Fatwa ID: 07983

Answered by: Maulana Sheik Abdel Ahaad Imrit

Question:

1: Is it compulsory to sell a house if both parents own the house and the father passes away? The mother is still alive and living in the house with 2 unmarried children (daughter 30 and son 19 years old)

2: The father’s mother is still alive and has to get her inheritance.

Lastly: Is it permissible for all the heirs to agree to give their shares over to the mother and not sell the house?

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيْم

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

Answer:

Wa ʿalaykumu s-salam waRahmatullahi Wabarakatuh,

No, the portion owned by your father must be distributed among the heirs according to Islamic law.

In Shariah, inheritance refers to the transfer of a deceased person’s wealth to their heirs through succession. It is as if the heirs, by virtue of their continued existence, inherit the remaining wealth of the deceased. Once the inheritance is distributed, it becomes the property of the heirs, and they are free to do with it as they wish—even giving their shares to one individual, such as your mother in this case.

«الفتاوى العالمكيرية = الفتاوى الهندية» (6/ 474):

«[فَصْل وَمنْ صَالِح مِنْ الْغُرَمَاء أَوْ الْوَرَثَة عَلَى شَيْء مِنْ التَّرِكَة]

(فَصْلٌ) وَمَنْ صَالَحَ مِنْ الْغُرَمَاءِ أَوْ الْوَرَثَةِ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِنْ التَّرِكَةِ فَاطْرَحْهُ كَأَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ ثُمَّ اقْسِمْ الْبَاقِيَ عَلَى سِهَامِ الْبَاقِينَ مِثَالُهُ زَوْجٌ وَأُمٌّ وَعَمٌّ صَالَحَ عَنْ نَصِيبِهِ مِنْ التَّرِكَةِ عَلَى مَا فِي ذِمَّتِهِ مِنْ الْمَهْرِ فَاطْرَحْهُ كَأَنَّهَا مَاتَتْ عَنْ أُمٍّ وَعَمٍّ فَاقْسِمْ التَّرِكَةَ بَيْنَهُمَا لِلْأُمِّ الثُّلُثَانِ، وَالْبَاقِي لِلْعَمِّ كَذَا فِي الِاخْتِيَارِ شَرْحِ الْمُخْتَارِ.»

«الاختيار لتعليل المختار» (5/ 85):

«وَفِي الشَّرْعِ: ‌انْتِقَالُ ‌مَالِ ‌الْغَيْرِ ‌إِلَى ‌الْغَيْرِ عَلَى سَبِيلِ الْخِلَافَةِ، فَكَأَنَّ الْوَارِثَ لِبَقَائِهِ انْتَقَلَ إِلَيْهِ بَقِيَّةُ مَالِ الْمَيِّتِ»

Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.

Written by Mawlana Sheik Abdel Ahaad Imrit

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham