❖ 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
| Heir | Share (in Different Cases) |
|---|---|
| Husband | ½ (no descendants), ¼ (with descendants) |
| Father | ⅙ (with descendants), else ‘Asabah |
| Grandfather | Same as Father (in absence) |
| Maternal Siblings | ⅙ (one), ⅓ (multiple), excluded by father or descendants |
| Wife | ¼ (no descendants), ⅛ (with descendants) |
| Mother | ⅙ or ⅓ or ⅓ of remainder (Umariyyah) |
| Grandmother | ⅙ (if mother not alive), shareable among both grandmothers |
| Daughter | ½ (one), ⅔ (multiple), else ‘Asabah with sons |
| Granddaughter | ½ / ⅔ / ⅙ / ‘Asabah / Excluded |
| Full Sister | ½ / ⅔ / ‘Asabah / Excluded |
| Paternal Sister | ½ / ⅔ / ⅙ / ‘Asabah / Excluded |
