Chapter on the Inheritance of the Hermaphrodite

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 4|Book 1|Chapter 165

Volume 4, Book 1, Chapter 165

Chapter on the Inheritance of the Hermaphrodite

5 hadiths · 1 commentary

Hadith #1

رَوَى اَلْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُوسَى اَلْخَشَّابُ عَنْ غِيَاثِ بْنِ كَلُّوبٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّ عَلِيّاً عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ كَانَ يَقُولُ: "اَلْخُنْثَى يُوَرَّثُ مِنْ حَيْثُ يَبُولُ فَإِنْ بَالَ مِنْهُمَا جَمِيعاً فَمِنْ أَيِّهِمَا سَبَقَ اَلْبَوْلُ وُرِّثَ مِنْهُ فَإِنْ مَاتَ وَ لَمْ يَبُلْ فَنِصْفُ عَقْلِ اَلرَّجُلِ وَ نِصْفُ عَقْلِ اَلْمَرْأَةِ".

Al-Hasan ibn Musa Al-Khasshab narrated from Ghiyath ibn Kallub from Ishaq ibn Ammar from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib used to say: "The hermaphrodite is given inheritance based on the place from which they urinate. If they urinate from both, then inheritance is determined by whichever one the urine exits from first. If they die without urinating, then they are assigned half the blood money of a man and half the blood money of a woman."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Hadith #2

وَ رَوَى اَلسَّكُونِيُّ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: "أَنَّ عَلِيَّ بْنَ أَبِي طَالِبٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ كَانَ يُوَرِّثُ اَلْخُنْثَى فَيَعُدُّ أَضْلاَعَهُ فَإِنْ كَانَتْ أَضْلاَعُهُ نَاقِصَةً مِنْ أَضْلاَعِ اَلنِّسَاءِ بِضِلْعٍ وَرَّثَ مِيرَاثَ اَلرَّجُلِ لِأَنَّ اَلرَّجُلَ تَنْقُصُ أَضْلاَعُهُ، عَنْ ضِلْعِ اَلنِّسَاءِ بِضِلْعٍ لِأَنَّ حَوَّاءَ خُلِقَتْ مِنْ ضِلْعِ آدَمَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ اَلْقُصْوَى اَلْيُسْرَى فَنَقَصَ مِنْ أَضْلاَعِهِ ضِلْعٌ وَاحِدٌ".

Al-Sakuni narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir that Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib used to determine the inheritance of a hermaphrodite by counting their ribs. If their ribs were fewer than the ribs of women by one rib, he would allocate to them the inheritance of a man, because a man has one rib less than a woman. This is because Hawwa (Eve) was created from the leftmost rib of Adam , and thus one rib was missing from his ribs.

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Commentary #1

قَالَ مُصَنِّفُ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ إِنَّ حَوَّاءَ خُلِقَتْ مِنْ فَضْلَةِ الطِّينَةِ الَّتِي خُلِقَ مِنْهَا آدَمُ ع وَ كَانَتْ تِلْكَ الطِّينَةُ مُبْقَاةً مِنْ طِينَةِ أَضْلَاعِهِ لَا أَنَّهَا خُلِقَتْ مِنْ ضِلْعِهِ بَعْدَ مَا أُكْمِلَ خَلْقُهُ فَأُخِذَ ضِلْعٌ مِنْ أَضْلَاعِهِ الْيُسْرَى فَخُلِقَتْ مِنْهَا وَ لَوْ كَانَ كَمَا يَقُولُ الْجُهَّالُ لَكَانَ لِمُتَكَلِّمٍ مِنْ أَهْلِ التَّشْنِيعِ طَرِيقٌ إِلَى أَنْ يَقُولَ إِنَّ آدَمَ كَانَ يَنْكِحُ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضاً وَ هَكَذَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ النَّخْلَةَ مِنْ فَضْلَةِ طِينَةِ آدَمَ ع وَ كَذَلِكَ الْحَمَامُ فَلَوْ كَانَ ذَلِكَ كُلُّهُ مَأْخُوذاً مِنْ جَسَدِهِ بَعْدَ إِكْمَالِ خَلْقِهِ لَمَا جَازَ أَنْ يَنْكِحَ حَوَّاءَ فَيَكُونَ قَدْ نَكَحَ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضاً وَ لَا جَازَ لَهُ أَنْ يَأْكُلَ التَّمْرَ لِأَنَّهُ كَانَ يَكُونُ قَدْ أَكَلَ بَعْضَهُ وَ كَذَلِكَ الْحَمَامُ.

The author of this book, may Allah have mercy on him, said: Indeed, Hawwa (Eve) was created from the leftover clay from which Adam was created. That clay was preserved from the clay of his ribs, not that she was created from his rib after his creation was completed and a rib from his left ribs was taken to create her. Had it been as the ignorant claim, it would have given critics an opportunity to say that Adam married a part of himself. Similarly, Allah , the Mighty and Majestic, created the date palm from the leftover clay of Adam , and likewise the pigeons. If all of this had been taken from his body after his creation was complete, it would not have been permissible for him to marry Hawwa, for it would mean he married a part of himself. Nor would it have been permissible for him to eat dates, for that would imply he consumed a part of himself, and the same applies to the pigeons.

