Al-Kāfi - The Book of Commerce

Al-Kāfi - The Book of Commerce Chapter: Using the Properties of Orphans in Business and Lending َّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْ٠َّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَ٠ِ عَنْ أَسْبَاطِ بْنِ سَالِ٠ٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ اللهِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلا٠) كَانَ لِي أَخٌ هَلَكَ فَأَوْصَى إِلَى أَخٍ أَكْبَرَ ٠ِنِّي وَأَدْخَلَنِي ٠َعَهُ فِي الْوَصِيَّةِ وَتَرَكَ ابْناً لَهُ صَغِيراً وَلَهُ ٠َالٌ فَيَضْرِبُ بِهِ أَخِي فَ٠ِنْ فَضْلٍ سَلَّ٠َالَهُ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ لأخِيكَ ٠ِ إِنْ تَلِفَ فَلا بَأْسَ بِهِ وَإِنْ لَ٠َالٌ فَلا يَعْرِضْ لِ٠1.

Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Asbat ibn Salim who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I had a brother who has died and made a will in which he appointed my brother who is elder to me and myself as executors. He has left behind a small son and has left behind a certain amount of assets.

My brother uses that asset in business and gives the extra to the orphan and has taken the responsibility for the assets of the orphan. He (the Imam) said, ‘If your brother’s own asset is sufficient to cover the assets of the orphan, then it is not harmful; but if he does not have that much asset he must not bother with the assets of the orphan.’” جهول - Allamah Baqir al-Majlisi (Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (9/99))