Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah

Is it permissible to appoint a non-Muslim as the executor of the will?

· 11 Shaʻban 1434 AH1 min readFatwa 25841English

Question

I am assisting a Muslim client with his Will.

It is his intention is to comply fully with the requirements as laid down by Shariah, in the preparation and execution of his Will.

He is very friendly with his Attorney, who unfortunately is not a Muslim. He also has a very close and long standing relationship with his Attorney. He would like to appoint his Attorney as the Executor to his Will.

Would this be permissible according to Shariah?

Answer

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

A Muslim is not allowed to appoint a non-Muslim as the executor of his will.[1]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Abdul Azīm bin Abdur Rahman,
Student Darul Iftaa
U.S.A.

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Husain Kadodia.

References (Arabic / Urdu sources)

[1] قَالَ - رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ - (وَإِلَى عَبْدٍ وَكَافِرٍ وَفَاسِقٍ بَدَّلَ بِغَيْرِهِمْ) أَيْ إذَا أَوْصَى إلَى هَؤُلَاءِ الْمَذْكُورِينَ أَخْرَجَهُمْ الْقَاضِي وَيَسْتَبْدِلُ غَيْرَهُمْ مَكَانَهُمْ وَأَشَارَ الْمُصَنِّفُ إلَى شُرُوطِ الْوِلَايَةِ فَالْأَوَّلُ: الْحُرِّيَّةُ، وَالثَّانِي: الْإِسْلَامُ.

وَالثَّالِثُ: الْعَدَالَةُ فَلَوْ وَلَّى مَنْ ذُكِرَ صَحَّ وَيَسْتَبْدِلُ غَيْرَهُ وَذَكَرَ الْقُدُورِيُّ أَنَّ لِلْقَاضِي أَنْ يُخْرِجَهُمْ عَنْ الْوَصِيَّةِ وَهَذَا يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّ الْوِلَايَةَ صَحِيحَةٌ؛ لِأَنَّ الْإِخْرَاجَ يَكُونُ بَعْدَ الدُّخُولِ (البحر الرائق، ج 8، ص 459، سعيد)

(قَوْلُهُ وَكَافِرٍ) أَيْ ذِمِّيٍّ أَوْ حَرْبِيٍّ أَوْ مُسْتَأْمَنٍ عِنَايَةٌ أَوْ مُرْتَدٍّ كَمَا يُعْلَمُ مِمَّا يَأْتِي (قَوْلُهُ وَفَاسِقٍ) أَيْ مُخَوَّفٍ مِنْهُ عَلَى الْمَالِ قُهُسْتَانِيٌّ (قَوْلُهُ بَدَّلَ) أَيْ وُجُوبًا بِحُرٍّ مُسْلِمٍ صَالِحٍ لِأَنَّ الْعَبْدَ يُحْجَرُ، وَالْكَافِرُ عَدُوٌّ، وَالْفَاسِقُ مُتَّهَمٌ بِالْخِيَانَةِ قُهُسْتَانِيٌّ (قَوْلُهُ وَلَفْظُ بَدَّلَ يُفِيدُ صِحَّةَ الْوَصِيَّةِ) وَعِبَارَةُ الْقُدُورِيِّ: أَخْرَجَهُمْ الْقَاضِي، قَالَ فِي الْهِدَايَةِ هَذَا يُشِيرُ إلَى صِحَّةِ الْوَصِيَّةِ لِأَنَّ الْإِخْرَاجَ يَكُونُ بَعْدَ الصِّحَّةِ اهـ. وَقَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ فِي الْأَصْلِ إنَّ الْإِيصَاءَ بَاطِلٌ.

وَاخْتَلَفُوا فِي مَعْنَاهُ، فَقِيلَ إنَّهُ سَيَبْطُلُ بِإِبْطَالِ الْقَاضِي فِي جَمِيعِ هَذِهِ الصُّوَرِ، وَقِيلَ سَيَبْطُلُ فِي غَيْرِ الْعَبْدِ لِعَدَمِ وَلَايَتِهِ فَيَكُونُ بَاطِلًا، وَقِيلَ سَيَبْطُلُ فِي الْفَاسِقِ لِأَنَّ الْكَافِرَ كَالْعَبْدِ كَمَا فِي الْكَافِي قُهُسْتَانِيٌّ وَالْأَوَّلُ قَوْلُ عَامَّةِ الْمَشَايِخِ كَمَا فِي الْعِنَايَةِ. (رد المحتار، ج 6، ص 701، سعيد)

Answered by
Abdul Azīm bin Abdur Rahman
Checked & approved by
Mufti Husain Kadodia
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Source: Darul Iftaa Mahmudiyyah — https://askimam.org/public/question_detail/25841
Fatawa SA: https://fatawa.co.za/fatwa/askimam-25841

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