excerpt from Shaykh Mubashar Ahmad Rabbani’s book "Ahkām wa Masā’il – In the Light of the Qur'an and Sunnah":
Should the inheritance of a deceased person be distributed only among his sons? Is it permissible for a man during his lifetime to give his wealth exclusively to his sons while depriving others from the remaining estate? What is the ruling of the Qur’an and Sunnah on this matter?
Distributing wealth—whether during one’s lifetime or after death—exclusively among sons while depriving daughters, women, and elderly individuals is a pre-Islamic (Jāhiliyyah) practice.
In the era of ignorance (Jāhiliyyah), inheritance was confined to the strong male members of the family, under the assumption that:
“They are the ones who participate in wars and protect the family.”
Whereas women and the elderly were excluded, as they were considered incapable of defense or combat. Hence, they were denied any share in the estate.
But Allah Almighty, through His Noble Revelation, abolished this unjust custom and clearly defined the shares of rightful heirs in the Qur’an. Women were granted their due rights alongside men, as:
Similarly, if a person wishes to distribute his wealth during his lifetime, he must observe fairness and justice, and divide equally among all his children—without excluding daughters.
This ruling is based on the ḥadīth of Nuʿmān ibn Bashīr رضي الله عنه recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, which affirms the importance of equal distribution among children.
❝Therefore, distributing inheritance solely among sons while depriving other rightful heirs is a transgression of the limits set by Allah and an act of injustice. This must be completely avoided.❞
❖ Question:
Should the inheritance of a deceased person be distributed only among his sons? Is it permissible for a man during his lifetime to give his wealth exclusively to his sons while depriving others from the remaining estate? What is the ruling of the Qur’an and Sunnah on this matter?
❖ Answer:
Distributing wealth—whether during one’s lifetime or after death—exclusively among sons while depriving daughters, women, and elderly individuals is a pre-Islamic (Jāhiliyyah) practice.
In the era of ignorance (Jāhiliyyah), inheritance was confined to the strong male members of the family, under the assumption that:
“They are the ones who participate in wars and protect the family.”
Whereas women and the elderly were excluded, as they were considered incapable of defense or combat. Hence, they were denied any share in the estate.
But Allah Almighty, through His Noble Revelation, abolished this unjust custom and clearly defined the shares of rightful heirs in the Qur’an. Women were granted their due rights alongside men, as:
- Mothers,
- Sisters,
- Daughters,
- and Wives.
Similarly, if a person wishes to distribute his wealth during his lifetime, he must observe fairness and justice, and divide equally among all his children—without excluding daughters.
This ruling is based on the ḥadīth of Nuʿmān ibn Bashīr رضي الله عنه recorded in Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, which affirms the importance of equal distribution among children.
❝Therefore, distributing inheritance solely among sons while depriving other rightful heirs is a transgression of the limits set by Allah and an act of injustice. This must be completely avoided.❞
