What happens to the wala' if the formerly enslaved person dies leaving wealth and one party retracts their prior statement?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Acknowledgment of Rights
Primary text
If the freed person dies leaving wealth, and either the seller or the buyer retracts their initial statement, the wealth belongs to the retracting party, as no one else claims it. If the seller retracts, stating the buyer was truthful and he had manumitted the slave, the wala' belongs to the seller, and he must return the purchase price to the buyer due to his admission that the sale was nullified.
Supporting text
If the buyer retracts, the wealth belongs to him, as no one else claims it. However, the buyer's retraction denying the freedom cannot be accepted because freedom is a right pertaining to another party.