Chapter on the Recommended Amount for Bequests

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ الْوَصِيَّةُ بِالْخُمُسِ لِأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ رَضِيَ لِنَفْسِهِ بِالْخُمُسِ وَ قَالَ الْخُمُسُ اقْتِصَادٌ وَ الرُّبُعُ جَهْدٌ وَ الثُّلُثُ حَيْفٌ‌[1].

Hadith.5421 - Al-Sakuni narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as) from his father, Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (as), who said that the Commander of the Faithful (as) said: "Bequeathing one-fifth (khums) is recommended because Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic, has chosen one-fifth for Himself." Imam (as

أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع عَنِ الرَّجُلِ يَمُوتُ‌[3] مَا لَهُ مِنْ مَالِهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ ثُلُثُ مَالِهِ وَ لِلْمَرْأَةِ أَيْضاً.

I asked Abu Abdullah (as) about a man who dies - how much of his wealth he can bequeath. Imam (as) said: "One-third of his wealth, and the same applies to a woman as well."

كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع يَقُولُ‌ لَأَنْ أُوصِيَ بِخُمُسِ مَالِي أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أُوصِيَ بِالرُّبُعِ وَ لَأَنْ أُوصِيَ بِالرُّبُعِ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنْ أَنْ أُوصِيَ بِالثُّلُثِ وَ مَنْ أَوْصَى بِالثُّلُثِ فَلَمْ يَتَّرِكْ فَقَدْ بَالَغَ وَ قَالَ مَنْ أَوْصَى بِثُلُثِ مَالِهِ فَلَمْ يَتْرُكْ فَقَدْ بَلَغَ الْمَدَى‌[4].

"The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (as) used to say: 'To bequeath one-fifth of my wealth is more beloved to me than to bequeath one-fourth, and to bequeath one-fourth is more beloved to me than to bequeath one-third. Whoever bequeaths one-third without leaving anything behind has gone to excess.'" Im

مَنْ أَوْصَى بِالثُّلُثِ فَلَمْ يَتَّرِكْ‌[5].

Hadith.5424 - In the narration of Al-Hasan ibn Ali Al-Washsha' from Hammad ibn Uthman from Abu Abdullah Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (as), that he said: "Whoever bequeaths one-third has harmed the heirs. Bequeathing one-fifth or one-fourth is better than bequeathing one-third." Imam (as) also said: "Whoever bequeat