If an uncle dies leaving a tenth-generation descendant of his paternal uncle and a first-generation descendant of his father’s paternal uncle, the former is the residuary heir, because he is connected to the deceased through the grandfather, whereas the latter is connected through the great-grandfather; thus, the former is closer in degree. Some students of knowledge are unaware of this. They imagine that the closer relative in degree is the one with fewer links, but this is not so. Closeness in degree is determined by the first ancestor through whom the deceased is connected.

A paternal half-brother takes precedence over a paternal uncle, his son, and the son of a full brother. Likewise, the son of a full brother or the son of a paternal half-brother takes precedence over the son of the son of a full brother. When they are equal, the relative related through both parents is given precedence. If there are no agnatic heirs by lineage, the emancipator inherits, followed by his agnatic heirs.

His statement, “A paternal half-brother takes precedence over a paternal uncle,” is an instance of one line of kinship taking precedence over another.

His statement, “and his son,” means either the son of the paternal uncle or the son of the paternal half-brother himself. If it means his own son, then the paternal half-brother takes precedence over him because of closer degree; if it means the son of the paternal uncle, then the paternal half-brother takes precedence because of the closer line of kinship.

His statement, “and the son of a full brother,” means that a paternal half-brother takes precedence over the son of a full brother. Thus, if a person dies leaving his paternal half-brother and the son of his full brother, his paternal half-brother is the residuary heir, because he is closer in degree.

His statement, “Likewise, the son of a full brother or the son of a paternal half-brother takes precedence over the son of the son of a full brother”: “likewise” means that the son of a full brother or the son of a paternal half-brother takes precedence over the son of the son of a full brother because of closer degree.

His statement, “When they are equal,” means equal in degree and line of kinship.

His statement, “the relative related through both parents is given precedence,” means due to the greater strength of the relationship.

His statement, “If there are no agnatic heirs by lineage, the emancipator inherits, followed by his agnatic heirs,” is because of the saying—