Surah Al-Baqara 2:180 — translation and meaning
البقرة · Verse 180 / 286 · Page 27
ۖ كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِذَا حَضَرَ أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ إِن تَرَكَ خَيْرًا الْوَصِيَّةُ لِلْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ حَقًّا عَلَى الْمُتَّقِينَ
Word by Word
Transliteration
Kutiba 'alaikum izaa hadara ahadakumul mawtu in taraka khairanil wasiyyatu lilwaalidaini wal aqrabeena bilma'roofi haqqan 'alalmut taqeen
Translation
Prescribed for you when death approaches [any] one of you if he leaves wealth [is that he should make] a bequest for the parents and near relatives according to what is acceptable - a duty upon the righteous.
Verse interpretation (Tafsir)
It has been decreed for you that if one of you is about to die, and they are leaving a large amount of wealth behind, then they should make a will for their parents and close relatives, according to the sacred laws, not exceeding one third of the wealth (the rest of the wealth being distributed according to the laws of inheritance). Making this will is a firm duty on those who are mindful of Allah. This ruling was revealed before the verses about inheritance. When the verses about inheritance were revealed it was made clear who should inherit from the person who has died and how much they should inherit.
Source: Al-Mukhtasar Tafsir — Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies.
Join 50,000+ Muslims
Download for free and never miss a prayer again