Fatwa ID: 07485
Answered by: Maulana Sarfraz Mohammad
Question:
My father had 15 units of land. In his life, he gifted and made 5 units in the name of his son.
After my father’s death, the land which was of 10 units was in the name of my father. It needs to be distributed among the following Family members:
- Wife
- Son
- Daughter A
- Daughter B
(Both the Daughters are married)
(No Wasiyat and No Loan on father)
Q1. How it should be distributed? Can Wife distribute her share among the children as per her control? Do Grandchildren have any haq on it? Can that money be used anywhere once distributed?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
In this case, since the father passed away leaving behind 10 units of land and the family members you mentioned, the inheritance should be distributed according to Islamic law (Shariah), specifically. Here’s how the distribution would generally work:
Q1. How should the inheritance be distributed?
In Islam, inheritance is distributed based on specific shares outlined in the Quran (Surah An-Nisa, 4:11-12). According to the Hanafi madhhab, the estate of the deceased will be distributed as follows:
Wife: The wife receives 1/8th (12.5%) of the entire estate, because the deceased left children.
Son: The remaining portion is distributed among the son and daughters, with the son receiving twice the share of each daughter. This follows the Quranic injunction in Surah An-Nisa, 4:11 (“for the male, a share equivalent to that of two females”).
The total inheritance to be distributed is 10 units.
The wife receives 1/8th, which is 1.25 units.
The remaining estate (10 – 1.25 = 8.75 units) is distributed among the sons and daughters.
Now, divide the remaining shares as follows:
The son receives twice the share of each daughter. We will calculate the shares by giving 2 parts to the son and 1 part to each daughter.
Thus, the inheritance is split into 4 shares (2 for the son, 1 for each daughter):
Son: 2/4th of 8.75 units = 4.375 units.
Daughter A: 1/4th of 8.75 units = 2.1875 units.
Daughter B: 1/4th of 8.75 units = 2.1875 units.
Summary of Distribution:
- Wife: 1.25 units.
- Son: 4.375 units.
- Daughter A: 2.1875 units.
- Daughter B: 2.1875 units.
Q2. Can the Wife Distribute Her Share?
Yes, but only after receiving her share, not before. If she distributes before she receives her share, it will not be valid. Once the wife has received her portion of the inheritance, she is the owner of her share and can do whatever she wishes with it.
She can choose to distribute her share among her children or others if she desires, but it is not obligatory for her to do so. It’s her wealth, and she has complete control over it.
Q3. Do the Grandchildren Have Any Haq (Right) in the Inheritance?
The grandchildren do not automatically inherit in this scenario because their father (the son) is alive. In Islamic inheritance law, grandchildren only inherit if their parent (the son or daughter of the deceased) has passed away before the deceased. Since the son is alive, the grandchildren do not have a direct claim to the inheritance.
Q4. Can Distributed Money Be Used Anywhere?
Once the inheritance has been distributed, the recipients have full ownership of their shares. They are free to use the money or assets in any halal (permissible) manner they wish. There are no restrictions on how the distributed wealth can be used as long as it is in accordance with Islamic guidelines.
Conclucion:
The 5 units of land that were gifted to the son during the father’s lifetime do not count as part of the inheritance, as they were gifted while the father was alive. Islamic inheritance only applies to the assets left at the time of death, not those given during life.
In summary, the 10 units of land should be distributed according to the rules of inheritance mentioned above and the wife has full control over her share. Grandchildren do not have any right to the inheritance unless their parent is deceased, and the recipients of the inheritance are free to use their portions as they wish.
Only Allah Knows Best.
Answered by Maulana Sarfraz Mohammad
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
يُوۡصِيۡكُمُ اللّٰهُ فِىۡۤ اَوۡلَادِكُمۡ لِلذَّكَرِ مِثۡلُ حَظِّ الۡاُنۡثَيَيۡنِ ۚ فَاِنۡ كُنَّ نِسَآءً فَوۡقَ اثۡنَتَيۡنِ فَلَهُنَّ ثُلُثَا مَا تَرَكَ ۚ وَاِنۡ كَانَتۡ وَاحِدَةً فَلَهَا النِّصۡفُ ؕ وَلِاَ بَوَيۡهِ لِكُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِّنۡهُمَا السُّدُسُ مِمَّا تَرَكَ اِنۡ كَانَ لَهٗ وَلَدٌ ۚ فَاِنۡ لَّمۡ يَكُنۡ لَّهٗ وَلَدٌ وَّوَرِثَهٗۤ اَبَوٰهُ فَلِاُمِّهِ الثُّلُثُ ؕ فَاِنۡ كَانَ لَهٗۤ اِخۡوَةٌ فَلِاُمِّهِ السُّدُسُ مِنۡۢ بَعۡدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُّوۡصِىۡ بِهَاۤ اَوۡ دَيۡنٍ ؕ اٰبَآؤُكُمۡ وَاَبۡنَآؤُكُمۡ ۚ لَا تَدۡرُوۡنَ اَيُّهُمۡ اَقۡرَبُ لَـكُمۡ نَفۡعًا ؕ فَرِيۡضَةً مِّنَ اللّٰهِ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ كَانَ عَلِيۡمًا حَكِيۡمًا
Surah An-Nisa 4:11-14 [
الفتاوى الهندية (6/ 90):
“ولاتجوز الوصية للوارث عندنا إلا أن يجيزها الورثة
“لو قال الوارث : تركت حقي لم يبطل حقه إذ الملك لا يبطل بالترك”.
(الأشباہ والنظائر ص:309- ما یقبل الإسقاط من الحقوق وما لایقبله،
۔ لو قال ترکت حقي من المیراث أو برئت منہا ومن حصتي لا یصح وہو علی حقہ لأن الإرث جبري لا یصح ترکہ․ (تکملہ رد المحتار: ۱۲/ ۱۱۶، کتاب الدعوی باب دعوة النسب، ط: زکریا دیوبند)
’وقد ذکر الإمام أبوبکر جصاص الرازي رحمه اللّٰه في أحکام القرآن، والعلامة العیني في عمدة القاري: الإجماع علی أن الحفید لایرث مع الابن‘‘. (تکملة فتح الملهم ۲/۱۸)
’’ولو کان مدار الإرث علی الیتم والفقر والحاجة لما ورث أحد من الأقرباء والأغنیاء، وذهب المیراث کله إلی الیتامیٰ والمساکین … وأن معیار الإرث لیس هو القرابة المحضة ولا الیُتم والمسکنة، وإنما هو الأقربیة إلی المیت‘‘. (تکملة فتح الملهم ۲/۱۷-۱۸)
