Chapter on Endowments, Charity, and Gifts
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 4|Book 1|Chapter 127
وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْفَرَجِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَعْبَدٍ قَالَ: كَتَبَ إِلَيْهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ فِي سَنَةِ ثَلاَثٍ وَ ثَلاَثِينَ وَ مِائَتَيْنِ يَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ مَاتَ وَ خَلَّفَ اِمْرَأَةً وَ بَنِينَ وَ بَنَاتٍ وَ خَلَّفَ لَهُمْ غُلاَماً أَوْقَفَهُ عَلَيْهِمْ عَشْرَ سِنِينَ ثُمَّ هُوَ حُرٌّ بَعْدَ اَلْعَشْرِ سِنِينَ هَلْ يَجُوزُ لِهَؤُلاَءِ اَلْوَرَثَةِ بَيْعُ هَذَا اَلْغُلاَمِ وَ هُمْ مُضْطَرُّونَ إِذَا كَانَ عَلَى مَا وَصَفْتُهُ لَكَ جَعَلَنِيَ اَللَّهُ فِدَاكَ فَكَتَبَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ "لاَ يَبِيعُونَهُ إِلَى مِيقَاتِ شَرْطِهِ إِلاَّ أَنْ يَكُونُوا مُضْطَرِّينَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ جَائِزٌ لَهُمْ".
Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub narrated from Muhammad ibn Al-Faraj from Ali ibn Mabad, who said: Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Ibrahim wrote to Imam عليه السلام in the year 233 AH, asking about a man who passed away and left behind a wife, sons, and daughters. He had also left them a servant (ghulam) whom he had endowed for them for ten years, after which the servant would become free. He asked: "Is it permissible for these heirs to sell this servant if they are in need, given the situation I described to you? May Allah سبحانه وتعالى make me your ransom." Imam عليه السلام wrote in reply: "They should not sell him until the appointed time of his condition (the ten years) unless they are in severe need. In that case, it is permissible for them to sell him."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh