Fatwa ID: 06667

Answered by: Alimah Zakiratul Hoque

Question:

Father’s Inheritance.  Fatwa 270 was given to us by you.  Following on from this fatwa I wanted to send a document which has some more information regarding this.  I wanted to clarify certain points.  We would like to give 1/3 of my father’s inheritance to grandchildren but from the remaining 2/3 we will still be giving one-third to my father’s cousin’s and 2/3 to daughters.  Just wanted to double-check if this was ok and to clarify a few points. 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

Grandchildren and cousins fall under the Asabah category. Their share of inheritance is not fixed in the Qur’an, so they would receive any leftover inheritance, or they would inherit alone in the absence of those whose shares are fixed (Fatawa Hindiya, Vol 6, 500). In the presence of male children, grandchildren and cousins cannot inherit, as children are given preference (Al Muhit Al Burhani, Vol 23, Pg 286).

If a man passes away and he has children and a wife, his wife would get 1/8, his sons would get 2/3 and his daughters would get 1/3 (Qur’an, 4:11-12). Cousins and grandchildren would not inherit.

If the heirs (wife and children) would like to give their share to the deceased’s cousins or grandchildren, they are within their rights to do so, as it is their property to do with as they please. Therefore, if the heirs all agree to the shares you mentioned, the inheritance can be distributed according to those shares.

The above is written based on the information provided in your question. For a more tailored response, you should discuss this in detail in a meeting with a local Mufti.

الباب الثالث في العصبات و هم كل من ليس له سهم مقدرو يأخذ ما بقي من سهام ذوي الفروض و إذا انفرد اخذ جميع المال كذا في الاختيار شرح المختار

أولي من يقسم عليهم الميراث أصحاب الفرائض ثم العصبات من جهة النسب

يُوصِيكُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِىٓ أَوْلَـٰدِكُمْ لِلذَّكَرِ مِثْلُ حَظِّ ٱلْأُنثَيَيْنِ فَإِن كُنَّ نِسَآءً فَوْقَ ٱثْنَتَيْنِ فَلَهُنَّ ثُلُثَا مَا تَرَكَ وَإِن كَانَتْ وَٰحِدَةً فَلَهَا ٱلنِّصْفُ وَلِأَبَوَيْهِ لِكُلِّ وَٰحِدٍۢ مِّنْهُمَا ٱلسُّدُسُ مِمَّا تَرَكَ إِن كَانَ لَهُۥ وَلَدٌ فَإِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ وَلَدٌ وَوَرِثَهُۥٓ أَبَوَاهُ فَلِأُمِّهِ ٱلثُّلُثُ فَإِن كَانَ لَهُۥٓ إِخْوَةٌ فَلِأُمِّهِ ٱلسُّدُسُ مِنۢ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصِى بِهَآ أَوْ دَيْنٍ ءَابَآؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَآؤُكُمْ لَا تَدْرُونَ أَيُّهُمْ أَقْرَبُ لَكُمْ نَفْعًا فَرِيضَةً مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا

وَلَكُمْ نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ أَزْوَٰجُكُمْ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّهُنَّ وَلَدٌ فَإِن كَانَ لَهُنَّ وَلَدٌۭ فَلَكُمُ ٱلرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْنَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصِينَ بِهَآ أَوْ دَيْنٍ وَلَهُنَّ ٱلرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُمْ إِن لَّمْ يَكُن لَّكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَإِن كَانَ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَلَهُنَّ ٱلثُّمُنُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ تُوصُونَ بِهَآ أَوْ دَيْنٍ وَإِن كَانَ رَجُلٌ يُورَثُ كَلَـٰلَةً أَوِ ٱمْرَأَةٌ وَلَهُۥٓ أَخٌ أَوْ أُخْتٌۭ فَلِكُلِّ وَٰحِدٍ مِّنْهُمَا ٱلسُّدُسُ فَإِن كَانُوٓا۟ أَكْثَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ فَهُمْ شُرَكَآءُ فِى ٱلثُّلُثِ مِن بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصَىٰ بِهَآ أَوْ دَيْنٍ غَيْرَ مُضَآرٍّۢ وَصِيَّةً مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَلِيمٌ

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Alimah Zakiratul Hoque

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham