and receipt of the bequeathed asset, the bequeathed asset becomes a part of the beneficiary’s estate so long as the beneficiary did not reject the asset after the death of the testator.
Condition: Applies so long as the beneficiary did not reject the bequest after the testator’s death.
Fiqh basis
For the conclusion of a bequest (waṣiyyah), acceptance is necessary. Acceptance must manifest after the death of the testator (mūṣī). Any rejection or acceptance during the lifetime of the testator is invalid. Ownership is established upon the acceptance of the beneficiary (mūṣā lahū) following the death of the testator. This principle, along with the forthcoming exception, has been mentioned in the most authoritative sources of the Ḥanafī Madhhab, including al-Qudūrī (d.428 AH), Abū al-Barakāt al-Nasafī (d.710 AH), and the al-Multaqā’ of al-Ḥalabī (d. 956 AH).
However, an exception arises when the beneficiary dies before acceptance but after the death of the testator. In this case, the beneficiary is considered to have assumed ownership of the bequeathed asset (mūṣā bihī), and therefore, it becomes a part of their (mūṣā lahū)’s estate.
The analogical line of reasoning (qiyās) would suggest that the bequest becomes void, as explained above, since establishing ownership is dependent on acceptance. However, the Fuqahā’ have ruled at this juncture with an exception and juristic preference (istiḥsān), stating that the bequeathed asset is understood to have changed ownership to the beneficiary. The basis for Istiḥsān is that the bequest from the testator, is considered complete upon their death, and cannot be revoked. The suspension of the bequest was only for the right of the beneficiary. Thus, when the beneficiary dies, the bequeathed asset enters their ownership.
The Fuqahā’ further draw a similarity between this ruling and the ruling when a stipulated option to cancel (Khiyār al-Sharṭ) is inserted into a contract but the option holder dies during the option period without ratifying the transaction. The ruling here would also be that the sale is understood to have been concluded in its absolute form. This has been brilliantly explained by al-Atqānī (d.708 AH) in his commentary (al-Ghāyah) of the Hidāyah and further corroborated by Ibn Ābīdīn (d.1252 AH).
In conclusion, although the analogical reasoning (qiyās) would suggest that the bequest becomes void if the beneficiary dies before accepting it, the jurists have ruled based on istiḥsān that the bequeathed asset will still enter the ownership of the beneficiary’s heirs.
And Allah knows best.
Maulana Ammar Y Badat
Reviewed and approved by Mufti Faraz Adam
References
