Question
السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته
Our family is considering to give away some of our wealth to our children whilst we are alive.
We are taking into consideration the financial situation of our children and apportion part of our wealth whilst we are alive in such a manner that those siblings who are the most needy will receive proportionally more – the siblings have agreed on our intention.
We will also take into consideration the Inheritance Tax implications in the UK and any other country.
The rest of our wealth will be distributed according to Sharia upon death of either/or both my wife and I.
My wife and I have wealth which is separated and will apportion that part of our wealth to our children as we feel appropriate – my wife will apportion her wealth independently.
We have 5 children – 3 males (1 boy, age – 13), 2 daughters
My parents have passed away
Wife’s parents are alive. Also has 2 brothers and 5 sisters
Could you kindly advise on the following.
1. What would be the percentage (parts) that would be distributed to my wife and our children upon my death?
2. What would be the percentage (parts) that would be distributed to me and our children upon my wife’s death, including her parents or any of her other siblings)?
3. What would be the percentage (parts) that would be distributed to our children upon my wife’s and my death at the same time?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the Inspirer of Truth
Please find below the calculations for the share allocations to the three scenarios you mentioned in your question.
With regards to the third scenario – if you and your wife die at the same time, where it is not known who died first, you will not inherit from one another. However, if it is known who died first, the surviving spouse will inherit, and the allocation will be in accordance with scenarios 1 or 2.
Scenarios
| Scenario One | ||||||||||
| Heirs | Wife | Son 1 | Son 2 | Son 3 | Daughter 1 | Daughter 2 | ||||
| Islamic Distribution | 1/8 | Remainder (daughters will receive half of the son’s share) | ||||||||
| Share | 8/64 | 14/64 | 14/64 | 14/64 | 7/64 | 7/64 | ||||
| % | 12.5 | 21.875 | 21.875 | 21.875 | 10.9375 | 10.9375 | ||||
| Scenario Two | |||||||||
| Heirs | Husband | Son 1 | Son 2 | Son 3 | Daughter 1 | Daughter 2 | Father | Mother | |
| Islamic Distribution | 1/4 | Remainder (daughters will receive half of the son’s share) | 1/6 | 1/6 | |||||
| Share | 24/96 | 10/96 | 10/96 | 10/96 | 5/96 | 5/96 | 16/96 | 16/96 | |
| % | 25 | 10.4167 | 10.4167 | 10.4167 | 5.2083 | 5.2083 | 16.667 | 16.667 | |
| Scenario Three – Your heirs | ||||||||
| Heirs | Son 1 | Son 2 | Son 3 | Daughter 1 | Daughter 2 | |||
| Islamic Distribution | All (daughters will receive half of the son’s share) | |||||||
| Share | 2/8 | 2/8 | 2/8 | 1/8 | 1/8 | |||
| % | 25 | 25 | 25 | 12.5 | 12.5 | |||
| Your wife’s heirs | ||||||||
| Heirs | Son 1 | Son 2 | Son 3 | Daughter 1 | Daughter 2 | Father | Mother | |
| Islamic Distribution | Remainder (daughters will receive half of the son’s share) | 1/6 | 1/6 | |||||
| Share | 2/12 | 2/12 | 2/12 | 1/12 | 1/12 | 2/12 | 2/12 | |
| % | 16.667 | 16.667 | 16.667 | 8.333 | 8.333 | 16.667 | 16.667 | |
And Allah knows best.
Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow
Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 769) فَقَالَ (فَيُفْرَضُ لِلزَّوْجَةِ فَصَاعِدًا الثَّمَنُ مَعَ وَلَدٍ أَوْ وَلَدِ ابْنٍ) وَأَمَّا مَعَ وَلَدِ الْبِنْتِ فَيُفْرَضُ لَهَا الرُّبْعُ (وَإِنْ سَفَلَ وَالرُّبْعُ لَهَا عِنْدَ عَدَمِهِمَا) فَلِلزَّوْجَاتِ حَالَتَانِ الرُّبْعُ بِلَا وَلَدٍ وَالثُّمُنُ مَعَ الْوَلَدِ (وَالرُّبْعُ لِلزَّوْجِ) … (مَعَ أَحَدِهِمَا) أَيْ الْوَلَدِ أَوْ وَلَدِ الِابْنِ (وَالنِّصْفُ لَهُ عِنْدَ عَدَمِهِمَا) فَلِلزَّوْجِ حَالَتَانِ النِّصْفُ وَالرُّبْعُ
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 770) (وَلِلْأَبِ وَالْجَدِّ) ثَلَاثُ أَحْوَالٍ الْفَرْضُ الْمُطْلَقُ وَهُوَ (السُّدُسُ) وَذَلِكَ (مَعَ وَلَدٍ أَوْ وَلَدِ ابْنٍ)
الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 772) (وَلِلْأُمِّ) ثَلَاثَةُ أَحْوَالٍ (السُّدُسُ مَعَ أَحَدِهِمَا
…الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (6/ 774) ثُمَّ الْعَصَبَاتُ بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ أَرْبَعَةُ أَصْنَافٍ جُزْءُ الْمَيِّتِ ثُمَّ أَصْلُهُ ثُمَّ جُزْءُ أَبِيهِ ثُمَّ جُزْءُ جَدِّهِ (وَيُقَدَّمُ الْأَقْرَبُ فَالْأَقْرَبُ مِنْهُمْ) بِهَذَا التَّرْتِيبِ فَيُقَدَّمُ جُزْءُ الْمَيِّتِ (كَالِابْنِ
البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري (8/ 579) وكذلك إذا ترك ابن ابن بنت وبنت بنت بنت فالمال بينهم {للذكر مثل حظ الأنثيين} [النساء: 11]
Mu’in al-Fara’id (English) by Mufti Mahmud Hasan Ajmeri, pp.22-3