Q: A lady has just been told that her deceased husband had told some people who were collecting donations for a school in India that he would give them five hundred British pounds as lillah, but he passed away very suddenly, without paying out the money. Now those people are asking the deceased man's family to pay them. Does the man's family have to give that money? Will they be committing a sin if they don't? Will the deceased man suffer in the after life if the lillah is not paid? Please bear in mind that all debts of the man has been paid from the money which he left, but is the fact that he said he will give lillah, but died before he was able to, be considered as a debt?
A:
1. No. It is not permissible to give any donation from the estate. If after the estate is wound and distributed, if any heir out of his own free will wishes to give a donation, he may do so.
2. No
3. No
4. This is not a debt, hence it will not be paid from the estate.
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
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