The Case of One who Dies without a Will, Leaves behind Small Heirs and it is Sold upon Him

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع- عَنْ رَجُلٍ بَيْنِي وَ بَيْنَهُ قَرَابَةٌ مَاتَ وَ تَرَكَ أَوْلَاداً صِغَاراً وَ تَرَكَ مَمَالِيكَ لَهُ غِلْمَانٌ وَ جَوَارِي وَ لَمْ يُوصِ فَمَا تَرَى فِيمَنْ يَشْتَرِي مِنْهُمُ الْجَارِيَةَ يَتَّخِذُهَا أُمَّ وَلَدٍ وَ مَا تَرَى فِي بَيْعِهِمْ قَالَ فَقَالَ إِنْ كَانَ لَهُمْ وَلِيٌّ يَقُومُ بِأَمْرِهِمْ بَاعَ عَلَيْهِمْ‌[1] وَ نَظَرَ لَهُمْ كَانَ مَأْجُوراً فِيهِمْ قُلْتُ فَمَا تَرَى فِي

“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,

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع- عَنْ رَجُلٍ مَاتَ وَ لَهُ بَنُونَ وَ بَنَاتٌ صِغَارٌ وَ كِبَارٌ مِنْ غَيْرِ وَصِيَّةٍ وَ لَهُ خَدَمٌ وَ مَمَالِيكُ وَ عُقَدٌ كَيْفَ‌[2] يَصْنَعُ الْوَرَثَةُ بِقِسْمَةِ ذَلِكَ الْمِيرَاثِ قَالَ إِنْ قَامَ رَجُلٌ ثِقَةٌ قَاسَمَهُمْ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ فَلَا بَأْسَ.

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 t