A promise by a mother to a monthly salary, followed by her death before delivery
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Honorable Shaykh, I had promised my mother that I would give her one month's salary if I got a job, but I did not do so until she passed away. Should I give charity on her behalf for one month's salary, or does this promise constitute a debt in my possession that becomes the right of her heirs after her death?
Answer:
No, it does not become the right of her heirs unless she received it. If you had delivered it to her, it would have become the property of her heirs, part of her estate. However, as long as you did not deliver it, a gift is not binding except upon receipt. But if you give it as charity, out of kindness and benevolence toward her, that is better.
Honorable Shaykh, I had promised my mother that I would give her one month's salary if I got a job, but I did not do so until she passed away. Should I give charity on her behalf for one month's salary, or does this promise constitute a debt in my possession that becomes the right of her heirs after her death?
Answer:
No, it does not become the right of her heirs unless she received it. If you had delivered it to her, it would have become the property of her heirs, part of her estate. However, as long as you did not deliver it, a gift is not binding except upon receipt. But if you give it as charity, out of kindness and benevolence toward her, that is better.
Source
شرح بلوغ المرام من أدلة الأحكام [ صالح الفوزان ]، تابع كتاب الجنايات - 2 — islamhouse.com (1:01:12)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.