Hadith #3

وَ لِذَلِكَ قَالَ اَلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ: فِي اَلنَّخْلَةِ "اِسْتَوْصُوا بِعَمَّتِكُمْ خَيْراً".

For this reason, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) said regarding the date palms: "Treat your paternal aunt (metaphorical) well."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Hadith #4

وَ رَوَى عَاصِمُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ قَيْسٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: "إِنَّ شُرَيْحاً اَلْقَاضِيَ بَيْنَمَا هُوَ فِي مَجْلِسِ اَلْقَضَاءِ إِذْ أَتَتْهُ اِمْرَأَةٌ فَقَالَتْ أَيُّهَا اَلْقَاضِي اِقْضِ بَيْنِي وَ بَيْنَ خَصْمِي فَقَالَ لَهَا وَ مَنْ خَصْمُكِ قَالَتْ أَنْتَ قَالَ أَفْرِجُوا لَهَا فَأَفْرَجُوا لَهَا فَدَخَلَتْ فَقَالَ لَهَا مَا ظُلاَمَتُكِ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّ لِي مَا لِلرِّجَالِ وَ مَا لِلنِّسَاءِ قَالَ شُرَيْحٌ فَإِنَّ أَمِيرَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقْضِي عَلَى اَلْمَبَالِ قَالَتْ فَإِنِّي أَبُولُ بِهِمَا جَمِيعاً وَ يَسْكُنَانِ مَعاً قَالَ شُرَيْحٌ وَ اَللَّهِ مَا سَمِعْتُ بِأَعْجَبَ مِنْ هَذَا قَالَتْ وَ أَعْجَبُ مِنْ هَذَا قَالَ وَ مَا هُوَ قَالَتْ جَامَعَنِي زَوْجِي فَوَلَدْتُ مِنْهُ وَ جَامَعْتُ جَارِيَتِي فَوَلَدَتْ مِنِّي فَضَرَبَ شُرَيْحٌ إِحْدَى يَدَيْهِ عَلَى اَلْأُخْرَى مُتَعَجِّباً ثُمَّ جَاءَ إِلَى أَمِيرِ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ لَقَدْ وَرَدَ عَلَيَّ شَيْءٌ مَا سَمِعْتُ بِأَعْجَبَ مِنْهُ ثُمَّ قَصَّ عَلَيْهِ قِصَّةَ اَلْمَرْأَةِ فَسَأَلَهَا أَمِيرُ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَقَالَتْ هُوَ كَمَا ذَكَرَ فَقَالَ لَهَا "وَ مَنْ زَوْجُكِ" قَالَتْ فُلاَنٌ فَبَعَثَ إِلَيْهِ فَدَعَاهُ فَقَالَ "أَ تَعْرِفُ هَذِهِ" قَالَ نَعَمْ هِيَ زَوْجَتِي فَسَأَلَهُ عَمَّا قَالَتْ فَقَالَ هُوَ كَذَلِكَ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ "لَأَنْتَ أَجْرَأُ مِنْ رَاكِبِ اَلْأَسَدِ حَيْثُ تُقْدِمُ عَلَيْهَا بِهَذِهِ اَلْحَالِ" ثُمَّ قَالَ "يَا قَنْبَرُ أَدْخِلْهَا بَيْتاً مَعَ اِمْرَأَةٍ فَعُدَّ أَضْلاَعَهَا" فَقَالَ زَوْجُهَا يَا أَمِيرَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ لاَ آمَنُ عَلَيْهَا رَجُلاً وَ لاَ أَئْتَمِنُ عَلَيْهَا اِمْرَأَةً فَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ "عَلَيَّ بِدِينَارٍ اَلْخَصِيِّ " وَ كَانَ مِنْ صَالِحِي أَهْلِ اَلْكُوفَةِ وَ كَانَ يَثِقُ بِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ "يَا دِينَارُ أَدْخِلْهَا بَيْتاً وَ عَرِّهَا مِنْ ثِيَابِهَا وَ مُرْهَا أَنْ تَشُدَّ مِئْزَراً وَ عُدَّ أَضْلاَعَهَا" فَفَعَلَ دِينَارٌ ذَلِكَ وَ كَانَ أَضْلاَعُهَا سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ تِسْعَةٌ فِي اَلْيَمِينِ وَ ثَمَانِيَةٌ فِي اَلْيَسَارِ فَأَلْبَسَهَا عَلِيٌّ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ ثِيَابَ اَلرِّجَالِ وَ اَلْقَلَنْسُوَةَ وَ اَلنَّعْلَيْنِ وَ أَلْقَى عَلَيْهِ اَلرِّدَاءَ وَ أَلْحَقَهُ بِالرِّجَالِ فَقَالَ زَوْجُهَا يَا أَمِيرَ اَلْمُؤْمِنِينَ اِبْنَةُ عَمِّي وَ قَدْ وَلَدَتْ مِنِّي تُلْحِقُهَا بِالرِّجَالِ فَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ "إِنِّي حَكَمْتُ عَلَيْهَا بِحُكْمِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ إِنَّ اَللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى خَلَقَ حَوَّاءَ مِنْ ضِلْعِ آدَمَ اَلْأَيْسَرِ اَلْأَقْصَى وَ أَضْلاَعُ اَلرِّجَالِ تَنْقُصُ وَ أَضْلاَعُ اَلنِّسَاءِ تَمَامٌ" ".

