Ali ibn Ibrahim (may Allah have mercy on him): The rulings of inheritance at the beginning of the prophethood were based on the principle of brotherhood, not sonship. When the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) migrated to Medina, he established a bond of brotherhood [two by two] between the Muhajirun with one another, and between the Ansar with one another, and between the Muhajirun and the Ansar. In this way, when a person died, his brother in faith would inherit him and take the wealth, and whatever inheritance was left would go to him and not to the deceased's heirs — until, after the Battle of Badr, this verse was revealed: "النَّبِیُّ أَوْلی بِالْمُؤْمِنِینَ مِنْ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَ أَزْواجُهُ أُمَّهاتُهُمْ وَ أُولُوا الْأَرْحامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلی بِبَعْضٍ فِی کِتابِ اللهِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ وَ الْمُهاجِرِینَ إِلَّا أَنْ تَفْعَلُوا إِلی أَوْلِیائِکُمْ مَعْرُوفاً [The Prophet has a greater right over the believers than they have over themselves, and his wives are their mothers, and in the Book of Allah blood relatives have a greater right over one another than the believers and the Muhajirun, except that you may do good to your friends]" (al-Ahzab/6). And through this verse, which says: "وَ الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا وَ لَمْ یُهاجِرُوا [And those who believed and did not migrate]" (al-Anfal/72), the verse of brotherhood [which was the basis of inheritance] was abrogated. The verse "And those who believed and did not migrate" (al-Anfal/72) was revealed regarding the desert-dwelling Arabs (bedouin), and for this reason the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) deemed it fitting to leave them in their own land (Mecca), and so they did not migrate to Medina with the Prophet. If the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) wished, he would go to war with them, and they received no share with them of the spoils of war. And it was incumbent upon the Prophet that if other Arab tribes attacked and raided them, he would help them — unless the attacker was from a people who had a [military] pact and covenant with the Prophet, and that only during the term of the treaty. "وَ الَّذِینَ کَفَرُوا بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِیاءُ بَعْضٍ [And the disbelievers are also relatives of one another]" (al-Anfal/73), that is, some of them are guardians and masters of others. "إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوهُ [If you do not observe it]" (al-Anfal/73), that is, if you did not do this with them, one letter would sit upon another [and no stone would rest upon a stone], and tribulation, unbelief, and great corruption would spread throughout the earth. Then He said: "وَ الَّذِینَ آمَنُوا مِنْ بَعْدُ وَ هاجَرُوا وَ جاهَدُوا مَعَکُمْ فَأُولئِکَ مِنْکُمْ وَ أُولُوا الْأَرْحامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلی بِبَعْضٍ فِی کِتابِ اللَّهِ [And those who believed afterwards and migrated and struggled together with you are of you. By the decree of the Book of Allah, blood relatives have a greater right over one another]" (al-Anfal/75). This verse is the abrogator of the verse: "وَ الَّذِینَ عَقَدَتْ أَیْمانُکُمْ فَآتُوهُمْ نَصِیبَهُمْ [And as to those with whom your right hands have ratified agreements, give them their portion]."