1. Muhammad ibn Yahya and others have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ’Isma‘il ibn Sa‘d al-Ash‘ariy who has narrated the following: “I once asked al-Rida’, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a man who dies without a will and leaves behind heirs of male and female, small boys and slave-girls and slaves if it is proper to sell the slave- girls. He (the Imam) said, ‘Yes, it is so.’ “I asked him (the Imam) about a man who accompanies a man on a journey, then the incident of death over takes him and he does not get a chance to make a will and how to deal with his assets. He has small and adult children, if it is permissible to give his assets and stumper to his grown-up children or to a judge. If he is in a place where there is no judge what must he do. If he gives his assets to his adult children but did not inform them and when he went, he could not return it what must he do? He (the Imam) said, ‘When the small children grow up and cannot get their assets back in any way but by the command of Sultan (they can do so). “I asked him (the Imam) about the case of a man who dies without a will and leaves behind heirs who are small ones as well as adults if it is lawful to buy his servants and goods without the supervision of the judge. The judge supervises with the consent of the parties involved, but without the instruction from the Khalifah, if buying is good or not. He (the Imam) said, ‘If the adults of his children are with him (judge) during the sale, then it is not harmful if the heirs agree to the sale and justice is maintained in it.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from ibn Mahbub from ibn Ri’ab who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a man with whom I have a relation of kinship, he dies leaving behind small children, slaves and slave-girls but has not made any will. ‘What do you say about buying a slave-girl for a mother of one’s child and what do you say about selling them?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If they have a guardian who supervises for them the sale and looks after them, he will receive good rewards.’ I asked, ‘What do you say about one’s buying from them a slave- girl for a mother of one’s child?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is not harmful if it is executed by their guardian who looks after their interests and well-being; and they cannot change their mind about what the guardian has done for them who looks after their well-being.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Zur’ah from Sama‘ah, who has narrated the following: “I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a man who without a will dies leaving behind male and female children. He has servants, slaves and assets. How the heirs must deal with the legacy? He (the Imam) said, ‘If a trustworthy man stands up to distribute it among them, it is not harmful.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.