Asim ibn Humaid narrated from Muhammad ibn Qays from Abu Jafar Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir who said: "Shurayh the judge was once sitting in his court when a woman approached him and said: 'O' judge, rule between me and my opponent.' He (Shurayh) asked her: 'And who is your opponent?' She replied: 'You.' Shurayh said: 'Make way for her,' so they made space, and she entered. He (Shurayh) asked her: 'What is your grievance?' She said: 'I possess what belongs to men and what belongs to women.' Shurayh said: 'The Commander of the Faithful rules according to how one urinates.' She replied: 'I urinate from both, and both function together.' Shurayh said: 'By Allah , I have never heard anything more astonishing than this.' She said: 'And there is something even more astonishing.' He asked: 'And what is that?' She said: 'My husband had intercourse with me, and I bore him a child, and I had intercourse with my female servant, and she bore me a child.' Shurayh struck one of his hands against the other in amazement and then went to the Commander of the Faithful and said: 'O' Commander of the Faithful, something has come before me that I have never heard of anything more astonishing.' He (Shurayh) then narrated the woman's story to Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib . The Commander of the Faithful asked the woman about it, and she confirmed it. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib asked her: 'And who is your husband?' She replied: 'So-and-so.' Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib sent for the man and asked him: 'Do you know this woman?' He replied: 'Yes, she is my wife.' Imam Ali then questioned him about what she had said, and the man confirmed it. Imam Ali said to him: 'You are bolder than a lion rider for approaching her in this condition.'" Then Imam Ali said: "O' Qanbar, take her into a room with a woman and count her ribs." Her husband said: "O' Commander of the Faithful , I do not feel secure leaving her with a man, nor do I trust leaving her with a woman." Imam Ali said: "Bring me Dinar, the eunuch," who was among the righteous people of Kufa and whom Imam Ali trusted. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib said to him: "O' Dinar, take her into a room, have her remove her clothing, instruct her to wrap herself with a waistcloth, and count her ribs." Dinar did so and found that she had seventeen ribs - nine on the right side and eight on the left. Then Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib dressed her in men's clothing, placed a cap on her head, gave her sandals, draped a cloak over her, and asigned her among the men. Her husband said: "O' Commander of the Faithful , she is my cousin, and she has borne me a child, and now you are assigning her among the men?" Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib replied: "I have ruled over her with the judgment of Allah , the Mighty and Majestic. Indeed, Allah , Blessed and Exalted, created Hawwa (Eve) from the farthest left rib of Adam, and the ribs of men are fewer, whereas the ribs of women are complete."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh

Hadith #5

وَ رَوَى اَلْحَسَنُ بْنُ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ أَوْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ صَالِحٍ عَنِ اَلْفُضَيْلِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ مَوْلُودٍ لَيْسَ لَهُ مَا لِلرِّجَالِ وَ لَيْسَ لَهُ مَا لِلنِّسَاءِ قَالَ "هَذَا يُقْرِعُ عَلَيْهِ اَلْإِمَامُ يَكْتُبُ عَلَى سَهْمٍ عَبْدَ اَللَّهِ وَ يَكْتُبُ عَلَى سَهْمٍ آخَرَ أَمَةَ اَللَّهِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ اَلْإِمَامُ أَوِ اَلْمُقْرِعُ: اَللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ اَللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ "عٰالِمَ اَلْغَيْبِ وَ اَلشَّهٰادَةِ أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبٰادِكَ فِي مٰا كٰانُوا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ" بَيِّنْ لَنَا أَمْرَ هَذَا اَلْمَوْلُودِ حَتَّى يُوَرَّثَ مَا فَرَضْتَ لَهُ فِي كِتَابِكَ، ثُمَّ يَطْرَحُ اَلسَّهْمَيْنِ فِي سِهَامٍ مُبْهَمَةٍ ثُمَّ تُجَالُ فَأَيُّهُمَا خَرَجَ وُرِّثَ عَلَيْهِ".

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Jameel ibn Darraj or Jameel ibn Salih from Al-Fudayl ibn Yasar who said: I asked Abu Abdullah about a newborn who has neither the characteristics of males nor females. Imam said: "In this case, the Imam will cast lots. He will write on one lot 'Servant of Allah ' (Abdullah) and on another lot 'Maidservant of Allah ' (Amatullah). Then the Imam or the one drawing the lots will say: 'O' Allah , You are Allah , there is no God but You . Knower of the unseen and the seen, You judge between Your servants in what they differ. Clarify for us the matter of this newborn so that we may allot the inheritance You have prescribed for them in Your Book'. Then the two lots will be placed among other unidentified lots, and whichever one is drawn will determine how the child inherits."

Shaykh Baqir al-Behbudi
Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 371