Knowledge of Inheritance: In the Light of the Quran and Sunnah
Linguistic Explanation: Mawarith is the plural of Miras, which means the estate of the deceased. The words إرث, ورث, وراثة, and تراث are also used in the same sense. Chapter وَرِث يَرِثُ (Hasab) means to be an heir, chapters وَرّث and اَورث (Taf’il, If’al) mean to make someone an heir, chapter تَوَارَث يَتَوَارَث (Tafa’ul) means to be heirs to each other.
مورُوث refers to the one who leaves the estate, and وَارِث is the one who becomes a sharer in the estate. Their plurals are وَرثَةٌ and ورّاث respectively.
[Al-Munjid: p. 959, Al-Qamus Al-Muheet: p. 163, Misbah Al-Lughat: p. 939]
Shariah Definition: Such properties or rights which, due to the death of the deceased, become entitled to the rightful heirs according to Shariah.
[Al-Fiqh Al-Islami wa Adillatuhu: 7697/7]
Inheritance is also called Fara’id as mentioned in a narration:
تعلموا الفرائض
“Learn the knowledge of Fara’id.”
The knowledge of inheritance is called Ilm al-Miras and the knowledge of Fara’id is called Ilm al-Fara’id, and in reality, both refer to the same knowledge.
Legitimacy:
1. Allah the Exalted says:
يُوصِيكُمُ اللَّهُ فِي أَوْلَادِكُمْ ۖ لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ ….. [An-Nisa: 11 – 12 – 176]
“Allah instructs you concerning your children: the share of a male is equal to that of two females.”
2. It is narrated from Hazrat Anas (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
أعلمها الناس بالفرائض زيد بن ثابت
“Among the people, the most expert in the knowledge of Fara’id is Zaid bin Thabit.”
[Sahih: Sahih Ibn Majah: 125, Al-Sahihah: 1224, Ahmad: 184/3, Tirmidhi: 3790, Ibn Majah: 155, Nasai in Fada’il al-Sahaba: 182, Ibn Hibban: 7131, Mushkil al-Athar: 351/1, Abu Nu’aim in Al-Hilyah: 122/3, Hakim: 422/3, Bayhaqi: 210/6]
3. It is narrated from Hazrat Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
تعلموا الفرائض وعلموها فإنها نصف العلم
“Learn and teach the knowledge of Fara’id, for it is half of knowledge.”
[Weak: Da’if Ibn Majah: 594, Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 1664, 1665, Ibn Majah: 2719, Kitab al-Fara’id: Chapter on Encouragement to Teach Fara’id, Dar Qutni: 67/4, Hakim: 332/4, Bayhaqi: 208/6]
4. It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Amr (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: “There are three kinds of knowledge, and whatever else exists besides them is superfluous:”
آية محكمة أو سنة قائمة أو فريضة عادلة
“A decisive verse, or an established Sunnah, or a just obligation.”
[Weak: Da’if Ibn Majah: 7, Da’if Abu Dawood: 496, Abu Dawood: 2885, Kitab al-Fara’id: Chapter on What Has Come Regarding Teaching Fara’id, Ibn Majah: 54, Dar Qutni: 67/4, Hakim: 332/4, Bayhaqi: 208/6]
5. It is narrated from Hazrat Ibn Mas’ud (RA) that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said:
تعلموا القرآن وعلموه الناس وتعلموا الفرائض وعلموها ….
“Learn the Quran and teach it, and learn the knowledge of Fara’id and teach it, for I am a person who will be taken away and knowledge will be lifted, and it is near that two people will differ over a Fardh or some issue but will not find anyone to inform them of the correct ruling.”
