Fatwa ID: 06803
Answered by: Maulana Abdoullah Limvoonheek
Question:
Question from a relative:
Q) I have a question regarding inheritance.
My father had two houses in the UK. Whilst he was alive, during the nights, he slept and had all his clothes in HOUSE X with my stepmother. But spent the daytime and ate and did everything else in HOUSE Y, which me, my family and my sister lived in.
When my father got ill with cancer, he signed over HOUSE Y to me and my sister. My father still was like the head of the house, who made most decisions etc. We continued to see him as the head of the house as he was our father and elder and that’s what happens in our culture.
When My father found out he had cancer, he made all my family, stepmother etc sit and announced that he was signing over HOUSE X to my brother and HOUSE Y to me and my sister.
My stepmother would also spend all day in HOUSE Y. My father also paid for most of the food and paid most of the bills, and I paid some of the bills in the house such as water bills, phone/Internet bills, etc. I offered to pay the electricity and gas bills but my father wouldn’t let me. This was his choice even after I asked him to let me pay the bills. He also kept some of his belongings in HOUSE Y such as passports, paperwork, medicine that he took during the day, some shoes and clothes that he wore, tools and other belongings in HOUSE Y.
My father also got the kitchen extended and made a new bathroom. I gave him some money towards it and he paid the rest as this was his choice. I paid for the new kitchen, tiles, tables and all other interior design etc. Me and my wife chose the designs etc.
He did not give any share to my stepmother. But stated that we look after her. My real mother passed away before my father.
My father, even after signing HOUSE Y to my sister, still wanted to stay in charge and head of the HOUSE Y. This is how our culture goes.
Now that my father has passed away he clearly stated and transferred/signed over the ownership (legally) of HOUSE Y as explained above to me and my sister before he passed away. In addition, he signed over HOUSE X to my brother before he passed away. However, my father still managed and was the head of House X. As his son, my brother accepted our father being in charge. This is something that happens in our cultures.
Furthermore, my father had signed off all land and our family home based in Pakistan to me and my siblings. We don’t live there and all our lands are empty or in use by the local people for growing crops for their own use etc.
Does my stepmother need to be given any share of the above explained houses, land etc?
Although my father signed off all the properties in the UK to me and my siblings when he got ill, he still chose to be the Head of them and make decisions regarding them. We allowed him to as he was our father.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Answer:
We understand that your late father signed everything for you and your siblings and didn’t allocate any share for his spouse thus depriving her of inheritance.
1st it is forbidden to deprive an heir from inheritance in this case is your father’s wife. Your father should have allocated a share for his wife. Other assets of the estate should be distributed properly wherein your stepmother will receive 1/8th of the estate.
2nd Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) has advised that a father should maintain equality among his children in gifting.
In general, it is incorrect to give preference to one child over the other as that may lead to ill feelings and animosity. If a father has a valid reason to give preference to one child over the other in gifting, as stated in the query, then that is permissible.
your father gifted you and your siblings properties is fine. To gift the heir in the lifetime and give the heir complete ownership and control over the wealth, then it is permissible. In your case, by the transferal and signed over the property it will be regarded as yours and you gave your father permission to stay.
Only Allah (عز و جل) knows best.
Written by Maulana Abdoullah Limvoonheek
Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah
Darul Ifta Birmingham
Reference:
قال صلى الله عليه وسلم: من قطع ميراث وارثه قطع الله ميراثه من الجنة يوم القيامة (مشكوة شريف ص 266)
عن النُّعْمَانُ بْنُ بَشِيرٍ، أَنَّ أُمَّهُ بِنْتَ رَوَاحَةَ، سَأَلَتْ أَبَاهُ بَعْضَ الْمَوْهِبَةِ مِنْ مَالِهِ لاِبْنِهَا فَالْتَوَى بِهَا سَنَةً ثُمَّ بَدَا لَهُ فَقَالَتْ لاَ أَرْضَى حَتَّى تُشْهِدَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى مَا وَهَبْتَ لاِبْنِي . فَأَخَذَ أَبِي بِيَدِي وَأَنَا يَوْمَئِذٍ غُلاَمٌ فَأَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أُمَّ هَذَا بِنْتَ رَوَاحَةَ أَعْجَبَهَا أَنْ أُشْهِدَكَ عَلَى الَّذِي وَهَبْتُ لاِبْنِهَا . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” يَا بَشِيرُ أَلَكَ وَلَدٌ سِوَى هَذَا ” . قَالَ نَعَمْ . فَقَالَ ” أَكُلَّهُمْ وَهَبْتَ لَهُ مِثْلَ هَذَا ” . قَالَ لاَ . قَالَ ” فَلاَ تُشْهِدْنِي إِذًا فَإِنِّي لاَ أَشْهَدُ عَلَى جَوْرٍ ”
Sahih Muslim hadith 1623
وينبغي للرجل أن يعدل بين أولاده في النحلى لقوله سبحانه وتعالى {إن الله يأمر بالعدل والإحسان} [النحل: 90]…(وبعد أسطر)… وذكر محمد في الموطإ ينبغي للرجل أن يسوي بين ولده في النحل ولا يفضل بعضهم على بعض. وظاهر هذا يقتضي أن يكون قوله مع قول أبي يوسف وهو الصحيح لما روي أن بشيرا أبا النعمان أتى بالنعمان إلى رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – فقال إني نحلت ابني هذا غلاما كان لي فقال له رسول الله – صلى الله عليه وسلم – كل ولدك نحلته مثل هذا فقال لا فقال النبي – عليه الصلاة والسلام – فأرجعه وهذا إشارة إلى العدل بين الأولاد في النحلة وهو التسوية بينهم ولأن في التسوية تأليف القلوب والتفضيل يورث الوحشة بينهم فكانت التسوية أولى
بدائع الصنائع (8/115-113)
الهبة عقد مشروع لقوله عليه الصلاة والسلام: “تهادوا تحابوا” وعلى ذلك انعقد الإجماع “وتصح بالإيجاب والقبول والقبض” أما الإيجاب والقبول فلأنه عقد، والعقد ينعقد بالإيجاب، والقبول، والقبض لا بد منه لثبوت الملك
الهداية شرح بداية المبتدي (6/241-240)
وَمِنْهَا أَنْ يَكُونَ الْمَوْهُوبُ مَقْبُوضًا حَتَّى لَا يَثْبُتَ الْمِلْكُ لِلْمَوْهُوبِ لَهُ قَبْلَ الْقَبْضِ وَأَنْ يَكُونَ الْمَوْهُوبُ مَقْسُومًا إذَا كَانَ مِمَّا يَحْتَمِلُ الْقِسْمَةَ وَأَنْ يَكُونَ الْمَوْهُوبُ مُتَمَيِّزًا عَنْ غَيْرِ الْمَوْهُوبِ وَلَا يَكُونُ مُتَّصِلًا وَلَا مَشْغُولًا بِغَيْرِ الْمَوْهُوبِ حَتَّى لَوْ وَهَبَ أَرْضًا فِيهَا زَرْعٌ لِلْوَاهِبِ دُونَ الزَّرْعِ ، أَوْ عَكْسُهُ أَوْ نَخْلًا فِيهَا ثَمَرَةٌ لِلْوَاهِبِ مُعَلَّقَةٌ بِهِ دُونَ الثَّمَرَةِ ، أَوْ عَكْسُهُ لَا تَجُوزُ ، وَكَذَا لَوْ وَهَبَ دَارًا أَوْ ظَرْفًا فِيهَا مَتَاعٌ لِلْوَاهِبِ
الفتاوى الهندية (34/ 282)
