Chapter on the Inheritance of Slaves

Hanan ibn Sadir narrated from Ibn Abi Yafur from Ishaq ibn Ammar from Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام who said: "A servant of Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام passed away. Imam Ali عليه السلام said: 'Look and see if he has any heirs.' It was said to Him عليه السلام: 'He has two daughters in Yamamah who are enslaved.' So, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام purchased them using the deceased's wealth and then gave them the remainder of the inheritance."

Muhammad ibn Abi Umayr narrated from Jameel who said: I asked Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام about a man who dies and leaves behind a son who is enslaved. Imam عليه السلام said: "His son should be purchased from his wealth, then freed, and he will inherit whatever remains."

In the narration of Ibn Muskan from Sulayman ibn Khalid, Abu Abdullah عليه السلام said: "When a man died and had a slave woman as his wife, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام would purchase her from his wealth, free her, and then grant her inheritance."

Abdullah ibn Al-Mughirah narrated from Abdullah ibn Sinan from Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام who said: "The Commander of the Faithful عليه السلام ruled regarding a man who claimed that a slave belonged to him and asserted that he was his son. Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib عليه السلام ruled that the slave should be freed from the wealth of the one who made the claim. If the claimant died and his wealth was divided before the slave was freed, then the inheritance had already preceded him. However, if the slave was freed before the division of the wealth, then he is entitled to his share of the inheritance."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Wahb ibn Abd Rabbih from Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام who said: I asked him about a man who had a slave woman (umm walad) and her child from him died. He then married her to another man, and she bore him a child. Later, that man died, and she returned to her original master. I asked: "Does he have the right to be intimate with her before marrying her?" Imam عليه السلام said: "He cannot be intimate with her until she completes the waiting period (iddah) for the deceased husband, which is four months and ten days. After that, he may be intimate with her through ownership without marriage." I asked: "What about her child from the husband?" Imam عليه السلام said: "If the deceased husband left wealth, the child should be bought for its value and then freed, and the child would inherit. If he left no wealth, the child remains with its mother in the same condition."

Al-Hasan ibn Mahbub narrated from Ali ibn Ri'ab who said that Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام said: "A slave does not inherit, and a divorced person does not inherit."

Muhammad ibn Isma'il ibn Bazi' narrated from Mansur ibn Yunus Buzurj from Jameel ibn Darraj who said: I heard Abu Abdullah عليه السلام say: "A free person and a slave do not inherit from one another."

Ali ibn Mahziyar narrated from Fadalah from Aban from Al-Fadl ibn Abd Al-Malik who said: I asked Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام about a male and female slave - do they prevent others from inheriting if they themselves do not inherit? Imam عليه السلام replied: "No."