Is the bequest for a foetus from a dying grandfather valid?

In his commentary on the ‘Hidāyah’, Imam al-Atqānī (d.758 AH) outlines several conditions for a bequest to be considered valid. These are:

1. The person making the bequest must be eligible to engage in gratuitous transactions.
2. The total value of the bequest must not exceed one third of the deceased’s total assets.
3. The recipient of the bequest must not be among the deceased’s heirs.
4. The recipient of the bequest must not be a murderer.
5. The recipient must exist at the time the bequest is made.ⁱ

As long as the parent of the unborn child, who is the child of the dying grandfather, is alive, the unborn child would not be considered among the grandfather’s heirs. Additionally, the Fuqahā’, including Imam al-Atqānī (d.758 AH), mention that the criterion for determining whether the recipient of the bequest existed at the time of the bequest is to ascertain if the child is born within six months of the bequest being made. This timeframe is significant because it represents the shortest duration of a pregnancy. Therefore, if the baby is born after six months, there is a possibility that the foetus was not in existence at the time the bequest was made. This is because a foetus is among those entities capable of holding rights. Similar to how a foetus can inherit in certain situations, it can also be the recipient of a bequest. The scholars emphasise the parallels between inheritance and bequest, referring to the bequest as the sister of inheritance.ⁱⁱ

As science and technology have progressed, we can now confirm the presence of a foetus in other ways. This means that strictly adhering to the six-month limit might not be necessary anymore, as long as we can prove the foetus existed when the bequest was made. Imam al-Atqānī (d.758 AH) quoted Imam al-Isbījābī (d.591 AH), stating that leaving a bequest for a foetus is permissible as long as it can be proven that the foetus is alive. The traditional method was waiting for 6 months to ensure the baby was present in the womb. The main focus was to ensure the baby’s presence. In the past, technology was limited, but now, with advancements, we can determine foetal presence in other ways. The main principle the Fuqahā’ were interested in is still being met, albeit through different means.ⁱⁱⁱ

Note: It has been assumed that the other conditions for a bequest to be valid have been met.