Question

Would a will be classified as executed if inheritors did not have possession of their shares? Can one person be given all the assets of inheritance? What if relatives want to gift their share to another relative?

Answer

When a person passes away, ownership of their assets automatically pass over to the rightful heirs. The assets should be distributed amongst the heirs according to their shares of the inheritance. It would not be permissible to give ownership of all the assets to one person without the consent of the rightful heirs.

If any of the heirs wish to gift their share to a particular relative then they can do so only once the assets have been divided amongst the inheritors or their agents have taken possession on their behalf. Once the inheritor has become aware of their share only then can they choose to gift that elsewhere. It will not be valid for someone to decide this on behalf of any inheritors without their consent.

الفتاوى الهندية (4/ 374)
وَأَنْ يَكُونَ الْمَوْهُوبُ مَقْسُومًا إذَا كَانَ مِمَّا يَحْتَمِلُ الْقِسْمَةَ

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (5/ 692)
في) متعلق بتتم (محوز) مفرغ (مقسوم ومشاع لا) يبقى منتفعا به بعد أن (يقسم) كبيت وحمام صغيرين لأنها (لا) تتم بالقبض (فيما يقسم

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (5/ 690)
وتتم) الهبة (بالقبض) الكامل (ولو الموهوب شاغلا لملك الواهب لا مشغولا به) والأصل أن الموهوب إن مشغولا بملك الواهب منع تمامها

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel