The will gives the testator an opportunity to help someone (e.g. a relative need such as an orphaned grandchild or a Christian widow) who is not entitled to inherit from him. The will can be used to clarify the nature of joint accounts, those living in commensality, appointment of guardian for one’s children and so on. In countries where the intestate succession law is different from Islamic law it becomes absolutely necessary to write a will.
The importance of the Islamic will (wasiyya) is clear from the following two hadith:
“It is the duty of a Muslim who has anything to bequest not to let two nights pass without writing a will about it.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
“A man may do good deeds for seventy years but if he acts unjustly when he leaves his last testament, the wickedness of his deed will be sealed upon him, and he will enter the Fire. If, (on the other hand), a man acts wickedly for seventy years but is just in his last will and testament, the goodness of his deed will be sealed upon him, and he will enter the Garden.” (Ahmad and Ibn Majah)
(Excerpts from ‘The Islamic Wills’ by Dr. Abid Hussain)
This template of Islamic Last Will and Testament is created based on the template provided by ‘The Islamic Bulletin’. However, as the print provided by them is too small to read and too compressed to fill in the details, the same has been created in a larger font size. Please feel free to download and share this template.
Our special thanks to The Islamic Bulletin and all those who helped prepare this sample Will.
-Nooruddin
