The Bequest and Inheritance
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Question: My father passed away and left us an estate, except that my grandmother, who is his mother, had left my father a number of livestock, consisting of one-third of a portion, to do with as he wished. What should we do with this livestock? Should we add it to our father's estate? Or should we give it in charity? Or what should we do with it? Please guide us, may Allah reward you.
Answer: If this livestock that your grandmother left is a bequest after her death in the way of giving, and your father was in charge of it and carried out her bequest, then it is obligatory that this bequest continues and is carried out as the deceased woman willed. There must be a written document regarding this matter, or there must be someone among the people who knows, so you can ask them.
The result: This livestock you mentioned appears to be a bequest for the deceased woman, and your father was increasing it and spending from it what her mother had willed. So you must look into that and carry out this bequest.
However, if it was part of her estate in the sense of inheritance, and her son inherited it from her, then it is like the rest of his wealth. It becomes part of his estate and is added to his estate if your father inherited it from his mother and it reached him through inheritance. In that case, it is his wealth and his estate. But I fear that it is as you indicated first, that it is a bequest.
Answer: If this livestock that your grandmother left is a bequest after her death in the way of giving, and your father was in charge of it and carried out her bequest, then it is obligatory that this bequest continues and is carried out as the deceased woman willed. There must be a written document regarding this matter, or there must be someone among the people who knows, so you can ask them.
The result: This livestock you mentioned appears to be a bequest for the deceased woman, and your father was increasing it and spending from it what her mother had willed. So you must look into that and carry out this bequest.
However, if it was part of her estate in the sense of inheritance, and her son inherited it from her, then it is like the rest of his wealth. It becomes part of his estate and is added to his estate if your father inherited it from his mother and it reached him through inheritance. In that case, it is his wealth and his estate. But I fear that it is as you indicated first, that it is a bequest.