The grandson of Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away, and he left behind his grandfather Umar and his brother. So Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) called Sayyiduna Zaid bin Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him). Zaid kept calculating, so Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Do not argue, by Allah! I know that I have more right to them."

Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "If I were given authority over people's affairs, I would place the grandfather in the position of the father."

It is narrated from Sa'id bin al-Musayyib (may Allah have mercy on him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever dares to distribute (inheritance) to the grandfather (inappropriately), he dares to fall into the Fire."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "Whoever wishes to fall into the embers of Hell should judge between a grandfather and brothers."

It is narrated in a similar manner from Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) that Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to his governor: "Give the grandfather half with one brother, a third with two brothers, a quarter with three brothers, a fifth with four brothers, a sixth with five brothers, and if there are more brothers, do not make the grandfather's share less than a sixth."

Sayyiduna Umar and Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with them both) used to distribute the inheritance of the grandfather along with the brothers, to the extent that if dividing with the brothers was harmful to the grandfather, they would give him one-sixth. Then Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him): "We have wronged the grandfather; now, if this letter reaches you, then distribute to the grandfather along with the brothers until one-third is better for him than the division."

Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote to Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him):“We used to give the grandfather one-sixth along with the brothers, and perhaps we were excessive with him in this. So when this letter of mine reaches you, give the grandfather half with one brother, a third with two brothers, and if the brothers are more, do not make the grandfather’s share less than a third.”

We presented a case to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the death of a brother who had left behind a grandfather and brothers, so he gave the grandfather one-sixth along with the brothers. Then, upon the death of another brother, a similar case was presented, and this time he gave the grandfather one-third. When we asked why he gave one-sixth before and now one-third, he replied: "We decide according to the rulings of our rulers."

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he was asked about a certain issue, so he gave a particular ruling. Then, the following year, he gave a different ruling on the same issue. When he was asked about this, he said: "The first decision was for that time, and this decision is for now."