Heirs and Their Parts
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Who is entitled to receive an inheritance, and how much? Faraidh science answers this with a thorough system. Broadly speaking, heirs are divided into two groups: ashhabul furudh โ those whose shares are mentioned directly in the Koran in the form of certain fractions โ and ashabah, who receive the remaining assets after the fixed shares have been paid. Some examples of fixed shares mentioned in surah An-Nisa': a wife receives one-eighth if her husband leaves children, and one-quarter if there are no children. The husband received a quarter if his wife left behind children, and half if she did not. The mother receives one-sixth if the deceased had children; the father was also one-sixth in the same circumstances, and he at the same time became ashabah. One single daughter gets half; two or more share two-thirds; and if there are boys, they all become ashabah with the provision that the male share is twice the female share. Why do men get twice as much? Because in the Islamic system, a man's property is not his own: he is obliged to provide for his wife, children, even relatives who need it. Meanwhile, the woman's share is entirely her own โ she is not obliged to spend it on anyone. Viewed as a complete system, this division actually burdens men's responsibilities. It is also important to remember that there are barriers to inheritance: killing an heir invalidates inheritance rights, and religious differences between heir and heir prevent mutual inheritance according to the majority of ulama. Real cases are often more complicated than basic examples โ there are grandparents, half-siblings, and various combinations that require special calculations. Because of this, the scholars compiled detailed rules over the centuries. For practical needs, use the ULYAH Inheritance Calculator as a first step, then confirm it by asking the ustadz or institution that controls faraidh before the distribution is made.