How should the estate of a person who has no heirs be distributed?

Answer

In the total absence of heirs, all his/her assets will be distributed to the Fuqara (poor Muslims). If the mayyit (deceased) has such relatives who are not heirs, they have a prior right. The distribution will not be according to the law of Inheritance.

Among the non-inheriting relatives are step-mothers, ridhaaee (milk) brothers and sisters, step-children, adopted children and the wife‟s relatives.

EVIL GAZING

Most people are involved in the malady of casting haraam glances at ghayr mahaareem. They dwell in the selfdeception of restraining the eyes being beyond their power. This idea is baseless. The Shariah permits consuming haraam food for a person who is on the verge of death due to starvation. Since death due to starvation is real, the Shariah grants this permissibility. But, there is no permissibility for haraam gazes since abstention from such gazes does not lead to death.

(It requires only some struggle to restrain the evil nafs. At the time when the nafs dictates the commission of haraam, one should immediately focus on the Presence of Allah Ta‟ala and understand that He is looking and the two Recording Angels are recording.)

The Imaani ghayrah

(honour) of a Muslim lady She was a slave girl of the Abbaasi Khalifah Mustaasim Billaah. When the Khalifah was defeated by the Mongol king Hulagu Khan in the year 1258 CE, the slave girl was also captured with him (the Khalifah). The brutal Mongol had the Khalifah wrapped in a carpet and trampled to death by horses.

The Slave Lady was a woman of exquisite beauty. Her beauty captivated the Mongol king. He had never before set eyes on such a beautiful woman. He was extremely delighted, and he treated her with profound respect and honour.

With his demeanour he endeavoured to attract her to him. In addition to her beauty, the slave girl was blessed with intelligence and hayaa/ ghayrah (modesty and honour) of a lofty degree. Having understood the ill-intentions of the Mongol king, she devised a plan to save herself from his evil clutches.

The king was questioning her about the ways and mannerism of the Khalifah, and she was explaining. During the course of this discussion, she put into operation her plan to safeguard her Imaani hayaa and ghayrat.

She said: "The Khalifah has given me such a wonderful gift which no one had ever presented to anyone nor will anyone in future be able to give such a valuable gift." The Mogol savage was intrigued and asked her to explain what this wonderful gift was. She said: "It is a Ta‟weez which I wear. The effect of this Ta‟weez is such protection that no sword, no bullet and water can harm me. Water cannot drown me nor can anything kill me."

The Mongol was extremely pleased to hear this. He desired to see the Ta‟weez. She said: "Before I show it to you, first test its efficacy. Strike me with a sword on my neck without the slightest hesitation and you shall then better understand."

The Mongol barbarian, in obedience to her request to win her love, struck his sword with force on her neck. Her neck was severed from her body and it rolled off. The girl was dead. Shocked and devastated by what he had done, he bemoaned the loss of the woman who had captured his heart and whom he wanted for himself.

It was the Imaani ghayrah (honour) and hayaa (shame/ modesty) which had motivated the lady to devise this plan to save herself from falling into the bestial clutches of the mushrik, kaafir Mongolian brute. Falling into his hands was intolerable to her, hence she offered her life. She remained faithful to her master, the Khalifah until the very last, sacrificing her life with honour. Such is the nobility of a true Muslim lady.

AN EVIL FRIEND

Seeking the Protection of Allah Ta‟ala against an evil friend, Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) supplicated: "I seek refuge with Allah from an evil friend and from an evil moment."

An „evil moment‟ is a moment wasted in sin and futility. Regarding an evil friend, Hadhrat Bishr Haafi (Rahmatullah alayh) said: "One evil friend is worse than sixty shayaateen (devils), and the nafs is worse than sixty shayaateen." The nafs is our greatest enemy. It is 24 hours with us. The Qur‟aan Majeed says that the nafs is a great commander (Ammaarah) of evil while the plot of shaitaan is „dhaeef‟ (weak).

Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) also said that a pious friend is better than good deeds and an evil friend is worse than evil deeds.

WASAAWIS (STRAY THOUGHTS)

Wasaawis occur to all even to great personalities. Ignore all wasaawis even if the nafs and shaitaan cast thousands of stray thoughts in the mind. Be unconcerned. The effect of worrying about wasaawis is hopelessness, and this is the objective of shaitaan. Therefore, totally ignore the wasaawis.

(Hadhrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi)