He only swears to this, and it is not permissible for the creditor to swear that I have a debt in the liability of the defendant, by consensus. Thus, it is not permissible for him to swear regarding the debt of another person, over which he has no agency, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) only assigned the oath to the owner [of the right]. This does not apply to the agent (wakil) because he swears regarding his own action. Furthermore, if the creditor were to swear along with the witness, and then the deceased were released from the debt, the debt would return to the heirs; whereas if it had been established for him [the creditor] by his oath, it would not have returned to them. Likewise, if the deceased had bequeathed something to a person, and the heirs did not swear the oath, the legatee would not have the right to swear for the reasons we have mentioned.
Section: If one of the two sons swears along with the witness, only the amount of his share of the debt is established. Likewise, if the heirs claim a bequest for their father or a debt and produce a witness, the entire amount is not established except by the oaths of all of them. If some of them swear, the debt or bequest is established only to the extent of their share, and the rest of the heirs do not share in it, because no right is established for them without their oaths, and it is not permissible for them to become entitled by the oath of others. He settles the debt of his father according to the amount established for him. If there is a minor or a person with a mental disability (ma'tuh) among the heirs, his share is suspended until the minor reaches puberty and the mentally disabled person recovers his reason, because it is impossible for them to swear in their current state, and their guardian does not swear for them, as the oath cannot be fulfilled by proxy. If there is a mute person among them whose signs are understood, he shall swear and be given his share; if his signs are not understood, his share is also suspended. If he dies, or the minor or the person with a mental disability dies, their heirs stand in their place regarding the oath and entitlement. If their guardians demand during their lifetime that the defendant be imprisoned until the minor reaches puberty, the insane person recovers, or the mute person's signs are understood, or that a guarantor be provided, they shall not be granted this, because imprisonment is a punishment that is not deserved by one against whom a right has not been established.
Section: The ownership of the deceased's estate is established for his heirs, regardless of whether there is a debt against him or not. Ahmad stated this regarding one who went bankrupt and then died, saying: The sold property has transferred to the heirs and has become their property. Al-Shafi'i also held this view. Abu Hanifa said: If the debt exhausts the estate, its transfer to the heirs is prevented; if it does not exhaust it, the transfer of any part of it is not prevented. Abu Sa'id al-Istakhri said:
(2) Omitted from M. (3) Omitted from A, B. (4) In the original: "the sale". (5) In A, B, M: "his property".
إنَّما يَحْلفُ على هذا، ولا يجوزُ للغَريِم أن يَحْلِفَ أَنَّ (٢) لى (٣) فى ذِمَّةِ المُدَّعَى عليه دَيْنًا، بالاتِّفاقِ، فلم يَجُزْ أن يَحْلِفَ على دَينِ غيرِه الذى لا فِعْلَ له فيه؛ لأنَّ النَّبِىَّ -صلى اللَّه عليه وسلم- إنَّما جَعَلَ اليَمِينَ للمالِكِ، ولا يَلْزَمُ على هذا الوكيلَ؛ لأنَّه يَحْلِفُ على فِعْلِ نفسِه؛ ولأنَّ الغَريمَ لو حَلَفَ مع الشَّاهدِ، ثم أَبَرْأَ الميِّتَ من الدَّينِ، لَرَجَعَ الدَّينُ إلى الوَرثةِ، ولو كان قد ثبَتَ له (٣) بيَمِينِه، لم يَرْجِعْ إليهم. وهكذا لو وَصَّى الميِّتُ لإِنسانٍ، ثم لم يَحْلِفِ الوَرثَةُ، لم يكُنْ للمُوصَى له أن يَحْلِفَ؛ لما ذكرْناه.
فصل: فإن حلَفَ أحدُ الابْنَيْنِ مع الشَّاهدِ، لم يَثْبُتْ من الدَّينِ إِلَّا قَدْرُ حِصَّتِه. وهكذا إذا ادَّعَى الوَرثةُ وَصِيَّةً لأِبيهمِ أو دَينًا، وأقاموا شاهدًا، لم يَثْبُتْ جَميعُه إِلَّا بأيْمانِ جَميعِهم. وإن حلَفَ بَعضُهم، ثبَتَ من الدَّينِ والوَصِيَّةِ بقَدْرِ حَقِّه، ولا يُشارِكُه فيه باقى الوَرثةِ؛ لأنَّه لا يَثْبُتُ لهم حَقٌّ بدُونِ أيمانِهم، ولا يجوزُ أن يَسْتحِقُّوا بيَمِينِ غيرِهم، ويَقْضِى مِن دَيْنِ أبيه بقَدْرِ ما ثَبَتَ له، فإن كان فى الوَرثةِ صَغيرٌ أو مَعتوهٌ، وُقِفَ حَقُّه، حتى يَبْلُغَ الصَّغيرُ ويَعْقِلَ المَعْتوهُ؛ لأنَّه لا يُمْكِنُ أن يْحلِفَ على حالِه، ولا يَحْلِفُ وَلِيُّه؛ لكَوْنِ اليَمِينِ لا تَدْخُلُها النِّيابةُ. وإن كان فيهم أخْرَسُ مَفهومُ الإِشارَةِ، حلَفَ وأُعْطِىَ حِصَّتَه، وإن لم تُفْهَمْ إشارَتُه، وُقِفَ حقَّه أيضًا. فإن ماتَ، أو ماتَ الصَّبِىُّ والمَعْتوهُ، قام وَرثتُهم مَقامَهم فى اليَمِينِ والاسْتحقاقِ. فإن طالبَ أولياؤُهما فى حَياتِهما بحَبْسِ المُدَّعَى عليه حتى يَبلُغَ الصَّبىُّ، ويُفيقَ المَجنونُ، ويَعْقِلَ الأخْرَسُ الإِشارةَ، أو بإقامةِ كَفيلٍ، لم يُجابُوا إلى ذلك؛ لأنَّ الحَبْسَ عذابٌ لا يُسْتحَقُّ على مَن لم يَثْبُتْ عليه حَقٌّ.
فصل: وتَركِةُ الميِّتِ يَثْبُتُ المِلْكُ فيها لوَرثتِه، وسواءٌ كان عليه دَينٌ أو لم يَكُنْ. نَصَّ عليه أحمدُ، فى مَن أفْلَسَ، ثم ماتَ، قال: قد انتقلَ المَبِيعُ (٤) إلى الوَرثةِ، وحصلَ مِلْكًا (٥) لهم. وبهذا قال الشَّافعىُّ. وقال أبو حنيفةَ: إن كان الدَّينُ يَسْتغرِقُ التَّرِكَةَ، مُنِعَ نَقْلُها إلى الوَرثةِ، وإِنْ كان لا يَسْتغرِقُها، لم يُمْنَعِ انْتِقالُ شَىءٍ منها. وقال أبو سعيد الإِصْطَخْرِىُّ:
(٢) سقط من: م.(٣) سقط من: أ، ب.(٤) فى الأصل: "البيع".(٥) فى أ، ب، م: "ملكه".
