al-Moulakhas al-Fiqhi - Salih Al-Fawzan - (2/240)

Chapter on the Inheritance of Husbands and Wives

The husband receives one half of the estate when the deceased wife leaves neither child nor grandson through a son, and one quarter when she does leave a child or a grandson through a son. This is based on the Divine statement: “You shall receive one half of what your wives leave behind if they have no child; but if they have a child, then you shall have one quarter of what they leave, after any bequest they may have made or debt. And they shall receive one quarter of what you leave if you have no child; but if you have a child, then they shall have one eighth of what you leave, after any bequest you may have made or debt” (Qur’an 4:12).

For the wife—or wives collectively—their share is one quarter of the estate when the deceased husband leaves no lineal descendant who inherits, and one eighth when such a descendant exists. The ruling is confirmed by the same verse just cited: “And they shall receive one quarter of what you leave if you have no child; but if you have a child, then they shall have one eighth of what you leave, after any bequest you may have made or debt” (Qur’an 4:12).

The term “lineal descendant who inherits” refers to the deceased’s own children and the children of his sons.

باب في ميراث الأزواج والزوجات وللزوج النصف مع عدم الولد وولد الابن، والربع مع وجود الولد أو ولد الابن، لقوله تعالى: ﴿وَلَكُمْ نِصْفُ مَا تَرَكَ أَزْوَاجُكُمْ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُنَّ وَلَدٌ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَهُنَّ وَلَدٌ فَلَكُمُ الرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْنَ مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ يُوصِينَ بِهَا أَوْ دَيْنٍ وَلَهُنَّ الرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُمْ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَلَهُنَّ الثُّمُنُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ تُوصُونَ بِهَا أَوْ دَيْن﴾ . وللزوجة فأكثر الربع مع عدم الفرع الوارث، والثمن مع وجود: لقوله تعالى: ﴿وَلَهُنَّ الرُّبُعُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُمْ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَإِنْ كَانَ لَكُمْ وَلَدٌ فَلَهُنَّ الثُّمُنُ مِمَّا تَرَكْتُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ وَصِيَّةٍ تُوصُونَ بِهَا أَوْ دَيْن﴾ . والمراد بالفرع الوارث أولاد الميت وأولاد بنيه.