choice before his puberty, for his statement has no legal standing, and his father has no authority to make the choice on his behalf; because this is a right that relates to sexual desire, so no one else can take his place in it. Therefore, when the boy reaches puberty, he may make the choice at that time, and he is responsible for the maintenance until he makes the choice.
Section: If he dies before choosing, his heir does not stand in his place, for the same reason we mentioned regarding the judge. All of them must observe the waiting period (idda) because it has not been determined which of them are the wives. Whoever among them is pregnant, her waiting period is until delivery. Whoever is past childbearing age or is a young girl, her waiting period is four months and ten days, for this is the longer of the two waiting periods in her case. Whoever is among those who have menstrual cycles, her waiting period is the longer of the two terms—either three menstrual cycles or four months and ten days—so that she may fulfill the waiting period with certainty. This is because it is possible that any one of them was chosen or was separated; the waiting period of the chosen one is the waiting period of death, and the waiting period of the separated one is three menstrual cycles, so we mandated the longer of the two so that she might fulfill the waiting period with certainty, just as we said regarding someone who forgets one prayer out of a day and does not know which one it is: they must perform five prayers. This is the school of al-Shafi'i. As for the inheritance, if they agree upon it among themselves, it is permissible however they agree, because the right belongs to them and does not depart from them. If they refuse to reconcile, the analogy of the school is that they draw lots among themselves, and the four will be determined by the lot. According to al-Shafi'i, the inheritance is withheld until they reach a reconciliation. The foundation of this will be mentioned in [another place], if Allah the Almighty wills.
Section: The form of the choice is for him to say: "I have chosen the marriage of these women," [or "I have chosen these women"], or "I have retained them," or "I have chosen to keep them," or "to retain them," or "to marry them," or "I have retained their marriage," or "I have confirmed their marriage," or "I have confirmed them." And if he says regarding those who exceed four:
(10) In M: "wa in" (and if). (11) In A and M: "li-tanqadi" (so that it may finish). (12) In A, B, and M: "ghayr hadha al-mawdi'" (other than this place). (13) Omitted from the original. (14) In the original: "arba'" (four).
الاختيارُ قبلَ بُلُوغِه، فإنَّه لا حُكْمَ لقَوْلِه، وليس لأِبيه الاخْتيارُ عنه؛ لأنَّ ذلك حَقٌّ يتَعَلَّقُ بالشَّهْوةِ، فلا يقومُ غيرُه مَقامَه فيه، فإذا بَلَغ الصبىُّ، كان له أن يَخْتارَ حِينَئذٍ، وعليه النَّفَقةُ إلى أن يَخْتارَ.
فصل: فإن مات قبلَ أن يخْتارَ، لم يَقُمْ وارِثُه مَقامَه؛ لما ذكرْنا فى الحاكمِ، وعلى جَمِيعِهِنَ العِدَّةُ؛ لأنَّ الزَّوْجاتِ لم يَتَعَيَّنَّ منهنَّ، فمن كانت مِنْهُنَّ حامِلًا فعِدَّتُها بوَضْعِه، ومَنْ كانت آيِسَةً أو صغيرةً فعِدَّتُها أرْبَعةُ أشْهُرٍ وعَشْرٌ؛ لأنَّها أطْوَلُ العِدَّتَيْنِ فى حَقِّها، ومَن (١٠) كانت من ذواتِ القُرُوءِ، فعِدَّتُها أطْوَلُ الأجَلَيْنِ، من ثلاثةِ قُرُوءٍ أو أرْبعةِ أشْهُرٍ وعَشْرٍ، لتَقْضِىَ العِدَّةِ بِيَقينٍ؛ لأنَّ كلَّ واحدةٍ منهنَّ يَحْتَمِلُ أن تكونَ مُخْتارةً أو مُفارَقة، وعِدّةُ المُخْتارةِ عِدَّةُ الوَفاةِ، وعِدَّةُ المُفارقةِ ثلاثةُ قروءٍ، فأوْجَبْنا أطْوَلَهما، لِتَقْضِىَ (١١) العِدَّةَ بيَقِينٍ، كما قُلْنا فى مَن نَسِىَ صلاةً من يومٍ، لا يَعْلَمُ عَيْنَها: عليه خَمْسُ صَلَواتٍ. وهذا مذهبُ الشافعىِّ، فأمَّا المِيراثُ، فإن اصْطَلَحْنَ عليه، فهو جائزٌ كيفما اصْطَلَحْنَ؛ لأنَّ الحَقَّ لهنَّ، لا يَخْرُجُ عنهنَّ، وإن أَبَيْنَ الصُّلْحَ، فقياسُ المَذْهَبِ أن يُقْرَعَ بينهنَّ، فتكونَ الأرْبَعُ منهنَّ بالقُرْعةِ. وعند الشافعىِّ، يُوقَفُ المِيراثُ حتى يَصْطَلِحْنَ. وأصلُ هذا يُذْكَرُ فى [موضع آخَرَ] (١٢)، إن شاءَ اللَّهُ تعالى.
فصل: وصِفَةُ الاخْتيارِ أن يقولَ: اخْتَرْتُ نِكاحَ هؤلاءِ، [أو اخْترتُ هؤلاء] (١٣)، أو أمْسَكْتُهُنَّ، أو اخْتَرْتُ حَبْسَهُنَّ، أو إمْساكَهُنَّ، أو نِكاحَهُنَّ، أو أمْسَكْتُ نِكاحَهُنَّ، أو ثَبَّتُّ نِكاحَهُنَّ، أو أثْبَتُّهُنَّ. وإن قال لما زاد على الأرْبَعِ (١٤):
(١٠) فى م: "وإن".(١١) فى أ، م: "لتنقضى".(١٢) فى أ، ب، م: "غير هذا الموضع".(١٣) سقط من: الأصل.(١٤) فى الأصل: "أربع".
