The Case of One Who Leaves very Little Legacy with a Larger Amount of Debt and Dependents

إِنِ اسْتَيْقَنَ أَنَّ الدَّيْنَ الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ يُحِيطُ بِجَمِيعِ الْمَالِ فَلَا يُنْفِقُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَيْقِنْ فَلْيُنْفِقْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ وَسَطِ الْمَالِ‌[2].

“He once asked him (the Imam); ‘Alayhi al-Salam, about the case of a man who dies leaving behind dependents and debts; if anything can be spent from the legacy for the dependents. He (the Imam) said, ‘If it is certain that his legacy covers the debt, then nothing can be spent for his dependents but if it is certain tha

إِنْ كَانَ يُسْتَيْقَنُ أَنَّ الَّذِي تَرَكَ يُحِيطُ بِجَمِيعِ دَيْنِهِ فَلَا يُنْفَقُ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ يُسْتَيْقَنُ فَلْيُنْفَقْ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ وَسَطِ الْمَالِ.

‘If it is certain that his legacy covers all of his debts then it is not spent on them but if it is not certain then from the center of the legacy their expenses are paid..’”

قُلْتُ لَهُ إِنَّ رَجُلًا مِنْ مَوَالِيكَ مَاتَ وَ تَرَكَ وُلْداً صِغَاراً وَ تَرَكَ شَيْئاً وَ عَلَيْهِ دَيْنٌ وَ لَيْسَ يَعْلَمُ بِهِ الْغُرَمَاءُ فَإِنْ قَضَاهُ لِغُرَمَائِهِ بَقِيَ وُلْدُهُ وَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ شَيْ‌ءٌ فَقَالَ أَنْفَقَهُ عَلَى وُلْدِهِ‌[3].

“I once asked abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a man who has died and left behind small children and something but owes debts. The creditors do not know it (his leaving something). If debts are paid, nothing is left for his children who do not have anything. He (the Imam) said, ‘Spend it for his children.’”