Leaving a Will: Reconciling Executor Duty and Eldest Son’s Obligation for Missed Worship

Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei

Leaving a Will: Reconciling Executor Duty and Eldest Son’s Obligation for Missed Worship

English:

Question #1850:

I am the eldest son of my father, hence I am responsible for performing any outstanding prayer and fast my father owed. However, my father has directed in his will that one-year of prayer and fast should be performed. How should I go about the fact that more than one year of prayer and fast is outstanding?

Answer #1850:

The instructions of the deceased to clear any outstanding prayer and fast should be catered for from his share of one-third of the estate if he has directed thus. Accordingly, it is within your right to hire a person to perform the outstanding prayer and fast. Should the outstanding duration be more than what he directed in his will, you have to perform it on his behalf, albeit by hiring a person to do it with money paid from your own pocket.

-Imam Khamenei, Practical Laws of Islam, Importance and Conditions of Leaving a Will