الْقَبُولِ)، وَهَذَا اسْتِحْسَانٌ وَالْقِيَاسُ أَنْ تَبْطُلَ الْوَصِيَّةُ لِمَا بَيَّنَّا أَنَّ أَحَدًا لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَى إثْبَاتِ الْمِلْكِ بِدُونِ اخْتِيَارِهِ فَصَارَ كَمَوْتِ الْمُشْتَرِي قَبْلَ الْقَبُولِ بَعْدَ إيجَابِ الْبَائِعِ وَجْهُ الِاسْتِحْسَانِ أَنَّ الْوَصِيَّةَ مِنْ جَانِبِ الْمُوصِي قَدْ تَمَّتْ بِمَوْتِهِ تَمَامًا لَا يَلْحَقُهُ الْفَسْخُ مِنْ جِهَتِهِ، وَإِنَّمَا يَتَوَقَّفُ لِحَقِّ الْمُوصَى لَهُ فَإِذَا مَاتَ دَخَلَ فِي مِلْكِهِ كَمَا فِي الْبَيْعِ الْمَشْرُوطِ فِيهِ الْخِيَارُ لِلْمُشْتَرِي أَوْ الْبَائِعِ ثُمَّ مَاتَ مَنْ لَهُ الْخِيَارُ (تبيين الحقائق)
قَالَ (إلَّا فِي مَسْأَلَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَهِيَ أَنْ يَمُوتَ الْمُوصِي ثُمَّ يَمُوتَ الْمُوصَى لَهُ قَبْلَ الْقَبُولِ فَيَدْخُلُ الْمُوصَى بِهِ فِي مِلْكِ وَرَثَتِهِ) اسْتِحْسَانًا، وَالْقِيَاسُ أَنْ تَبْطُلَ الْوَصِيَّةُ لِمَا بَيَّنَّا أَنَّ الْمِلْكَ مَوْقُوفٌ عَلَى الْقَبُولِ فَصَارَ كَمَوْتِ الْمُشْتَرِي قَبْلَ قَبُولِهِ بَعْدَ إيجَابِ الْبَائِعِ. وَجْهُ الِاسْتِحْسَانِ أَنَّ الْوَصِيَّةَ مِنْ جَانِبِ الْمُوصِي قَدْ تَمَّتْ بِمَوْتِهِ تَمَامًا لَا يَلْحَقُهُ الْفَسْخُ مِنْ جِهَتِهِ، وَإِنَّمَا تَوَقَّفَتْ لِحَقِّ الْمُوصَى لَهُ، فَإِذَا مَاتَ دَخَلَ فِي مِلْكِهِ كَمَا فِي الْبَيْعِ الْمَشْرُوطِ فِيهِ الْخِيَارُ إذَا مَاتَ قَبْلَ الْإِجَازَةِ. (العناية)
وَلَا بُد فِي الْوَصِيَّة من الْقبُول وَيعْتَبر بعد موت الْمُوصي وَلَا اعْتِبَار بِالرَّدِّ وَالْقَبُول فِي حَيَاته وَبِه تملك إِلَّا أَن يَمُوت الْمُوصى لَهُ بعد موت الْمُوصي قبل الْقبُول فَإِنَّهُ يملكهَا وَتصير لوَرثَته (ملتقى الأبحر)
وإذا اشترى الرجل بَيْعًا على أنه بالخيار ثلاثة أيام ثم مات المشتري قبل أن يختار فإن خياره ينقطع إذا مات، والبيع ماض. ألا ترى أن البيع قد كان لزمه غير أن للمشتري مشيئة في رده، فإذا مات لم تحول مشيئته إلى غيره (الأصل)
الْمُوصِي ثُمَّ يَمُوتُ الْمُوصَى لَهُ قَبْلَ الْقَبُولِ فَيَدْخُلُ الْمُوصَى بِهِ فِي مِلْكِ وَرَثَةِ الْمُوصَى لَهُ) لِأَنَّ الْوَصِيَّةَ قَدْ تَمَّتْ مِنْ جَانِبِ الْمُوصِي بِمَوْتِهِ تَمَامًا لَا يَلحقُهُ الْفَسْخُ مِنْ جِهَتِهِ وَإِنَّمَا تُوقَفُ لِحَقِّ الْمُوصَى لَهُ فَإِذَا مَاتَ دَخَلَ فِي مِلْكِهِ كَمَا فِي الْبَيْعِ الْمَشْرُوطِ فِيهِ الْخِيَارُ لِلْمُشْتَرِي إذَا مَاتَ قَبْلَ الْإِجَازَةِ (الجوهرة)
(قَوْلُهُ وَإِذَا مَاتَ مَنْ لَهُ الْخِيَارُ بَطَلَ خِيَارُهُ) وَتَمَّ الْبَيْعُ مِنْ قِبَلِهِ أَيُّهُمَا كَانَ لِأَنَّ بِالْمَوْتِ يَنْقَطِعُ الْخِيَارُ وَقَطْعُهُ يُوجِبُ تَمَامَ الْبَيْعِ كَمَا لَوْ انْقَضَتْ الْمُدَّةُ (الجوهرة)
(إلَّا إذَا مَاتَ مُوصِيهِ ثُمَّ هُوَ بِلَا قَبُولِهَا فَهُوَ) أَيْ الْمَالُ الْمُوصَى بِهِ (لِوَرَثَتِهِ) بِلَا قَبُولٍ اسْتِحْسَانًا كَمَا مَرَّ وَكَذَا لَوْ أَوْصَى لِلْجَنِينِ يَدْخُلُ فِي مِلْكِهِ بِلَا قَبُولٍ اسْتِحْسَانًا لِعَدَمِ مَنْ يَلِي عَلَيْهِ لِيَقْبَلَ عَنْهُ كَمَا مَرَّ (حاشية ابن عابدين)
Based on the Hanafi school and on the question as it was asked. Another mufti may reach a different conclusion. Read the disclaimer.