Complete Distribution of a Complex Inheritance Issue According to Shar‘i Principles
Source: Fatāwā Rāshidiyyah, Page 560
❖ Question
Respected scholars are requested to explain the distribution of inheritance in the following case:
Ḥasan passed away, leaving three sons: Aḥmad, Ḥabībullāh, and Raḥmatullāh. Later, Ḥabībullāh died, leaving behind a daughter Jamāl Khātūn and two brothers, Aḥmad and Raḥmatullāh. Afterwards, Aḥmad died, leaving behind a son Ghulām Ḥusain and a wife Salīmah Khātūn. Then Raḥmatullāh passed away, leaving a son Ḥabībullāh and his wife Salīmah Khātūn. Later, Salīmah Khātūn died, leaving two sons: Ghulām Ḥusain and Ḥabībullāh. After that, Ḥabībullāh died, leaving three sons (Raḍā Muḥammad, ʿAzīzullāh, Amānullāh), four daughters, and one half-brother, Ghulām Ḥusain. Finally, Jamāl Khātūn died, leaving a son Hāshim, daughters Wazn, Zaynab, and Raḥmat, and her husband Ibrāhīm.
Kindly provide a detailed breakdown of each share according to Sharīʿah.
❖ Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd!
It must be understood that at the time of a person’s death, the following sequence must be observed before distribution of inheritance:
① Funeral expenses are deducted.
② Debts are paid off.
③ If any bequest (waṣiyyah) is made, it is executed up to one-third of the estate.
④ The remaining wealth becomes the inheritance (tarikah), which will then be divided. For simplicity, one unit is assumed to be “1 rupee” in calculation.
✿ Distribution Stages
1. After Ḥasan’s Death (Estate: 1 Rupee)
◈ Son Aḥmad: 5 ānās 4 pāʾī
◈ Son Ḥabībullāh: 5 ānās 4 pāʾī
◈ Son Raḥmatullāh: 5 ānās 4 pāʾī
2. After Ḥabībullāh’s Death (Estate: 4 ānās 4 pāʾī)
◈ Daughter Jamāl Khātūn: 2 ānās 8 pāʾī
◈ Brother Aḥmad: 1 ānā 4 pāʾī
◈ Brother Raḥmatullāh: 1 pāʾī
3. After Raḥmatullāh’s Death (Estate: 6 ānās 8 pāʾī)
◈ Son Ḥabībullāh: 5 ānās 10 pāʾī
◈ Wife Salīmah Khātūn: 10 pāʾī
4. After Aḥmad’s Death (Estate: 6 ānās 8 pāʾī)
◈ Son Ghulām Ḥusain: 5 ānās 10 pāʾī
◈ Wife Salīmah Khātūn: 10 pāʾī
5. After Salīmah Khātūn’s Death (Estate: 1 ānā 8 pāʾī)
◈ Son Ghulām Ḥusain: 10 pāʾī
◈ Son Ḥabībullāh: 10 pāʾī
6. After Ḥabībullāh’s Death (Estate: 6 ānās 8 pāʾī)
◈ Sons (Raḍā Muḥammad, ʿAzīzullāh, Amānullāh): 1 ānā ½ + 1 pāʾī each
◈ Four daughters: 2 ānās 3 pāʾī collectively
◈ Half-brother Ghulām Ḥusain: Deprived (maḥrūm)
7. After Jamāl Khātūn’s Death (Estate: 2 ānās 8 pāʾī)
◈ Son Hāshim: 2/1/9 pāʾī
◈ Daughter Wazn: 4/3/4 pāʾī
◈ Daughter Zaynab: 4/3/4 pāʾī
◈ Daughter Raḥmat: 4/3/4 pāʾī
◈ Husband Ibrāhīm: 8 pāʾī
Note: The remaining ¼ pāʾī is divided into five parts:
◈ Two shares for the son
◈ One share each for the daughters
✿ Decimal Conversion of Distribution
Ḥasan (Estate: 100)
◈ Aḥmad (ʿaṣabah): 33.3%
◈ Ḥabībullāh (ʿaṣabah): 33.3%
◈ Raḥmatullāh (ʿaṣabah): 33.3%
Ḥabībullāh (Estate: 33.33)
◈ Daughter Jamāl Khātūn: 16.67%
◈ Brother Aḥmad (ʿaṣabah): 8.33%
◈ Brother Raḥmatullāh (ʿaṣabah): 8.33%
Aḥmad (Estate: 41.66)
◈ Son Ghulām Ḥusain (ʿaṣabah): 36.46%
◈ Wife Salīmah (1/8): 5.20%
Salīmah Khātūn (Estate: 10.40)
◈ Son Ghulām Ḥusain (ʿaṣabah): 5.20%
◈ Son Ḥabībullāh (ʿaṣabah): 5.20%
Ḥabībullāh (Estate: 41.66)
◈ Two sons (ʿaṣabah): 20.83%
◈ Four daughters (ʿaṣabah): 20.83%
◈ Half-brother: deprived
Jamāl Khātūn (Estate: 16.66)
◈ Husband (1/4): 4.165%
◈ Son (ʿaṣabah): 4.998%
◈ Three daughters (ʿaṣabah): 7.497%
ھذا ما عندی واللہ أعلم بالصواب