[Darimi: 37/1, Hakim: 333/4, Dar Qutni: 81/4, Majma’ al-Zawa’id: 226/4]
1. يُوصِيكُمُ اللَّهُ فِي أَوْلَادِكُمْ ۖ لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۚ فَإِن كُنَّ نِسَاءً فَوْقَ اثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُنَّ ثُلُثَا مَا تَرَكَ ۖ وَإِن كَانَتْ وَاحِدَةً فَلَهَا النِّصْفُ ۚ وَلِأَبَوَيْهِ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا السُّدُسُ مِمَّا تَرَكَ إِن كَانَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ ۚ فَإِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهُ وَلَدٌ وَوَرِثَهُ أَبَوَاهُ فَلِأُمِّهِ الثُّلُثُ ۚ فَإِن كَانَ لَهُ إِخْوَةٌ فَلِأُمِّهِ السُّدُسُ ۚ مِن بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصِي بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ ۗ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ لَا تَدْرُونَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ لَكُمْ نَفْعًا ۚ فَرِيضَةً مِّنَ اللَّهِ ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا ۞ وَلَكُمْ نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ أَزْوَاجُكُمْ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهُنَّ وَلَدٌ ۚ فَإِن كَانَ لَهُنَّ وَلَدٌ فَلَكُمُ الرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْنَ ۚ مِن بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصِينَ بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ ۚ وَلَهُنَّ الرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُمْ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّكُمْ وَلَدٌ ۚ فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَلَهُنَّ الثُّمُنُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُم ۚ مِّن بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ تُوصُونَ بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ ۗ وَإِن كَانَ رَجُلٌ يُورَثُ كَلَالَةً أَوِ امْرَأَةٌ وَلَهُ أَخٌ أَوْ أُخْتٌ فَلِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا السُّدُسُ ۚ فَإِن كَانُوا أَكْثَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ فَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ فِي الثُّلُثِ ۚ مِن بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصَىٰ بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ غَيْرَ مُضَارٍّ ۚ وَصِيَّةً مِّنَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَلِيمٌ [An-Nisa: 11 – 12]
“Allah instructs you concerning your children: the share of a male is equal to that of two females. And if there are only daughters and more than two, then they shall have two-thirds of the inheritance. And if there is only one daughter, then she shall have half. And for the deceased’s parents, each one of them shall have a sixth of what he leaves if he has children. But if he has no children and the parents are heirs, then the mother shall have a third. But if he has brothers, then the mother shall have a sixth. These are after the bequest which he may have made or debt payment. Your parents or your children, you do not know which of them is nearer to you in benefit. These are fixed shares from Allah. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Wise.
Your wives, if they leave no child, then half of what you leave is theirs; but if they leave a child, then one-fourth of what you leave is theirs, after any bequest you may have made or debt payment. And for you is one-fourth if you leave no child, but if you leave a child, then for you is an eighth of what you leave, after any bequest you may have made or debt payment. And for those who are heirs, whether male or female, if the deceased leaves no child but has a brother or sister, then each of them shall have a sixth. But if there are more than two, then they share one-third. This is after any bequest made and debt payment, without harming others. This is a decree from Allah, and Allah is Knowing and Forbearing.”
2. يَسْتَفْتُونَكَ قُلِ اللَّهُ يُفْتِيكُمْ فِي الْكَلَالَةِ ۚ إِنِ امْرُؤٌ هَلَكَ لَيْسَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَلَهُ أُخْتٌ فَلَهَا نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ ۚ وَهُوَ يَرِثُهَا إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهَا وَلَدٌ ۚ فَإِن كَانَتَا اثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُمَا الثُّلُثَانِ مِمَّا تَرَكَ ۚ وَإِن كَانُوا إِخْوَةً رِّجَالًا وَنِسَاءً فَلِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الْأُنثَيَيْنِ ۗ يُبَيِّنُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ أَن تَضِلُّوا ۗ وَاللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
[An-Nisa: 176]
“They ask you for a ruling. Say: Allah gives you a ruling concerning the kulla (one who has neither father nor son). If a man dies without children but has a sister, then she shall have half of what he leaves. And he is the heir of that sister if he has no children. But if there are two sisters, then they shall have two-thirds of what he leaves. And if there are many related to him, both men and women, then for the male is the equivalent of the share of two females. Allah makes clear to you so that you do not go astray. And Allah is Knowing of all things.”
3. وَأُولُو الْأَرْحَامِ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلَىٰ بِبَعْضٍ
[Al-Anfal: 75]
“And relatives are nearer to each other in the Book of Allah.”
4. لِّلرِّجَالِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالْأَقْرَبُونَ وَلِلنِّسَاءِ نَصِيبٌ مِّمَّا تَرَكَ الْوَالِدَانِ وَالْأَقْرَبُونَ مِمَّا قَلَّ مِنْهُ أَوْ كَثُرَ ۚ نَصِيبًا مَّفْرُوضًا
[An-Nisa: 7]
“For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, be it little or much—a prescribed share.”
