A dying man left a sack of gold with a friend, and said, “When my children reach adulthood, give them what ever you want, and keep the rest.” All this was also written in a will.
When the man’s children reached adulthood, his friend gathered the people and read out the will. He said, “Their father said to me, give them whatever you want, and keep the rest.” So he gave the children the sack, and kept the gold himself.
Everyone agreed that a great injustice had been committed against the children, but the Ulama and Qādhi had no solution to this dilemma, due to the will.
Finally, the matter was presented in the court of our Imām Abu Hanifa Rahmatullah Alayh. The people gathered, the children were present, the father’s friend was summoned.
Imam Abu Hanifa Rahmatullah Alayh asked him to read the will. After hearing the will, the great Imam asked him, “Do you want the gold or the sack?” He replied, “I want the gold.” The Imam said, “The will states, give the children ‘whatever you want’. Seen as you’ve admitted to wanting the gold, according to this will, the gold is to be given to the children, the sack belongs to you.”
SubhānAllah!
Muslims First 