Chapter on the Acknowledgment of Debt by a Sick Person in Favor of an Heir
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 4|Book 1|Chapter 123
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh
Volume 4, Book 1, Chapter 123
Chapter on the Acknowledgment of Debt by a Sick Person in Favor of an Heir
وَ رَوَى عَلِيُّ بْنُ اَلنُّعْمَانِ عَنِ اِبْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنِ اَلْعَلاَءِ بَيَّاعِ اَلسَّابِرِيِّ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنِ اِمْرَأَةٍ اِسْتَوْدَعَتْ رَجُلاً مَالاً فَلَمَّا حَضَرَهَا اَلْمَوْتُ قَالَتْ لَهُ إِنَّ اَلْمَالَ اَلَّذِي دَفَعْتُهُ إِلَيْكَ لِفُلاَنَةَ وَ مَاتَتِ اَلْمَرْأَةُ فَأَتَى أَوْلِيَاؤُهَا اَلرَّجُلَ وَ قَالُوا إِنَّهُ كَانَ لِصَاحِبَتِنَا مَالٌ لاَ نَرَاهُ إِلاَّ عِنْدَكَ فَاحْلِفْ لَنَا مَا قِبَلَكَ شَيْءٌ أَ فَيَحْلِفُ لَهُمْ فَقَالَ "إِنْ كَانَتْ مَأْمُونَةً عِنْدَهُ فَلْيَحْلِفْ وَ إِنْ كَانَتْ مُتَّهَمَةً فَلاَ يَحْلِفُ وَ يَضَعُ اَلْأَمْرَ عَلَى مَا كَانَ فَإِنَّمَا لَهَا مِنْ مَالِهَا ثُلُثُهُ".
Ali ibn Al-Nu'man narrated from Ibn Muskan from Al-'Alaa, the seller of sabiri (a type of cloth), who said: I asked Abu Abdullah عليه السلام, about a woman who entrusted a man with some wealth. When death approached her, she said to him, "The wealth I gave you belongs to so-and-so," and then the woman passed away. Her heirs came to the man and said: "Our relative had wealth, and we believe it is with you. Swear to us that you have nothing of hers." Should he swear to them? Imam عليه السلام said: "If she was trustworthy in his view, then he should swear. But if she was suspect, then he should not swear and should leave the matter as it is. Indeed, she only has a right to one-third of her wealth."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh, p. 348