Inheritance Share of a Childless Wife in Islam
In Islamic law, the division of inheritance is precisely outlined, and each heir’s share is based on their relationship with the deceased and the presence or absence of other heirs. One of the common questions concerns the share of a wife, particularly when she has no children from her deceased husband.
If a Muslim man dies and leaves behind two wives—one who bore children and the other who did not—the share for each wife is not determined based on whether she has children, but rather on whether the deceased husband left behind children in general.
In such a case:
Therefore, a childless wife does not get any extra or reduced share based on her own status of having children or not; rather, the determining factor is the presence of children from the deceased in general.
This rule ensures fairness and consistency in the Islamic system of inheritance and emphasizes that rights are given according to Divine command, not personal status or emotional considerations.
In Islamic law, the division of inheritance is precisely outlined, and each heir’s share is based on their relationship with the deceased and the presence or absence of other heirs. One of the common questions concerns the share of a wife, particularly when she has no children from her deceased husband.
If a Muslim man dies and leaves behind two wives—one who bore children and the other who did not—the share for each wife is not determined based on whether she has children, but rather on whether the deceased husband left behind children in general.
In such a case:
- If the husband leaves behind any children (from any wife), then each wife receives one-eighth (⅛) of the estate, collectively. This one-eighth share is divided equally among all the wives.
- If the husband dies childless, then the wives collectively receive one-fourth (¼) of the estate, again to be equally shared among them.
Therefore, a childless wife does not get any extra or reduced share based on her own status of having children or not; rather, the determining factor is the presence of children from the deceased in general.
This rule ensures fairness and consistency in the Islamic system of inheritance and emphasizes that rights are given according to Divine command, not personal status or emotional considerations.
