Distribution of Inheritance (Part One)
A few days after the demise of the wife of Hazrat Qari Siddeeq Ahmad Baandwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih), he mentioned to some of the household members, “Being the elder of the family, I have an added responsibility. I wish that all the family members gather so that I may divide the shares of her estate between the heirs. It is not permissible to use whatever she has left behind until all the shares are divided. Once this is completed, I will be free of the responsibility.”
Once whilst teaching the Jalaalain (book of tafseer) lesson, Hazrat Qari Siddeeq Saheb (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) mentioned under the aayah of inheritance that, “There is much carelessness in the wealth of inheritance. People regard it as booty. Whoever gets hold of whatever wealth, he automatically assumes that he is the owner, whereas all the heirs have a right in the wealth that is left behind. No one has any right to use it.”
There is an incident recorded of a buzurg who went to visit a sick friend. When he reached the house, he saw that his condition was critical and he was about to breathe his last. A lamp was burning next to him. The buzurg entered and sat down close to the sick friend. Shortly thereafter, the man passed away. When this happened, the buzurg extinguished the lamp. People asked him his reason for doing this. He replied that as long as he was alive, this lamp was in his ownership hence to use it was permissible. After he passed away, the heirs have now become the owners. It is not permissible to use this lamp without their permission. Such was the caution that this buzurg exercised. Hazrat Moulana Ashraf ‘Ali Thaanwi (rahmatullahi ‘alaih), Mufti Shafee’ Saheb (rahmatullahi ‘alaih) and others have recorded this incident. (Hayaat-e-Siddeeq, pg. 238)