Shares of 11 Prescribed Heirs in Light of Qur’an & Hadith

❖ Detailed Share Allocation of 11 Asḥāb al-Furūḍ According to Qur’an and Hadith

Excerpt taken from the book “Islami Qanoon-e-Wirasat” by Maulana Abu Nu’man Basheer Ahmad.

❖ Question:

What are the detailed share allocations of the Asḥāb al-Furūḍ (those with prescribed inheritance shares)?

✅ Answer:

Asḥāb al-Furūḍ are those heirs whose shares have been explicitly defined in the Qur’an and Sunnah. Below is the detailed explanation of 11 heirs from this category:

① Husband (خاوند)

◈ Two Scenarios:

➊ No Descendant Heir (فرع وارث) of the wife:
He gets ½ (one-half) of the estate.

❖ “وَلَكُمْ نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ أَزْوَاجُكُمْ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُنَّ وَلَدٌ“
(Surah an-Nisa 4:12)

➋ If the wife has any descendant heir (فرع وارث):
He receives ¼ (one-fourth) of the estate.

❖ “فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُنَّ وَلَدٌ فَلَكُمُ الرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْنَ“
(Surah an-Nisa 4:12)

② Father (باپ)

◈ Three Scenarios:

➊ If the deceased has male descendant heirs:
Father receives ⅙ (one-sixth).

❖ “وَلِأَبَوَيْهِ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ… السُّدُسُ“
(Surah an-Nisa 4:11)

➋ If the deceased has only female descendants:
Father receives ⅙ + remainder as ‘Asabah.

➌ If the deceased has no descendants:
Father receives all remainder after mother’s share as ‘Asabah.

❖ “فَإِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ وَلَدٌ…”
(Surah an-Nisa 4:11)

③ Grandfather (دادا)

◈ In the absence of the father, the paternal grandfather takes his place and receives shares under the same three conditions as the father.

④ Maternal Brother or Sister (أخ/أخت لأم)

◈ Also called “أخيافي” (siblings from mother only) – equal in share for both genders.

➊ If only one: Gets ⅙ (one-sixth)
➋ If two or more: Share ⅓ (one-third) equally
➌ If the deceased has descendants or father/grandfather: They are excluded

❖ “فَلِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا السُّدُسُ… فَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ فِي الثُّلُثِ“
(Surah an-Nisa 4:12)

⑤ Wife (بیوی)

◈ Two Scenarios:

➊ If the deceased husband has no descendant heir:
Wife receives ¼ (one-fourth)

❖ “وَلَهُنَّ الرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُمْ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌ“
(Surah an-Nisa 4:12)

➋ If the husband has descendants:
Wife receives ⅛ (one-eighth)

❖ “فَإِنْ كَانَ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَلَهُنَّ الثُّمُنُ…”
(Surah an-Nisa 4:12)

➤ Note:

• If multiple wives, they share this portion equally.
• Even in revocable divorce during her waiting period (`iddah),** the wife is still a legal heir.

⑥ Mother (ماں)

◈ Three Scenarios:

➊ If the deceased has descendants or two+ siblings:
Mother gets ⅙ (one-sixth)

❖ “فَلِأُمِّهِ السُّدُسُ…”
(Surah an-Nisa 4:11)

➋ If no descendants or multiple siblings:
She gets ⅓ (one-third)

➌ In presence of father + husband or wife:
Mother gets ⅓ of the remainder after husband/wife’s share.

This special case is called “Mas’alah ‘Umariyyah”, established by Umar رضي الله عنه

⑦ Grandmother (دادی / نانی – صحیحہ)

◈ One-sixth (⅙) if:

• Mother is not alive
• For paternal grandmother, father must be deceased

➤ If both maternal and paternal grandmothers are alive, they share the ⅙.
➤ In presence of closer grandmother, the more distant one is excluded.

❖ Incident narrated from Abu Bakr and Umar رضي الله عنهما confirms this ruling
(Jami’ al-Tirmidhi – Hadith: 2101; Sunan Abi Dawood – Hadith: 2894)

⑧ Daughter (بیٹی)

◈ Three Scenarios:

➊ Only one daughter: Gets ½ (one-half)

❖ “فَلَهَا النِّصْفُ“ (Surah an-Nisa 4:11)

➋ Two or more daughters: Share ⅔ (two-thirds)

❖ “فَلَهُنَّ ثُلُثَا مَا تَرَكَ“ (Surah an-Nisa 4:11)

➌ If with sons: She inherits as ‘Asabah, male gets double the share of female

❖ “لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ“ (Surah an-Nisa 4:11)

⑨ Granddaughter (پوتی / پڑپوتی)

◈ Five Scenarios:

➊ One only: Gets ½ (one-half)
➋ Two or more: Get ⅔ (two-thirds)
➌ With daughter: Gets ⅙ to complete ⅔

❖ Hadith:
“The daughter gets half, granddaughter gets one-sixth to complete two-thirds…”
(Sahih al-Bukhari – Hadith: 6736)

➍ With brother: Becomes ‘Asabah – shares as per “لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ”
➎ If sons or more direct daughters exist: Granddaughters are excluded

⑩ Full Sister (حقیقی بہن)

◈ Five Scenarios:

➊ Alone: Gets ½ (one-half)
➋ Two or more: Share ⅔ (two-thirds)
➌ With brother: Becomes ‘Asabah – male gets double

❖ “فَلِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ الْأُنْثَيَيْنِ“ (Surah an-Nisa 4:176)

➍ In presence of female descendants: Can be ‘Asabah
➎ In presence of male descendant or father: Excluded

⑪ Paternal Sister (پدری بہن)

◈ Six Scenarios:

➊ Alone (no full sister): Gets ½ (one-half)
➋ Two or more (no full sister): Share ⅔ (two-thirds)
➌ With one full sister: Gets ⅙ (to complete two-thirds)
➍ With brother or female descendants: Becomes ‘Asabah
➎ Excluded if male descendant, father, or full brother exists
➏ Also excluded by two full sisters, unless accompanied by a paternal brother

❖ Summary Table: Shares of Asḥāb al-Furūḍ