Hadith 161

10. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mubarak from ‘Abd Allah ibn Jabalah from Sama‘ah from abu Basir who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a. s. ), about the case of a man who has a son; if he can give his assets to his relatives. He (the Imam) said, ‘They are his assets, he can do to them whatever he wants until death comes upon him; the owner can do whatever he wants as long as he is alive. He can give it as a gift or charity, or he can leave it until his death comes. If he makes a will it only applies to one-third of his legacy. It is more excellent for him not to neglect those who are his dependent and he must not harm the heirs. It is narrated that the Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, once criticized a man of al-Ansar who set free his slaves and no one was left for him, saying, ‘He has left behind small children to beg from people. ’”