53. To make a Bequest (Will before death)

Surah No. 5, Al Maeda, Ayat No. 106 & 107

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا شَهَادَةُ بَيْنِكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ حِينَ الْوَصِيَّةِ

اثْنَانِ ذَوَا عَدْلٍ مِنْكُمْ أَوْ آخَرَانِ مِنْ غَيْرِكُمْ إِنْ أَنْتُمْ ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي

الْأَرْضِ فَأَصَابَتْكُمْ مُصِيبَةُ الْمَوْتِ تَحْبِسُونَهُمَا مِنْ بَعْدِ الصَّلَاةِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ

بِاللَّهِ إِنِ ارْتَبْتُمْ لَا نَشْتَرِي بِهِ ثَمَنًا وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَىٰ وَلَا نَكْتُمُ

o شَهَادَةَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا إِذًا لَمِنَ الْآثِمِينَ

فَإِنْ عُثِرَ عَلَىٰ أَنَّهُمَا اسْتَحَقَّا إِثْمًا فَآخَرَانِ يَقُومَانِ مَقَامَهُمَا مِنَ الَّذِينَ اسْتَحَقَّ

عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَوْلَيَانِ فَيُقْسِمَانِ بِاللَّهِ لَشَهَادَتُنَا أَحَقُّ مِنْ شَهَادَتِهِمَا وَمَا اعْتَدَيْنَا إِنَّا

o إِذًا لَمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

Translation :

O you who believe! when death approaches any of you and when you make a bequest (will) then take witnesses among yourselves, two right men of your own (brotherhood). If you are journeying through the earth, and by chance death comes to you, take witnesses from outside. If those are doubtful, detain them both after salat, and let them both swear by Allah: "We will not take any price for making change even though the (beneficiary) be our near relation: we shall hide not the evidence We owe to Allah: if we do then, behold! the sin will be upon us!"

But if it gets known that these two were guilty of the sin (of supressing the truth). Let two others stand forth in their places,― who are near to kin those who claim a lawful right: then let them swear by Allah: "We affirm that our witness is truer than that of those two, and that we have not trespassed (beyond the truth): if we did, behold! the wrong be upon us!