Inheritance funds stolen
QUESTION:-
An amount of money needed to be distributed amongst heirs . Money from that amount was misplaced/missing/stolen. Should the shares be calculated according to the initial amount, or the amount after it went missing?
ANSWER:-
We assume that the inheritance funds were kept as Amaanat with the executor, since he is responsible for dissolving the estate. Now, if the executor kept the funds in a safe place where he would generally place his wealth and possession for safekeeping, and it was stolen, then the executor will not be held liable. In this instance, the funds that are currently available will be distributed in accordance to the Shari’ee law of succession.
However, if there was negligence on the executor’s part, whereby the funds were not placed in safekeeping, or were left lying around the house and as a result it was stolen, then the executor will be held liable. In this case, the initial amount will be dissolved in accordance with the Shari’ee law of succession.
ثمَّ عقد الْوَدِيعَة استحفاظ من الْمُودع وائتمان لَهُ فَتكون الْوَدِيعَة أَمَانَة فِي يَد الْمُودع لوُجُود الائتمان من الْمُودع يلْزمه حفظهَا إِذا قبل الْوَدِيعَة لِأَنَّهُ الْتزم الْحِفْظ فَيجب عَلَيْهِ أَن يحفظ على الْوَجْه الَّذِي يحفظ مَاله بحرزه وَبِيَدِهِ وبيد من كَانَ مَاله فِي يَده نعني بحرزه الَّذِي هُوَ ملكه أَو يستأجره أَو يستعيره (تحفة الفقهاء ص171 ج3)
ذَلِكَ بِأَنْ يَحْفَظَ الْوَدِيعَةَ عَلَى الْوَجْهِ الَّذِي يَحْفَظُ بِهِ مَال نَفْسِهِ؛ فَيَضَعَهَا فِي بَيْتِهِ، أَوْ صُنْدُوقِهِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ وَعَدَ لِصَاحِبِهَا ذَلِكَ، وَخَلْفُ الْوَعْدِ مَذْمُومٌ، وَإِذَا تَرَكَ الْحِفْظَ بَعْدَ غَيْبَةِ صَاحِبِهَا: فَفِيهِ تَرْكُ الْوَفَاءِ بِمَا الْتَزَمَ، وَالْغَرُورُ فِي حَقِّ صَاحِبِهَا، وَذَلِكَ حَرَامٌ.
فَإِنْ وَضَعَهَا فِي بَيْتِهِ أَوْ صُنْدُوقِهِ، فَهَلَكَتْ: لَمْ يَضْمَنْهُ؛ لِحَدِيثِ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ جَدِّهِ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ – صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ – قَالَ: «مَنْ أَوْدَعَ وَدِيعَةً فَهَلَكَتْ: فَلَا ضَمَانَ عَلَيْهِ. (المبسوط للسرخسي ص109 ج11)
وأما بيان ما يغير حال المعقود عليه من الأمانة إلى الضمان فأنواع: منها: ترك الحفظ، لأنه بالعقد التزم حفظ الوديعة على وجه لو ترك حفظها حتى هلكت يضمن بدلها (بدائع الصنائع ص211 ج6)
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:-
Mufti Mohammed Desai
Date:- 29 Dhul Hijjah 1444 / 19 July 2023