Obligation of fulfilling a will

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Q: My father had a severe illness one year before his death which crippled him. He then asked his attendants to bear witness to the will he dictated to them stating that one-fourth of his date-palms should be given in charity. The will was recorded on a document. (Part No. 16; Page No. 263) This illness was not my father's last as Allah (Exalted be He) cured him of it. A year later, my father had a car accident that caused his sudden death before he wrote a will. Moreover, the document recording the will was lost but the witnesses are still alive. Is it obligatory to enforce our father's will?

A: If your father's will is authenticated according to Shari`ah (Islamic law) and it is not proven that he revoked it, it will be obligatory for his heirs to enforce it after paying his debts and before dividing the estate among the heirs. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.