❖ Question:
There are four brothers and two sisters, and the total inheritance amounts to 1.5 crore rupees.
How should the Islamic distribution of inheritance be carried out? Is it correct to divide it into five parts, giving four parts to the brothers and one part to the sisters?
❖ Answer by:
Fadīlat al-Bāḥith Naʿmān Khaleeq ḥafiẓahullāh
Fadīlat al-ʿĀlim Ikrāmullah Wāḥidī ḥafiẓahullāh
❖ Islamic Principle of Inheritance:
According to the laws of Islamic inheritance, when brothers and sisters inherit together:
Each male (brother) receives the share of two females (sisters)
(Qur’an, Sūrat al-Nisāʾ 4:11)
❖ Step-by-Step Calculation
There are:
✔ 4 Brothers
✔ 2 Sisters
◈ Assign each sister = 1 share
◈ Each brother = 2 shares
➤ Total shares:
(4 brothers × 2) + (2 sisters × 1) = 8 + 2 = 10 shares
❖ Division of 1.5 Crore Rupees (15,000,000)
➤ Value per share = 15,000,000 ÷ 10 = 1,500,000 (15 lakh)
❖ Individual Shares:
✿ Each Brother (2 shares):
2 × 1,500,000 = 3,000,000 (30 lakh)
Total for 4 brothers: 30 lakh × 4 = 1.2 crore (12,000,000)
✿ Each Sister (1 share):
1 × 1,500,000 = 1,500,000 (15 lakh)
Total for 2 sisters: 15 lakh × 2 = 30 lakh (3,000,000)
❖ Final Summary Table
| Heir | Number | Share per Person | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brother | 4 | ₹30,00,000 | ₹1,20,00,000 |
| Sister | 2 | ₹15,00,000 | ₹30,00,000 |
| Total | — | — | ₹1,50,00,000 |
❖ Important Note:
✔ This distribution is after the payment of any debts or valid bequests as required in Islamic law.
✔ The rule “a male receives double that of a female” is a command from Allah ﷻ, not based on personal preference or societal status.
Conclusion:
The correct Islamic method of distribution gives each brother twice the share of each sister.
The proposed idea of dividing the estate into five parts (4 for brothers, 1 for both sisters) is incorrect and not in accordance with the Sharīʿah.
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
