THE CEYLON MUHAMMADANS, 
grow up. Let him who is rich abstain entirely from 
the orphan’s estate, and let him who is poor take 
thereof, according to what shall be reasonable. And 
when ye deliver their substance unto them call wit- 
nesses thereof in their presence. God taketli sufficient 
account of your actions. Men ought to have a part 
of what their parents and kindred leave behind them, 
when they die, and women also ought to have a part 
of what their parents and kindred leave, whether it 
be little or whether it be much, a determinate part 
is due to them, and when they who are of kin are 
present at the dividing of what is left, and rdso the 
orphans and the poor, distribute to them some part 
thereof, and if the estate be too small, at least speak 
comfortably unto them. 
“ Surely they who devour the possessions of orphans 
unjustly shall swallow down nothing but fire into their 
beiiies,and shall boil in raging flames. God hath thus com- 
manded you concerning your children. A mrde shall 
have as much as the share of two females, but if they be 
female only, and above two in number, they shall have 
two-third parts of what the deceased shall leave, and 
if there be but one, she shall have the half, and the 
parents of the deceased shall have each of them a 
sixth part of what be shall leave, if he have a child, 
but if be have no child, and his parents be his heirs, 
then his mother shall have the third part, and if 
he have brethren his mother shall have a sixth port, 
after the legacies which he shall bequeath, and his 
debts be paid. Ye know’ not whether your parents 
or your children be of greater use to you. This 
is an ordinance from God, and God is knowing and 
wise. Moreover ye may claim half of what your wives 
shall leave, if they have no issue, but if they have 
issue, then ye shall have the fourth part of wTiat they 
shall leave, after the legacies which they shall be- 
queath, and the debts oepciid,SLC., &c. These are the 
statutes of God, and whoso obeyeth God and his 
apostle, God shall lead him into gardens wherein 
rivers flow, they shall continue therein for ever, and 
this shall be great happiness. But whoso disobeyeth 
God, and his apostle, and transgresseth his statutes, 
God shall cast him into hell-fire ; he shallremain therein 
for ever, and he shall suffer a shameful punishment. 
Men shall have the pre-eminence above wmmen, because 
of those advantages wherein God bath caused the 
one of them to excel the other, and for that which 
they expend of their substance, in maintaining their 
wives. The honest w’omen ai'e obedient, careful in 
the absence of their husbands, for that God pre- 
serveth them. But if they shall be obedient unto 
you, seek not an occasion of quarrel against them, 
