Writing a Will in Islam
Total Hadiths 17
Authentic Hadiths on the Importance of Writing a Will in Islam
According to Islamic scholars, managing our affairs and finalizing financial responsibilities is an essential duty for believers. The provided authentic hadiths emphasize the critical importance of writing a last will and testament without delay. Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) clearly states that it is not permissible or proper for a Muslim who has wealth, property, or any bequests to pass two nights without having a written will kept safely ready with them. By examining the narrations from Abdullah bin Umar, we see how strictly the Prophet highlighted this timeline. Keeping a testament prepared ensures that debts are settled, rights are fulfilled, and property is distributed accurately according to Islamic guidelines, protecting your family from future uncertainty.
وَحَدَّثَنِيهِ أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، وَحَرْمَلَةُ، قَالاَ أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، ح وَحَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ شُعَيْبِ بْنِ اللَّيْثِ، حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ جَدِّي، حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلٌ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، وَعَبْدُ بْنُ حُمَيْدٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، كُلُّهُمْ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ . نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْحَارِثِ .
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Zuhri with the same chain of transmitters.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1627eIn-book reference : Book 25, Hadith 5USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 13, Hadith 3990
أَخْبَرَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ الْوَزِيرِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ ابْنَ وَهْبٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي يُونُسُ، وَعَمْرُو بْنُ الْحَارِثِ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ لَهُ شَىْءٌ يُوصَى فِيهِ فَيَبِيتُ ثَلاَثَ لَيَالٍ إِلاَّ وَوَصِيَّتُهُ عِنْدَهُ مَكْتُوبَةٌ ".
It was narrated from Salim bin 'Abdullah, from his father, that the Messenger of Allah said: "It is not right for a Muslim who has anything concerning which a will should be made, to abide for more than three nights without having a written will with him."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3619In-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 9English translation : Vol. 4, Book 30, Hadith 3649
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ أَنْ يَبِيتَ لَيْلَتَيْنِ وَلَهُ شَىْءٌ يُوصِي فِيهِ إِلاَّ وَوَصِيَّتُهُ مَكْتُوبَةٌ عِنْدَهُ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The Muslim man has no right to spend two nights, if he has something for which a will should be made, without having a written will with him.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2699In-book reference : Book 22, Hadith 5English translation : Vol. 3, Book 22, Hadith 2699
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَعْمَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا رَوْحُ بْنُ عَوْفٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَبِيتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ وَلَهُ شَىْءٌ يُوصِي بِهِ إِلاَّ وَوَصِيَّتُهُ مَكْتُوبَةٌ عِنْدَهُ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The Muslim man has no right to spend two nights, if he has something for which will should be made, without having a written will with him.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2702In-book reference : Book 22, Hadith 8English translation : Vol. 3, Book 22, Hadith 2702
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو خَيْثَمَةَ، زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى الْعَنَزِيُّ - وَاللَّفْظُ لاِبْنِ الْمُثَنَّى - قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ سَعِيدٍ الْقَطَّانُ - عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، أَخْبَرَنِي نَافِعٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ، عُمَرَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ لَهُ شَىْءٌ يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُوصِيَ فِيهِ يَبِيتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ إِلاَّ وَوَصِيَّتُهُ مَكْتُوبَةٌ عِنْدَهُ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
Ibn Umar (Allah be pleased with them) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: It is the duty of a Muslim who has something which is to be given as a bequest not to have it for two nights without having his will written down regarding it.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1627aIn-book reference : Book 25, Hadith 1USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 13, Hadith 3987
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الْفُضَيْلُ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ لَهُ شَىْءٌ يُوصَى فِيهِ أَنْ يَبِيتَ لَيْلَتَيْنِ إِلاَّ وَوَصِيَّتُهُ مَكْتُوبَةٌ عِنْدَهُ ".
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah said: 'It is not befitting for a Muslim who has anything concerning which a will should be made, to abide for two nights without having a written will with him.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3615In-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 5English translation : Vol. 4, Book 30, Hadith 3645
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْقَاسِمِ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ لَهُ شَىْءٌ يُوصَى فِيهِ يَبِيتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ إِلاَّ وَوَصِيَّتُهُ مَكْتُوبَةٌ عِنْدَهُ ".
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah said: "It is not befitting for a Muslim who has anything concerning which a will should be made, to abide for two nights without having a written will with him."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3616In-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 6English translation : Vol. 4, Book 30, Hadith 3646
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَاتِمِ بْنِ نُعَيْمٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حِبَّانُ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَوْنٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَوْلَهُ.
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
(The same) was narrated from Ibn 'Awn, from Nafi', from Ibn 'Umar.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 3617In-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 7English translation : Vol. 4, Book 30, Hadith 3647
حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَيُّوبَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَا حَقُّ امْرِئٍ مُسْلِمٍ يَبِيتُ لَيْلَتَيْنِ وَلَهُ مَا يُوصِي فِيهِ إِلاَّ وَوَصِيَّتُهُ مَكْتُوبَةٌ عِنْدَهُ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ . وَقَدْ رُوِيَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ عَنْ سَالِمٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَحْوُهُ .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (S.A.W) said: "It Is Not Right For A Muslim Man To Spend Two Nights, Having What He Would Will, Without Having His Will Written With Him."
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2118In-book reference : Book 30, Hadith 3English translation : Vol. 4, Book 4, Hadith 2118
حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا دُرُسْتُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ الرَّقَاشِيُّ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " الْمَحْرُومُ مَنْ حُرِمَ وَصِيَّتَهُ " .
Anas bin Malik Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “The one who is deprived is the one who is deprived of a will.”
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 2700In-book reference : Book 22, Hadith 6English translation : Vol. 3, Book 22, Hadith 2700
