Bequeathing no more than one third of the property

Q: My father, Zuwayd ibn Rashid died and left behind some date-palms in Al-Ha'ir town and houses in the city of Riyadh bequeathing that Ud-hiyahs (sacrificial animals offered by non-pilgrims) be slaughtered out of their revenue. As I am illiterate and unable to dispose of the estate and as he left no property other than this Waqf (endowment), I hope that Your Eminence assigns a person to examine the documents related to the date-palms and houses left by my father so that I may be guided regarding what to do in this regard.Below are the documents referred to above:1- In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. Here came to me Zuwayd ibn Rashid. Admitting to be mentally and physically healthy, he dedicated as Waqf and to charitable purposes his date-palms located down the defile of Gharabah at the lowest strip of the town of Al-Ha'ir. He bequeathed six Ud-hiyahs out of the revenue of the date-palms; one on behalf of himself, one on behalf of his father, one on behalf of his mother, one on behalf of his brother Hussayn, one on behalf of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab, and one on behalf of his sisters Sarah and Fatimah making the total of six Ud-hiyahs to be slaughtered permanently out of the revenue of the date-palms. The will above applies to the existing date-palms as well as their production. He also bequeathed two date-palms to his wife Shamma bint Ibrahim Al-Dulayhy consisting of a date-palm of the kind of Saljah assigned for her since the date of planting and a red sprout to the direction of Qiblah assigned for her since I have married `Ula bint Hamad ibn Bakhit. (Part No. 16; Page No. 268) The revenue of the two date-palms as Ud-hiyahs will be hers permanently. Zuwayd appointed as his deputy over the Ud-hiyahs his son, `Ubayd ibn Zuwayd and afterwards the latter's sons regardless of how low in descending lineage they may be. This is witnessed by Farraj ibn Hussayn, Mardy ibn Thabit and `Abdul-Hady ibn Qurush. Moreover, its writer `Abdul-Rahman ibn `Abdul-`Aziz ibn Shibrin is a witness to the declaration. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions. Dated 17/11/1373 A.H.2- In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. Hasna' bint Fahd ibn Mansur Al Hassan declares that she sold to Zuwayd ibn Rashid a plot of her land located in Zhihrah Manfuhah for 250 Riyals which she fully received. The land is bordered from the west with the land of Mish`an, from the north with Sa`d ibn Majid, from the east with a street and from the south with clover. Thus, the sale is valid and enforceable. Hasna's declaration was witnessed by `Abul-`Aziz ibn Hamad Al-Tuwijry from Al-Qasim and was written and witnessed by `Abdul-Rahman ibn `Abdullah ibn Firyan. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions. Dated 29/8/1380 A.H.In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. Zuwayd declares that after inhabiting the above-mentioned land as his house, he dedicated it as Waqf which is to be out of a third of his wealth and that an Ud-hiyah should be slaughtered permanently out of its revenue. What remains, after the third, will be possessed after estimating the wealth of his known date-palms in Al-Ha'ir town. Two Ud-hiyahs from the revenue of the remainder after the third of the date-palms of Gharabah will be slaughtered permanently: one on behalf of his father, Rashid ibn Zuwayd (Part No. 16; Page No. 269) and his daughter, Sarah bint Rashid and the other on behalf of Zuwayd's mother, Modi bint Al-Basry and her son, Hussayn ibn Mubarak Al-Bury. If the house or date-palms produce revenue it will be for Zuwayd's children; the female receiving a share equal to that of the males out of love for females only. The deputy should be his son `Abdullah. The hidden date-palm as well as the other two date-palms should be given to those who are fasting during Ramadan. Moreover, the product of the three date-palms should be distributed every Monday and Thursday. Dedicating it as Waqf was witnessed by Nassir ibn Sa`d Jam`an and Ibrahim ibn `Ali Al-Qassumy as well as `Abdul-Rahman ibn `Abdullah ibn Firyan.May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions. Dated 15/10/1380 A.H.3- In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. Zuwayd ibn Rashid ibn Zuwayd declares that he dedicated as Waqf his house located in Zhihrah Manfuhah south of Riyadh bordered from the west with a street, from the east with the house of Mubarak ibn Fayez, from the south with the house of Hamad ibn `Abdul-Rahman Al-Shuwaydhy and from the north with the house of Hussayn ibn Salih ibn Thabit. It is a Waqf on behalf of his father replacing the Waqf of the house located in Al-Hariq town. He states that his father sold his house located in Al-Hariq for 10 Riyals. Since he donated this house which is valued at 5,000 Riyals to him, he made his maternal grandfather, Muhammad ibn Hamad Al-Basry, `Aishah bint Hamad Al Graishah and his grandfather Zuwayd Rashid as partners. They will have out of its revenue two Ud-hiyahs, one on behalf of Muhammad Al-Basry and `Aishah (Part No. 16; Page No. 270) and the other on behalf of Zuwayd ibn Rashid Al Mus`ad and Sa`idah Al Mus`ad, which will be permanently slaughtered on their behalf. A third of the house will be used in the will along with that of the house he dedicated as Waqf on behalf of himself in Zihrah. The remainder after the third shall be possessed in the known date-palms in Al-Ha'ir town. Then whoever changes the bequest after hearing it, the sin shall be on those who make the change. Truly, Allâh is All-Hearer, All-Knower. The foregoing was witnessed by its writer `Abul-Rahman ibn `Abdullah ibn Firyan.May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions. Dated 10/8/1381 A.H.

A: 1- The questioner stated that his father left no wealth but his date-palms located in Al-Ha'ir town and the above-mentioned two houses. 2- The date-palm-related document is dated 17/11/1373 A.H., the one related to the house he dedicated to his father and his partners is dated 15/10/80 A.H. and the third related to the house he dedicated to himself and his partners is dated 10/8/81 A.H. 3- The first document states that he dedicated as Waqf and to charitable purposes the revenue of his date-palms located in Al-Ha'ir town and so on. It also provides that the will above applies to the existing date-palms as well as their production. The second document states that he dedicated as Waqf the house located in Zhihrah Manfuhah that will be out of the third of his wealth. It also provides that the remainder after the third will be possessed after his wealth out of his known date-palms in Al-Ha'ir town is estimated. The (Part No. 16; Page No. 271) third document states that he dedicated his house located in Zhihrah Manfuhah as Waqf on behalf of his father to replace his Waqf in the house located in Al-Hariq town. He made some people his partners in the house. He also said that this house is included in the third of his wealth along with the house he dedicated as Waqf on behalf of himself in Zihrah and that the remainder of the third shall be possessed in his known date-palms in Al-Ha'ir town. 4- The date-palm-related document states that he bequeathed two date-palms to his wife Shamma bint Ibrahim Al-Dulaihy consisting of a date-palm of the kind of Saljah assigned for her since the date of planting and a red sprout to the direction of Qiblah assigned for her since he has married `Ula bint Hamad ibn Bakhit as Ud-hiyahs will be hers permanently. 5- He assigned out of the revenue an Ud-hiyah on his behalf, another on behalf of his father, a third on behalf of his mother and on behalf of his brother Hassan, a fourth on behalf of Shaykh Muhammad ibn `Abdul-Wahhab and fifth on behalf of his sisters Sarah and Fatimah. He also assigned out of the revenue of the first house an Ud-hiyah to be slaughtered permanently on his behalf and out of the revenue of the second house two Ud-hiyahs one on behalf of his maternal grandfather, Muhammad ibn Hamad Al-Basry and `Aishah bint Muhammad Al Graishah and the other on behalf of Zuwayd ibn Rashid Al Mus`ad and Sa`idah Al Mus`ad. 6- He also stated that the hidden date-palm as well as the other two date-palms should be given to those who are fasting during Ramadan. Moreover, the product of the three date-palms should be distributed every Monday and Thursday. (Part No. 16; Page No. 272)  7- In the second document, he provided that if the house or date-palms produce revenue it will be for Zuwayd's children the female receiving a share equal to that of two males out of love for females only. 8- He stated that his deputy is his son `Abdullah, the questioner. Examining the above-mentioned documents, the Committee replies as follows: 1- Zuwayd is entitled to bequeath only one-third of the whole estate based on the provisions of clause (3) that only one-third of his date-palms in Al-Ha'ir town will be taken and that one-third only of his house located in Manfuhah will be taken and that belonging to the wealth's one-third is also three date-palms for fasting persons. In fact, date-palms may not be dedicated as Waqf but both the writer and the one bequeathing made no distinction in wording between Waqf, bequest and charitable purposes. Therefore, the difference in wording may not affect the intended meaning. Had he intended Waqf, he would not have said at the end of the document giving mention of Waqf, "The above will". Had it been so, he would not have said that only one-third of the house shall be taken and the remainder after the one-third shall be possessed after his wealth out of his known date-palms in Al-Ha'ir town is estimated. Moreover, he would not have said in the third document: One-third of the house will be used in the will along with that of the house he dedicated as Waqf on behalf of himself in Zihrah. The remainder after the one-third shall be possessed in the known date-palms in Al-Ha'ir town. (Part No. 16; Page No. 273)  2- Deciding whether one-third should be taken out of the date-palms in Al-Ha'ir town or out of the two houses in Riyadh or both of them is up to the high court. The court shall appoint a panel to estimate all his estate and decide what of which one-third will be taken out. 3- All persons entitled to a share according to his statements will receive their shares out of the revenue of the one-third that is to be defined. If anything else remains, it will be for, as he stated, his descendants the female receiving a share equal to two males. 4- After the one-third is defined, reforming it will be given priority over those who are entitled to a share of the one-third. 5- As for his will of the two date-palms, the Saljah and the red sprout, to his wife Shamma, although they are defined and an Ud-hiyah on her behalf is taken out of their revenue, they shall not be considered among the third and shall remain as such. In case they are to be sold or transferred to another location, the deputy shall consult the court. 6- The three date-palms that are dedicated to fasting persons are included in the one-third. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.