one-third, or four; the two grandmothers receive one-sixth, or two; and the three wives receive one-quarter, or three. Thus, it is increased to seventeen.
This case is called “the mother of private parts,” because all the heirs are women, and each woman inherits the same as the others despite their differing degrees of kinship. No one of them receives more than another in inheritance. It is therefore posed as a riddle: “Seventeen women of diverse relations inherited an estate in equal shares.”
His statement, “And one-eighth together with one-sixth or two-thirds is based on twenty-four,” means that a case based on twenty-four must include one-eighth. If you calculate a case as being based on twenty-four and it contains no one-eighth, know that you have made a mistake. A case cannot be based on twenty-four unless it includes one-eighth. An example is a man who dies leaving his wife, mother, and son. The case is based on twenty-four: the wife receives one-eighth, or three; the mother receives one-sixth, or four; and the remaining seventeen go to the son.
His statement, “or two-thirds is based on twenty-four,” is because the denominator of one-eighth is eight and that of two-thirds is three; three multiplied by eight makes twenty-four. An example is a man who dies leaving his wife, two daughters, and a paternal uncle. The case is based on twenty-four: the wife receives one-eighth, or three; the two daughters receive two-thirds, or sixteen; and the remaining five go to the paternal uncle.
His statement, “And it is proportionally increased to twenty-seven,” means that twenty-four is proportionally increased to twenty-seven. It is increased only once, and only by one-eighth; for this reason it is called “the stingy one.” Six, on the other hand, is called “the generous one,” because it can be proportionally increased by two-thirds, both to even and odd numbers; and, if you wish, it may be reduced. It is therefore the most expansive of the base numbers. As for twenty-four, it is increased only once, and only by one-eighth, to seven