Issues Derived from Previous Verses
① Instructions regarding sons and daughters:
➊ When the heirs of the deceased are only one male and one female, the division of wealth will be such that the male receives two shares and the female receives one share.
➋ When the heirs are a group of males and females, the male heirs will receive twice the share of the female heirs.
➌ If along with the children, the heirs include the fixed-share heirs such as the husband, wife, or parents, then first the fixed-share heirs will be given their shares, and the remainder will be distributed among the children according to the principle of للذكر مثل حظ الأنثيين.
➍ When the only heir of the deceased is one son, he will inherit all the wealth.
➎ In the absence of children, the grandchildren will receive their share.
② Instructions regarding parents:
➊ When the deceased has children, each parent will receive one-sixth share.
➋ When there are no children, the mother will receive one-third and the father will receive the remaining two-thirds.
➌ If the deceased has siblings along with the parents, the mother will receive one-sixth share and the father will receive the rest. The brothers and sisters will receive nothing because the father is a barrier (blocker) for them.
③ Debt will take precedence over the will.
④ Instructions regarding the husband:
➊ If the wife dies and there are no children, the husband will receive half the share.
➋ If there are children, the husband will receive one-fourth share.
⑤ Instructions regarding one wife or multiple wives:
➊ If the husband dies and there are no children, one or more wives will receive one-fourth share.
➋ If there are children, they will receive one-eighth share.
⑥ Inheritances of siblings from the mother’s side:
➊ When the deceased leaves only one brother or only one sister from the mother’s side, each of them will receive one-sixth.
➋ If there are multiple brothers or sisters from the mother’s side, they will all share equally in one-third.
⑦ Orders regarding full siblings or siblings from the father’s side:
➊ If the deceased leaves one full sister or one sister from the father’s side and there are no children or parents of the deceased, she will receive half of the share.
➋ When the deceased leaves two full sisters or two sisters from the father’s side and there are no children or parents of the deceased, they will be entitled to two-thirds of the inheritance.
➌ When the deceased leaves brothers and sisters (i.e., full or from the father’s side), the division of the inheritance will be according to the principles of للذكر مثل حظ الأنثيين.
➍ If a full sister dies and there are no children or parents present, her full brother will inherit all the property, and if there are multiple brothers, they will divide it equally among themselves.
➎ Similarly, the ruling for siblings from the father’s side applies when full siblings are not present.
Some essential points regarding inheritance
① There are three components of inheritance:
➊ Murith (the one who creates the heir, i.e., the deceased)
➋ Warith (the one who becomes the heir)
➌ Mawrooth (the inheritance).
[Al-Fara’id: p. 17, Al-Fiqh Al-Islami wa Adillatuhu: 7703/10]
② There are three causes of inheritance:
➊ Kinship (relationship, etc.)
➋ Marriage
➌ Loyalty (Wala)
[Al-Fara’id: p. 18, Al-Mughni: 304/6, Al-Qawanin Al-Fiqhiyyah: p. 384, Bidayat Al-Mujtahid: 355/2, Ma’na Al-Muhtaj: 4/3, Al-Sharh Al-Saghir: 619/4, Al-Durr Al-Mukhtar: 538/5]
③ There are three conditions for inheritance:
➊ Proof of the death of the Murith.
➋ Proof of the heir’s life at the time of the Murith’s death.
➌ Knowledge regarding inheritance, for example, the cause of inheritance, the relationship of the heir, his degree and strength, etc.
[Al-Fara’id: p. 22, Kashaf Al-Qina’: 448/4]
④ There are three impediments (obstacles) to inheritance:
➊ Slavery
➋ Killing
➌ Different religion
[Al-Fara’id: p. 24, Mughni Al-Muhtaj: 24/3, Kashaf Al-Qina’: 448/4, Al-Mughni: 266/6]
⑤ In the knowledge of inheritance, there are three types of siblings:
➊ ‘Ayni: Those who are full siblings.
➋ ‘Ilati: Those who are related through the father.
➌ Akhafi: Those who are related through the mother.
[Nil Al-Awtar: 122/4, Al-Rawdah Al-Nadiyyah: 695/2]
