Question

Asalamualaikum Mufti Saheb:

I have the following question with regards to inheritance.

When my grandfather passed away, he left behind 3 sons and 1 daughter. The estate comprised of 2 shops, 1 house and personal belongings. The shops were bought over by the brothers themselves and one brother agreed to purchase the house.
When determining the value of the house, the sister was not consulted, and in doing so the 2 brothers agreed to give the brother buying the house a discount on the property, the sister was not aware of the discount and was not consulted .
To date, the brother is occupying the house and has not yet finished paying off for the property. One of the brother who was owed the money is now late. He now owes money to the late brothers family and his other brother.

Question:
The house is still under my grand fathers name. Since it has now come to our attention with regards to how the estate was distributed and that the sister was not consulted about the discount on the house:
do we have reappropriate the shares for the house, allocating the sister her fair share (without the discount) ?
If the brother decides to the sell the house, are the proceeds reapportioned and how ?

Kindly advise how this matter should be sorted out as it has only come to my attention now.

Jazakallah.

Answer

When your grandfather passed away, his estate would have transferred into the ownership of his rightful heirs. This would mean that each of the sons and daughter would have a share in the house. Hence, if two of the brothers agreed to sell the house without the consent of the sister, the sale will not go ahead as it is not permissible to sell someone else’s property without their consent. The house will remain in the ownership of all the siblings and the money paid by the brother purchasing the house will be returned to him. However, if the sister approves the initial sale, then it will go ahead even if she approves it after the initial agreement.

Alternatively, the brother may negotiate a new price with the consent of the sister and enter a new contract.

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (4/ 300)
وكل) من شركاء الملك (أجنبي) في الامتناع عن تصرف مضر (في مال صاحبه) لعدم تضمنها الوكالة (فصح له بيع حصته ولو من غير شريكه بلا إذن إلا في صورة الخلط) لماليهما بفعلهما كحنطة بشعير وكبناء وشجر وزرع مشترك قهستاني، وتمامه في الفصل الثلاثين من العمادية

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (4/ 302)
ولو كانت الدار مشتركة بينهما باع أحدهما بيتا معينا أو نصيبه من بيت معين فللآخر أن يبطل البيع

الدر المختار وحاشية ابن عابدين (رد المحتار) (5/ 106)
فصل في الفضولي مناسبته ظاهرة، وذكره في الكنز بعد الاستحقاق؛ لأنه من صوره. (هو) من يشتغل بما لا يعنيه فالقائل لمن يأمر بالمعروف: أنت فضولي يخشى عليه الكفر فتح. واصطلاحا (من يتصرف في حق غيره) بمنزلة الجنس (بغير إذن شرعي) فصل خرج به نحو وكيل ووصي (كل تصرف صدر منه) تمليكا كان كبيع وتزويج، وإسقاطا كطلاق وإعتاق (وله مجيز) أي لهذا التصرف من يقدر على إجازته (حال وقوعه انعقد موقوفا) وما لا يجيز له حالة العقد لا ينعقد أصلا

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

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