If the Beneficiary of a Will dies before the Death of the Testator or before Taking Possession

قَضَى أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فِي رَجُلٍ أَوْصَى لآِخَرَ وَ الْمُوصَى لَهُ غَائِبٌ فَتُوُفِّيَ الَّذِي أُوصِيَ لَهُ قَبْلَ الْمُوصِي قَالَ الْوَصِيَّةُ لِوَارِثِ الَّذِي أُوْصِيَ لَهُ قَالَ وَ مَنْ أَوْصَى لِأَحَدٍ شَاهِداً كَانَ أَوْ غَائِباً فَتُوُفِّيَ الْمُوصَى لَهُ قَبْلَ الْمُوصِي فَالْوَصِيَّةُ لِوَارِثِ الَّذِي أُوصِيَ لَهُ إِلَّا أَنْ يَرْجِعَ فِي وَصِيَّتِهِ قَبْلَ مَوْتِهِ‌[1].

“Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said that ’Amir al-Mu’minin once issued a judgment, about the case of a man who made a will and the beneficiary who was absent, died before the testator, that the benefit belongs to the heir of the beneficiary.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘If one makes a will, regardless of his absence or presence, if

سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع- عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَوْصَى إِلَيَّ وَ أَمَرَنِي أَنْ أُعْطِيَ عَمّاً لَهُ فِي كُلِّ سَنَةٍ شَيْئاً فَمَاتَ الْعَمُّ فَكَتَبَ ع أَعْطِهِ وَرَثَتَهُ.

“I once asked abu Ja‘far (a.s.), about the case of a man who made a will that said I must give something to his uncle every year, but the uncle has died. He (the Imam) (a.s.), wrote, ‘You must give it to his heirs.’”

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ أُوْصِيَ لَهُ بِوَصِيَّةٍ فَمَاتَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقْبِضَهَا وَ لَمْ يَتْرُكْ عَقِباً قَالَ اطْلُبْ لَهُ وَارِثاً أَوْ مَوْلًى فَادْفَعْهَا إِلَيْهِ قُلْتُ فَإِنْ لَمْ أَعْلَمْ لَهُ وَلِيّاً قَالَ اجْهَدْ عَلَى أَنْ تَقْدِرَ لَهُ عَلَى وَلِيٍّ فَإِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْهُ وَ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ مِنْكَ الْجِدَّ فَتَصَدَّقْ بِهَا[2].

“I once asked him (the Imam) (a.s.), about the case of man in whose favor a will is made but he dies before taking possession and has not left any heirs. He (the Imam) said, ‘You must search for his heirs or master then give it to him.’ I then asked, ‘What happens if I cannot find any guardian for him?’ He (the Imam) s