Another Chapter

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَوْصَى لِرَجُلٍ بِسَيْفٍ وَ كَانَ فِي جَفْنٍ وَ عَلَيْهِ حِلْيَةٌ فَقَالَ لَهُ الْوَرَثَةُ إِنَّمَا لَكَ النَّصْلُ وَ لَيْسَ لَكَ الْمَالُ قَالَ فَقَالَ لَا بَلِ السَّيْفُ بِمَا فِيهِ لَهُ قَالَ فَقُلْتُ رَجُلٌ أَوْصَى لِرَجُلٍ بِصُنْدُوقٍ وَ كَانَ فِيهِ مَالٌ فَقَالَ الْوَرَثَةُ إِنَّمَا لَكَ الصُّنْدُوقُ وَ لَيْسَ لَكَ الْمَالُ قَالَ فَقَالَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ ع الصُّنْدُوقُ بِمَا فِيهِ لَهُ.

“I once asked al-Rida’ (a.s.), about the case of a man who has made a will for a man about a sword which is in a cover (sword sheathing) with decorations on it. The heirs said that only the sword is for him and not the asset (the valuable decorations). He (the Imam) said, ‘The sword and that in which it is belongs to h

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ قَالَ هَذِهِ السَّفِينَةُ لِفُلَانٍ وَ لَمْ يُسَمِّ مَا فِيهَا وَ فِيهَا طَعَامٌ أَ يُعْطَاهَا الرَّجُلُ وَ مَا فِيهَا قَالَ هِيَ لِلَّذِي أَوْصَى لَهُ بِهَا إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ صَاحِبُهَا مُتَّهَماً وَ لَيْسَ لِلْوَرَثَةِ شَيْ‌ءٌ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who has said that this ship belongs to so and so but has not identified its contents. There is food in it; if the ship with its content must be given to him. He (the Imam) said, ‘It belongs to him except; if its owner is accused (of wrong-doing) and the heirs

كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ ع أَسْأَلُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَوْصَى لِرَجُلٍ بِسَيْفٍ فَقَالَ الْوَرَثَةُ إِنَّمَا لَكَ الْحَدِيدُ وَ لَيْسَ لَكَ الْحِلْيَةُ لَيْسَ لَكَ غَيْرُ الْحَدِيدِ فَكَتَبَ إِلَيَّ السَّيْفُ لَهُ وَ حِلْيَتُهُ.

“I once wrote to abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about the case of a man who has made a will about a sword for a man and the heirs say that only the iron belongs to him but not the decoration. He (the Imam) wrote the answer that said, ‘The sword and decoration belong to him.’”

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَوْصَى لِرَجُلٍ بِصُنْدُوقٍ وَ كَانَ فِي الصُّنْدُوقِ مَالٌ فَقَالَ الْوَرَثَةُ إِنَّمَا لَكَ الصُّنْدُوقُ وَ لَيْسَ لَكَ مَا فِيهِ فَقَالَ الصُّنْدُوقُ بِمَا فِيهِ لَهُ.

“I once asked abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), about the case of a man who makes a will about a box with assets in it for a man. The heirs say that only the box belongs to him and not its contents. He (the Imam) said, ‘The box and its contents belong to him.”’